Caribou Habitat Loss Drives 53% Decline in Southern Mountain Herds

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Southern mountain caribou populations plummet by 53% in British Columbia as conservation groups challenge federal government's decade-long inaction.

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Three endangered caribou herds face critical decline near Alberta boundary while logging continues to fragment their ancient habitat.

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Federal government's promised habitat mapping from 2014 remains incomplete, pushing timeline to 2026 amid strong criticism from environmental groups.

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More than 190,000 hectares of crucial caribou habitat destroyed through logging between 2007-2023, based on federal data analysis.

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Eight out of 18 herds in southern group declared locally extinct over two decades as industrial development disrupts their old-growth forest ecosystem.

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B.C.'s controversial wolf culling program costs between $100,000 to $275,000 per herd to protect threatened caribou populations.

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Conservation experts warn predator control fails to address root cause as new logging roads create easy access for wolves to hunt caribou.

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Wilderness Committee findings reveal over 310,000 hectares of critical habitat logged using B.C. government's 2019 mapping data.

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Environment Minister Steven Guilbeault faces mounting pressure as conservation groups claim federal delays endorse species extinction.

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Government's shifting timelines for habitat protection deemed "meaningless" as southern mountain caribou await endangered species listing since 2014.

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