Throughout western Canada, declines in woodland caribou (Rangifer tarandus) continue at unprecedented rates. Caribou calves are especially vulnerable in their first four weeks of life, after the calving period. During this time, mother caribou must effectively select habitat that is rich in food resources, but also minimizes likelihood of predation. In the Rocky Mountains of Alberta, the predator community is large, including
wolf, black bear, grizzly bear, cougar and wolverine, meaning avoidance of areas with high predation risk is important.