Grizzly bears are preying on a declining caribou herd in northern Canada, though the overall effect on the ungulate population is still uncertain. The Bathurst Herd of threatened barren-ground caribou (Rangifer tarandus groenlandicus) has declined precipitously, dropping from about 470,000 animals in the mid-1980s to 3,609 animals in 2025. Some of the reasons include climate change, which affects forage availability, and the increase of northern industry. But new research published in Biological Conservation reveals that predation may also play a role. Trail cameras revealed that grizzly bears are spending a lot of time around the Bathurst Herd during calving season, presumably preying on young caribou. But the researchers said that closer analysis is needed to examine any effects on the caribou population overall to understand this effect.
