Environment and Conservation
March 2, 2015

Responsible and Sustainable Resource Management

Provincial Government Takes Action to Further Protect Red Wine Mountain Caribou Herd

The Provincial Government�s latest survey of the Red Wine Mountain Caribou sub population, traditionally found in the northern part of the Red Wine Mountain, indicates this herd is at its all-time low of approximately 20 animals. As such, government is taking steps to ensure any work activity in the area, including Nalcor�s development of the Muskrat Falls Generation Project, involves minimal disturbances to the remaining animals.

The Provincial Government issued Nalcor Energy an Amendment to the Red Wine Mountain Caribou Monitoring and Mitigation schedule of the Economic Activity permit under the Endangered Species Act.

�The status of this herd is of great concern to our government and has prompted us to carefully consider approaches taken to mitigate and monitor the effects of previous, current and future developments. We have notified Nalcor Energy to revise their activities in this area to minimize all disturbances to the remaining animals, including avoiding and limiting project activities during sensitive time periods and more monitoring will be conducted.�
- The Honourable Dan Crummell, Minister of Environment and Conservation

The Amendment to the Red Wine Mountain Caribou Monitoring and Mitigation schedule states that all work activities are to be rescheduled if caribou are observed within a four kilometer radius of the work area until caribou no longer occupy the area. It has also been noted that activities are not permitted within important and highly used core calving and post calving areas. The Amendment is available at www.env.gov.nl.ca/env/wildlife/endangeredspecies/permits.html.

Populations of all Boreal caribou in Labrador, including the Red Wine Mountain sub population, have been designated as threatened under the Newfoundland and Labrador Endangered Species Act since 2002. The designation provides immediate protection for these animals and their residence. Research and monitoring activities continue, including new approaches to conduct population estimates using noninvasive genetic techniques, allowing caribou who are not directly seen to be counted. Additional information relating to Red Wine Mountain caribou is in the backgrounder below.

QUICK FACTS

• Due to an all-time low of approximately 20 animals of the Red Wine Mountain Caribou sub-population, the Provincial Government issued to Nalcor Energy an Amendment to the Red Wine Mountain Caribou Monitoring and Mitigation schedule of the Economic Activity permit under the Endangered Species Act.
• The Amendment to the Red Wine Mountain Caribou Monitoring and Mitigation schedule states that all work activities are to be rescheduled if caribou are observed within a four kilometer radius of the work area until caribou no longer occupy the area. It has also been noted that activities are not permitted within important and highly used core calving and post calving areas.
• The Amendment is available at www.env.gov.nl.ca/env/wildlife/endangeredspecies/permits.html.
• Survival rates for Red Wine Mountain caribou have been monitored since the early 1980s, with 150 collars deployed. Current survival rates are similar to those observed during that period.
• The decline in the Red Wine Mountain caribou is consistent with other boreal caribou herds across North America as ranges and populations continue to shrink.

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Media contacts:

Tina Coffey Public Relations Specialist Department of Environment and Conservation Office of Climate Change and Energy Efficiency 709-729-5783, 728-8650 tcoffey@gov.nl.ca

BACKGROUNDER

Red Wine Mountain Caribou Herd Update

The Provincial Government�s latest research shows the Red Wine Mountain caribou sub population north of the Churchill River in Labrador has declined to approximately 20 animals. This represents a 97 per cent decline in 25 years.

Boreal caribou populations in Labrador are part of the 57 populations across Canada which were re-assessed as threatened in November 2014, by the Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada (COSEWIC). These include sub populations commonly referred to as Mealy Mountain, Joir River, Dominion Lake, Red Wine Mountain and Lac Joseph.

Calf recruitment can be variable for caribou populations, but surveys indicate that mean calf recruitment is also lower for Red Wine Mountain caribou than for adjacent caribou sub populations.

In 2004, the Labrador Woodland Caribou Recovery Team released a recovery document for boreal caribou, with the goals of preventing extinction, improving the status, and achieving viable, self-sustaining wild populations for all boreal caribou throughout the current and historical ranges. The recovery team and Wildlife Division are currently working on an updated plan.

2015 03 02                              11:30 a.m.