Recent research led by Dr. Clayton Lamb published in Ecological Applications reveals a precarious recovery of the southern mountain caribou populations in Western Canada, with a 52 percent increase attributed to intensive conservation efforts, despite an overall 51 percent decline since 1991. The study identifies habitat loss as the main cause of this decline, stressing that while habitat restoration is vital, it will take decades to impact caribou populations positively. In the meantime, strategies such as maternal penning, supplemental feeding, and predator control have been crucial for the species' survival. The research highlights the urgent need for ongoing conservation measures to avert the extinction of these threatened large mammals.