Challenge any Canadian to a coin toss and chances are 50-50 that you’ll be looking at one of our most endangered species (and we’re not talking about the monarchy!). Though Canadian coin art has become quite diverse in recent years, the main symbol of our 25 cent piece is still the majestic caribou.

Yet most of us know very little about this creature and are unaware that, throughout Canada, caribou are struggling to cope with changes to their habitat caused by global warming and resource extraction. In British Columbia, one type of caribou - mountain caribou - is particularly threatened by both logging and mining.

Caribou are larger than deer and smaller than elk. Mountain Caribou are an ecotype of the woodland caribou family.  Bulls weigh approximately 200 kilograms on average and cows about 130 kilograms. Their colouring changes with the seasons between various degrees of brown and grey accentuated by a white collar of fur, particularly noticeable on the males. 

Their extra-large hooves act like snowshoes, enabling them to stand on deep, packed snow and reach their primary food source - lichen growing on old-growth trees.

Caribou calf

Unlike other ungulates, both male and female caribou grow antlers, which they shed about once a year. They also have special hollow fur that helps protect them against wind and harsh winter cold.

The mountain caribou live in B.C.’s inland temperate rainforest, where they have evolved a unique survival strategy. Different from other types of caribou, who migrate long distances, mountain caribou move up into high elevation forests in mid-winter. There, they use their large feet like snowshoes to stand on top of the deep winter snow and feed on lichens found on old-growth trees.

Mountain caribou play an important role as an indicator of the ecological health of these globally unique ancient forests, some of which have not been disturbed by fire or disease for centuries. Protecting mountain caribou habitat also benefits
water quality and assists a host of other plants and animals that depend on these same forests for their habitat.

Threats to Mountain Caribou: In the past decade, the number of mountain caribou has declined by 40 percent. The main threats are the fragmentation of their old-growth habitat by logging, mining and road-building, and burgeoning motorized recreation. The B.C. government is an active participant in logging the mountain caribou’s critical old-growth forest habitat through its own BC Timber Sales Program.

For more information about B.C.’s endangered caribou visit

www.mountaincaribou.ca.