A Review of the Status of Woodland Caribou (Rangifer caribou) in Ontario

Habitat partitioning between woodland caribou and moose in Ontario: the potential role of shared prédation risk

“…In addition to the currently used stands of sparsely stocked jack pine and black spruce with substantial ground lichen mats, more heavily stocked stands of these species where ground lichen availability would be marginal, and mixed-wood stands with tree lichens (as currently found on the Slate Islands, Euler et ah, 1976), or Canada yew (Taxus canadensis, as discussed by Cumming, 1992) could have provided adequate habitat while wolf densities remained low. In some of these habitat types, caribou densities may have built up substantially (similar to recent densities on the Slate Islands, Butler & Bergerud, 1987) leading to early reports of large numbers (DeVos & Peterson, 1951). Caribou probably never used to any extent hardwood stands or moderately-to fully-stocked black spruce stands (e.g., large areas east of Onamon Lake with few moose and few caribou (Cumming & Beange, 1987)).…”

“…Decreases in caribou populations before 1900 probably resulted from hunting by European immigrants (DeVos & Peterson, 1951;Cringan, 1957;Bergerud, 1974). From 1900-50, reductions in caribou numbers (DeVos & Peterson, 1951;Cringan, 1957) probably resulted primarily from apparent competition brought about by moose immigration that led to increased wolf densities (Simkin, 1965).…”

“…From 1900-50, reductions in caribou numbers (DeVos & Peterson, 1951;Cringan, 1957) probably resulted primarily from apparent competition brought about by moose immigration that led to increased wolf densities (Simkin, 1965). Caribou with their lower reproductive rate would have been eliminated from shared marginal coniferous-and mixed-wood stands (as per Holt, 1984), leaving remnant bands only in places where winter predation by wolves could be minimized.…”

“…But some attempts have been made. In Ontario, Devos & Peterson (1951) pointed out that caribou range continued to shrink, despite closure of legal hunting in 1929 (supported by Cringan, 1957). Simkin (1965) suggested that a caribou decline following moose immigration about 1900 was due to increased biomass supporting higher predator densities; similar to those later reported in British Columbia (Bergerud & Elliot, 1986).…”

Caribou conservation and recovery in Ontario: development and implementation of the Caribou Conservation Plan

“…There has been growing recognition of the decline and 'Threatened' status of woodland caribou in Ontario in recent decades, although concerns about their decline were expressed as early as the mid-20 th century (de Vos, 1949;de Vos & Peterson, 1951). Increasing attention began to be directed towards caribou conservation and recovery during the 1980s (Darby et al, 1989).…”