Building the herd: Ten caribou leading a species comeback

Caribou 01 - Female

Caribou 02 - Female

Caribou 03 - Female

Caribou 04 - Female

Caribou 05 - Female

Caribou 06 - Female

Caribou 07 - Female

Caribou 251 - Male

Caribou 252 - Male

Caribou 253 - Male

Where the founding caribou came from

Decisions about which herds to relocate animals from are based on the best available science, including genetic and behavioural suitability and the potential impacts of moving animals from each herd.

The Caribou Recovery Team decided to start with a small number of caribou in the breeding program for two main reasons:

1. to ensure that caribou adjust to their new environment and staff learn and adapt as needed
2. to allow plants in the Conservation Breeding Centre time to regenerate after the 2024 Jasper Wildfire

In the first year, caribou were captured from within Jasper National Park to prevent their unique genetics and behaviours from disappearing. The caribou came from three different herds: the Brazeau, Tonquin and À la Pêche.

Rescuing caribou on the edge of extinction: The Brazeau

The only remaining caribou in the Brazeau herd were all relocated to the Conservation Breeding Centre. Without intervention, the 3 caribou and their unique genetics and behaviours would have soon disappeared.

This herd, which roamed the most southern parts of Jasper National Park in the Brazeau Range, had been very small and in decline since the early 2000s. Having fewer than 10 reproductive females since 2005, the herd has been functionally extinct for 20 years.

Locating and protecting them so that Brazeau caribou will one day inhabit Jasper National Park again was an important achievement in the first year of the program.

Creating a strong foundation: The Tonquin

Caribou born and raised in the Conservation Breeding Centre will eventually be released into the Tonquin Valley. While the Tonquin herd is small and vulnerable, its numbers have been stable and slowly increasing since 2015.

Parks Canada relocated 3 Tonquin caribou to the Conservation Breeding Centre in 2025. This helps preserve their unique genetics and establish a link with the wild herd into which young caribou will eventually be released.

Mixing it up: The À la Pêche

Caribou in the À la Pêche herd are partially migratory. Some migrate seasonally between the mountains and foothills, while others remain year-round in either the foothills or the mountainous areas of northern Jasper National Park. They are genetically similar to other caribou in Jasper, and the herd is large enough to provide individuals for the conservation breeding program. Sourcing animals from multiple herds is essential to maintain genetic diversity within the program.

Expecting a limited impact on the À la Pêche, Parks Canada relocated 4 caribou to the Conservation Breeding Centre from a group of À la Pêche caribou that live in the national park year-round. Modelling suggests that several herds, including the À la Pêche, could have up to 12 females removed and return to their original numbers in 2 to 4 years, under current conditions (Turner et al. 2024).