Mountain Caribou Habitat in the Kootenay Lake Forest District

The mountain caribou, Rangifer tarandus, is a close relative of the Arctic caribou. Unlike most other ungulates, it is adapted to survival at high elevations during the winter, when it feeds primarily on arboreal lichens. The species is considered "endangered" or "red-listed" in British Columbia, and there are three herds which forage within the Kootenay Lake Forest District. One of these, the Southern Selkirk herd, spends time in both Canada and the United States, and is known as the "International" herd.

Caribou depend heavily on old growth forests because of the increased likelihood of lichen production on older trees. Much of the suitable forest falls within the operable (timber harvesting) landbase. Under the Kootenay-Boundary Land Use Plan Implementation Strategy in 1997, forest management guidelines were developed which require maintenance of minimum amounts of old forest within caribou habitat. In some landscape units, such as K1, K6 and K18, this has greatly reduced the availability of timber for harvest.

In 2005, new caribou management zones were implemented as Variance 04 to the Kootenay-Boundary Higher Level Plan Order. These zones are shown on the Caribou Habitat map.

Mountain caribou are sensitive to habitat loss, predation, and motorized recreation.