Seven cute, cuddly calves and a full recovery of one especially resilient mother were the product of Year 4 for the Arrow Lakes Caribou Society (ALCS)'s maternity pen.
According to an ALCS release Monday, July 7, eight of 10 female caribou captured in the mountains near Nakusp back in March were found pregnant by blood test upon arrival to the Central Selkirk Caribou Maternity Pen — including a young two-year-old cow.
Between May 27 and June 15, four female and three male calves were born in the pen, which ALCS called a "very exciting success for the maternity pen!" The first calf, a boy, weighed in at 10.5 kilograms, which is equivalent to about four bricks.
However, "one cow experienced a challenging calving that resulted in the stillbirth of a full-term male calf," ALCS shared. "She subsequently developed a uterine infection but responded well to veterinary care and has since made a full recovery."
As well, the two-year-old cow delivered a fragile and significantly underweight female calf, only 3.5 kilograms compared with the average birth weight of nine. The mother sadly "did not bond with her newborn and abandoned her shortly after calving," ALCS reported. "Veterinary personnel and shepherds stepped in to hand-raise the calf and provide supporting care."
The calf has now made a comeback thanks to this intervention and is thriving at more than eight kilograms. Still, she won't be released this July like her friends due to her small size, vulnerability and value for the herd's future. Instead, she could potentially be transferred to Parks Canada's Caribou Conservation Breeding Centre in Jasper, Alta., then returned to the Nakusp maternity pen and re-integrated with the Central Selkirks herd, according to ALCS.
It said the maternity pen season has gone by quickly and the caribou settled into the pen fairly quickly, having all been in the pen during previous years. The calves are gaining weight steadily, and will be released with their mothers back into their habitat in mid-July, once the youngest calf has lived four weeks. That said, an earlier release could happen under ideal weather conditions.
While these cows and calves remain in the maternity pen, access to the Kuskanax Forest Service Road — controlled 600 metres up from Hot Springs Road — remains prohibited to limit noise disturbance and stress for caribou during calving and neonatal periods. The gate will reopen once the caribou are released.
ALCS thanks community members and stakeholders for continuing to support its work at the maternity pen.
