A symbol of Canada's pristine wilderness, thousands of woodland caribou once roamed across the Beaver Lake Cree's traditional territories - now just 175 to 275 are left. The facts:
- 30% of total tar sands production within Beaver Lake Cree traditional territories - vast majority is extracted within or near caribou critical habitat (452,600 barrels of oil per day)
- Caribou herd numbers in the area dropped by over 70% since the late 1990’s. Current rates of decline mean the region's herds could face extinction by 2025
- Tar sands exploration and development identified as the primary cause. Oil companies plan to more than triple tar sands production over coming years.
Woodland caribou are listed as 'threatened' nationally under Canada's Species at Risk Act. As such the Canadian Government is required by law to prepare a recovery plan that identifies and protects critical habitat. It was required to do this by 2007 – it hasn't.
Three First Nation communities including the Beaver Lake Cree have commenced court proceedings to protect the remaining caribou herd ranges in northeast Alberta, including an immediate halt to all new developments in those areas.
50% of all tar sands expansion plans are within or near critical habitat. The court case is expected to be heard in January 2011 and if successful would have huge implications for oil industry plans to expand tar sands operations.
