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The Tweedsmuir-Entiako caribou population summers in the North Tweedsmuir Park area, moves through the East Ootsa area during spring and fall migration, and winters in the Entiako and East Ootsa areas. During winter, caribou select mature lodgepole pine forests on low productivity sites where terrestrial lichens are abundant, and forage primarily by cratering through the snow to obtain terrestrial lichens (Cichowski 1993). The Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada (COSEWIC) has recently listed all caribou in the Southern Mountains National Ecological Area (SMNEA), which includes the Tweedsmuir-Entiako population, as Threatened. As a signatory to the National Accord for the Protection of Species at Risk, B.C. is obligated to develop a recovery strategy that addresses the threats to the species and its habitat. One of the greatest threats currently facing the Tweedsmuir-Entiako caribou population is the impact of the extensive mountain pine beetle outbreak on winter forage (terrestrial lichens), on caribou habitat and winter range use, and on population dynamics. Since this scale of mountain pine beetle attack has been unprecedented on caribou ranges in recent history, there is no information available on the effects of mountain pine beetles on caribou habitat use and population dynamics, and little information on caribou winter habitat (terrestrial lichens), making it difficult to develop management prescriptions that minimize impacts to caribou. The Tweedsmuir-Entiako caribou population is the first population to experience the current mountain pine beetle epidemic; information collected on the Tweedsmuir-Entiako population will also benefit other caribou populations where mountain pine beetle will occur. The Recovery Strategy for Northern Caribou in the SMNEA in BC identifies research on the effects of mountain pine beetles on Northern Caribou as a priority (Northern Caribou Technical Advisory Committee 2004). The current mountain pine beetle epidemic was detected in the East Ootsa and North Tweedsmuir Park areas in the early 1990?s. By the late 1990?s, mountain pine beetle numbers reached epidemic levels along Eutsuk and Tetachuck lakes. The area on the south and north side of Tetachuck Lake is an important spring migration staging area and winter range for the Tweedsmuir-Entiako caribou, and the area south of Tetachuck Lake in Entiako Park and Protected Area is the main part of the caribou winter range. By 2005, most mature lodgepole pine stands in the Tweedsmuir-Entiako caribou winter range are under heavy or moderate attack by mountain pine beetles and are in the 'grey attack' phase of the mountain pine beetle epidemic. Three of the most critical questions that need to be answered regarding the impacts of the mountain pine beetle epidemic on caribou are: ? How will caribou winter habitat be affected by mountain pine beetle attack? (i.e. how will terrestrial lichens respond? will snow accumulation increase due to a loss of canopy and/or will eventual blowdown lead to impeded movements?); ? How will caribou winter range and habitat use be affected by extensive mountain pine beetle attack? (i.e. will caribou avoid using mountain pine beetle-attacked habitats for traveling or foraging during winter and migration and/or will they alter foraging strategies in beetle killed areas?); and, ? How will caribou population dynamics be affected by extensive mountain pine beetle attack? (i.e. will mortality rates and causes and/or population growth change following the mountain pine beetle epidemic). In 2001, a project was initiated in both the East Ootsa and Entiako areas to monitor the response of terrestrial lichens to mountain pine beetle attack (East Ootsa and Entiako areas) and forest harvesting (East Ootsa area only), and to monitor changes in coarse woody debris as an indicator of movement barriers. Preliminary data from 2003 suggest that kinnikinnick (Arctostaphylos uva-ursi) is proliferating on some site ...
Cichowski, Deborah B.. 2007. Tweedsmuir-Entiako caribou project: effects of a mountain pine betle epidemic on Northern caribou habitat use ? 2006/07. Forest Investment Account (FIA) - Forest Science Program. Forest Investment Account Report. FIA2007MR264
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