The caribou in the Central Selkirk Caribou Maternity Pen were released on September 14, 2026. Nine adult cows, one female yearling, one male yearling, and one two-year-old bull were kept in the pen since capture in March 2026. The two-year-old bull was one of a group of four adult bulls that walked down to the maternity pen before capture, along with two adult females. Three adult bulls were released from the pen in April, and the fourth adolescent bull remained. Four calves (three males and one female) were born between May and June.
The pen gate was opened at daybreak during cool temperatures. Once released from the maternity pen, the caribou were observed moving up Raven Creek and were in the subalpine habitat within a couple of hours.
The purpose of the maternity pen is to decrease environmental pressures, such as predation, on cows and calves during calving, and to increase calf survival when calves are most vulnerable in the first six weeks.
ALCS monitors and cares for the cows and calves during the maternity pen season. Animals are fed a high-nutrition diet to improve their overall health and fitness, and to increase their chance of survival once released.
Throughout the penning season, caribou were closely monitored by a dedicated team including wildlife technicians, ALCS team members, BC Caribou Recovery Program staff, and staff from the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium. Veterinary oversight was led by Dr. Amélie Mathieu. ALCS also worked with two graduate students on research projects related to caribou.
In 2026, caribou remained in the maternity pen until September at the request of the Ministry of Water, Land and Resource Stewardship. Typically, the caribou are released in mid-July, approximately six weeks after the last calf is born. This extended holding period into September allowed the provincial government to complete First Nations consultation and make a decision on the proposed management options for the Central Selkirk herd moving forward.
In early September, the First Nations consultation was completed, and the Minister for Water, Land and Resource Stewardship made the decision to continue to support full recovery actions for the Central Selkirk herd. Recovery actions include the maternity pen, predator management, recreation management, habitat protection, and habitat restoration. Maternity penning will also be supported by augmentation of southern mountain caribou from herds that have a stable or increasing population.
There is a controlled access zone on Kuskanax Forest Service Road around the maternity pen, starting 600 metres up from Hot Springs Road. The road and gate are now open to the public for access to the Kuskanax drainage per instructions on the gate signage and under the direction of ALCS and the Ministry of Forests.
Thank you to the community and local stakeholder groups for supporting this project.
Follow this project on our website and social media for more information. Or, contact the society by emailing al.caribou.society@gmail.com.
