"Conservation Roll Call - East Kootenays"

Conservation begins with fully appreciating the beauty of the animals in our landscape .  The East Kootenays is home to several large hooved animals.  The Mountain Caribou of the Purcell herd were extirpated from the region in 2019.  Since then, declines in elk, bighorn sheep and mountain goat populations have been reported.  Habitat loss, traffic collisions, human and natural predation contribute to the declines.  Habitat protection and restoration, major hunting restrictions, more policing of poachers and constuction of highway fencing and safe crossings need to happen quickly if our remaining ungulates are to prosper.  - Grant Smith