Canada, whose 25c coins feature the caribou, is taking steps to ensure it doesn’t disappear from everywhere but the coins, with a new caribou breeding program in Alberta’s Jasper National Park.
The program’s goal is to rebuild dwindling caribou populations in Jasper National Park that are too small to recover on their own. Steps include constructing a breeding facility in Jasper National Park, establishing collaboration agreements with Indigenous partners, and sourcing additional caribou from other areas.
Canada’s Budget 2021 provided funds for the program, with over $24 million through the Nature Legacy program for caribou conservation initiatives in Jasper National Park. The park extends over 11,000 square kilometres. It is the largest national park in the Canadian Rockies and part of UNESCO’s Canadian Rocky Mountain Parks World Heritage Site.
Image: Caribou calf in the Tonquin Valley of Jasper (Parks Canada photo)
