Early-Winter Habitat of Woodland Caribou, Selkirk Mountains, British Columbia

Abstract

We monitored early-winter habitat use by woodland caribou (Rangifer tarandus caribou) in the southern Selkirk Mountains, British Columbia, during November-December 1985-86. We compared biological and physical attributes of random locations within known early-winter caribou range to actual caribou use sites. Univariate and descriptive discriminant analysis indicated significant (P .ltoreq. 0.05) separation of several habitat variables between random sites and sites used by caribou. We observed caribou in old-growth stands with moderate slopes (<30.degree.); greater density of recently windthrown, lichen-bearing trees; higher elevations; and less canopy-cover and total tree basal area than measured at random plots. Because the Selkirk caribou use Engelmann spruce (Picea engelmanni)-subalpine fir (Abies lasiocarpa) and western red cedar (Thuja plicata)-western hemolock (Tsuga heterophylla) communities, we recommend maintenance of old-growth timber in these habitat types.