## [Effectiveness of Population-Based Recovery Actions for Threatened Southern Mountain Caribou](/resource/effectiveness-population-based-recovery-actions-threatened-southern-mountain-caribou) Organization [University of British Columbia (UBC)](/organization/university-british-columbia-ubc) [University of Montana](/organization/university-montana) [Government of British Columbia](/organization/government-british-columbia) Resource Type [Peer reviewed article](/taxonomy/term/37) Author(s) Clayton Lamb Sara Williams Stan Boutin Michael Bridger Deborah Cichowski Kristina Cornhill Craig DeMars Melanie Dickie Bevan Ernst Adam Ford Michael Gillingham Laura Greene Douglas Heard Mark Hebblewhite Dave Hervieux Mike Klaczek Bruce McLellan Scott McNay Lalenia Neufeld Barry Nobert Joshua Nowak Agnes Pelletier Caroline Seip Carolyn Shores Robin Steenweg Shane White Heiko Wittmer Mark Wong Kathryn Zimmerman Robert Serrouya Original Authors Clayton Lamb Sara Williams Stan Boutin Michael Bridger Deborah Cichowski Kristina Cornhill Craig DeMars Melanie Dickie Bevan Ernst Adam Ford Michael Gillingham Laura Greene Douglas Heard Mark Hebblewhite Dave Hervieux Mike Klaczek Bruce McLellan Scott McNay Lalenia Neufeld Barry Nobert Joshua Nowak Agnes Pelletier Caroline Seip Carolyn Shores Robin Steenweg Shane White Heiko Wittmer Mark Wong Kathryn Zimmerman Robert Serrouya Contacts [Clayton Lamb](/contact/clayton-lamb) Resource Date: 2023 Page Length 21 Habitat loss is affecting many species, including the southern mountain caribou (Rangifer tarandus caribou) population in western North America. Over the last half century, this threatened caribou population’s range and abundance have dramatically contracted. An integrated population model was used to analyze 51 years (1973–2023) of demographic data from 40 southern mountain caribou subpopulations to assess the effectiveness of population-based recovery actions at increasing population growth. Reducing potential limiting factors on threatened caribou populations offered a rare opportunity to identify the causes of decline and assess methods of recovery. Southern mountain caribou abundance declined by 51% between 1991 and 2023, and 37% of subpopulations were functionally extirpated. Wolf reduction was the only recovery action that consistently increased population growth when applied in isolation, and combinations of wolf reductions with maternal penning or supplemental feeding provided rapid growth but were applied to only four subpopulations. As of 2023, recovery actions have increased the abundance of southern mountain caribou by 52%, compared to a simulation with no interventions. When predation pressure was reduced, rapid population growth was observed, even under contemporary climate change and high levels of habitat loss. Unless predation is reduced, caribou subpopulations will continue to be extirpated well before habitat conservation and restoration can become effective.