Habitat Suitability Model
Mountain Caribou in Southeasten British Columbia
Study Area
The study area was defined as a region of 12,465.6 sq.km. within BC, focusing on the Hart Ranges. This area was chosen based on population status. It is an isolated area where the Mountain Caribou population has been classifed as "Threatened" by COSEWIC. This means it is of utmost priorority to determine where suitable habitat for the caribou may be within this area and to forecast the highest risk areas for habitat loss due to climate change.
The study area is highlighted in bright red in the above map. The Mountain Caribou population status is shown for subsections of BC, where light blue indicates a Blue/Special status, dark blue indicates a Blue/Threatened status, and red shows a Red/Threatened status.
Blue/Special: A wildlife species that may become threatened or endangered because of a combination of biological characteristics and identified threats.
Blue/Threatened: A wildlife species that is considered to be of special concern
Red/Threatened: A wildlife species that is likely to become endangered if nothing is done to reverse the factors leading to its extirpation or extinction.
Our predictive habitat analysis for Mountain Caribou in southeastern BC was based on an MCE using variables that influence the distribution and abundance of caribou. Collectively, these variables determine the likelihood of caribou populations to persist in the study area. The specific methods and processes used during our predictive habitat analysis are discussed in the MCE Analysis subsection.
The protected area used for the parks analysis piece of this project is Kakwa Provincial Park on the BC-Alberta border.