Prairie Bluff, Alberta, Canada Photograph by C. Wallis   Western North America: Western central Canada Temperate Coniferous Forests   46,500 square miles (120,500 square kilometers) -- slightly smaller than Mississippi Critical/Endangered

· Where the Moose Are
· Special Features
· Did You Know?
· Wild Side
· Cause for Concern
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Where the Moose Are

The Alberta - British Columbia foothills forests are home to some of largest herds of moose in all of North America. From the steep slopes of the Rocky Mountains to the gently undulating valleys of central British Columbia, this ecoregion encompasses many habitats and is home to caribou, beavers, muskrats, black bears, and wolves. A variety of birds also inhabit this ecoregion, including sandhill cranes, ruffed grouse, and a variety of wood warblers.

Special Features

The Alberta - British Columbia foothills forests ecoregion encompasses two separate geographical areas--one in the Rocky Mountain foothills of western Alberta and another in east central British Columbia. Both areas have varied landscapes with steep slopes, rolling plateaus, and broad, gently undulating valleys.

	Moose are strong swimmers and are able to swim for several miles without stopping. Hollow, air-filled hairs on their coats help keep the large animals afloat.

Wild Side

Mixed forests of lodgepole pine, quaking aspen, and white spruce dominate the Alberta and British Columbia foothills. Some of the highest population densities of moose and wood warblers in all of North America are here. In the spring, the air is filled with the moaning cries of moose cows and the hoarse grunts of bulls in search of mates. Muskrats dig underwater tunnels in the banks of streams, while wolves hunt for snowshoe hares and deer. In wetter areas, birds nest in black spruce and tamarack trees. And in Halfway Valley, the skies are filled with flocks of sandhill cranes. This is a major stopover point for these birds as they migrate to and from the Arctic and their wintering habitats further south. The Chinchauga Hills are caribou territory, where you can find both mountain caribou and woodland caribou.

Cause for Concern

There is virtually no completely undisturbed habitat remaining in this ecoregion. Agricultural expansion from the south is converting aspen forests to cereal and hay crops. Other areas have been heavily logged or converted to community pastures for livestock grazing. There has also been extensive exploration for oil and gas. The caribou populations have been particularly threatened by habitat loss. And as people move deeper into areas occupied by grizzly bears and wolves, these species are being killed because they are viewed as "nuisance" animals.

For more information on this ecoregion, go to the World Wildlife Fund Scientific Report.