The Revelstoke caribou maternity pen will be run again for another four years.
Kevin Bollefer of Revelstoke Caribou Rearing in the Wild, said in an e-mail that the group will be receiving $50,000 from the Columbia Basin Trust over each of the next four years. They also received a $1,000 donation from Eagle Pass Heliskiing, and funding from Parks Canada and Environment Canada's Environment Stewardship Grant.
In late-March, wranglers will head out to capture 18–20 pregnant caribou for the pen, said Bollefer.
Last year wranglers captured nine pregnant cows, one adult cow thought to be pregnant and two yearling caribou with their mother. Nine calves were born inside the pen and released with their mothers in late July.
According to Bollefer, six of nine calves were confirmed to be alive in October, with the status of the other three unconfirmed. One of the six calves was killed by a wolf since then.
The goal of the pen is to protect calves from predators in the first few months of their lives. RCRW hopes to increase the size of the North Columbia caribou herd from about 150 to 250 animals.
RCRW is a partnership between federal and provincial government agencies, forestry companies and others.