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= Environmental Threats =

Climate Change
In 2004 the Canadian Government’s Species at Risk (SARA) registry placed Barren-Ground Caribou under the status of “special concern”. Their status was a result of climate change having a negative impact on the population. Changing climate conditions in the arctic are predicted to threaten Barren-Ground Caribou in the immediate future. The risks associated with climate change can impact feeding habits, access to food and quality of food, birthing rates and calve rearing, greater distance of migration, thinning ice during migration, and insect disturbances.

Food Source
Climate change can negatively impact Barren-Ground Caribou’s access to food. Extreme weather conditions can cause increased amounts of rain and freezing rain during winter months. This results in an ice layer which blocks access to lichen, the caribous’ main food source. Frozen feeding grounds during winter months results in greater energy expenditure as the caribou attempt to access the lichen locked beneath the ice. This can result in malnutrition, starvation and death. Research has shown that changes in climate can alter the quality of lichen in the arctic, making it less nutritious. A changing climate also introduces the threat of foreign plant species to the region creating competition.

Calving Season
Barren-Ground Caribou have evolved to match their calving period with the period in which lichen has traditionally bloomed. The phenological process and timing between birthing and easily accessible lichen is critical to the survival rate of the species. The trophic mismatch due to abnormal temperature variations linked to climate change have resulted in malnutrition in their young, as well as reduced reproductive rates contributing to population decline.

Effects on Migration
The timing of migration periods is closely linked to seasonal changes, and as unpredictable climate conditions increase, Barren-Ground Caribou must migrate over larger distances. Migration is dictated by the access to easily available lichen. An increased distance of migration places further stress and energy expense on the Caribou. Warming weather conditions reduce ice thickness over rivers and lakes, making it difficult for Caribou to cross. The reduced ice cover creates a natural barrier, which fragments the migration habitat and creates obstacles, preventing Caribou from accessing annual feeding and breeding grounds. Unpredictable migration patterns also have negative impacts on indigenous communities who depend on Caribou as a source of income and food.

Insect Harassment
An additional stressor on Barren-Ground Caribou is the irritation from insect behaviour, which can dictate the movement and health of Caribou during the summer months. Increased warming temperatures and early springs result in greater insect number. Insect harassment force Caribou to migrate to areas which may still be covered in snow or ice, thereby reducing access to food. Caribou give birth in early spring when insect population are low, to enable sufficient rearing of healthy and strong calves. Early onset of spring temperatures in the Arctic, further effect the phenology of the pregnancy time periods of Barren-Ground Caribou. Insect avoidance forces caribou to expend large amounts of energy through migrational avoidance of insects. Changes in the climate can increase parasitic occurrences thereby providing an additional threat to the species.