Human-induced habitat alteration has led to the decline of woodland caribou (Rangifer
tarandus caribou) populations across Canada. The many challenges in conserving caribou
are exemplified by a herd of northern mountain caribou in the Telkwa Range of central
British Columbia. Despite population augmentation in the 1990s, this herd has declined to 18
individuals, yet mechanisms driving this decline are largely unknown. I used location data
from caribou collared between 1991–2015 to investigate the influence of human disturbances
– including forestry, roads, and recreation – on survival (N = 224) and habitat selection (N =
76). Results suggested that the decline of this herd was largely driven by a shift in predator prey
dynamics following forest harvest. Further exacerbating the decline were the cumulative
effects of disturbance in the Telkwa Range. Roads, recreation, and forestry influenced the
distribution of the Telkwa caribou herd, ultimately affecting habitat availability and the
ability of caribou to successfully manage predation risk.
