New Signs to Protect Mountain Caribou

...but are they enough on Highway 3?

The story made big news this spring: two endangered mountain caribou were killed near the Salmo-Creston Summit on what’s being called “Deadly Highway 3.” The pregnant cow and her female calf were killed by a speeding SUV along a notorious stretch of road where other mountain caribou have also been killed, including a prime bull killed earlier this year.

"These deaths were avoidable,” said Dave Quinn, Wildsight’s Purcells program manager. “And without these losses, the herd would be growing quite well.” Quinn is referring to the South Selkirk herd. Now numbering about 46 animals, the South Selkirk herd could still be a wildlife management success story—that is if drivers near the summit of Highway 3 between Creston and Salmo learn to take it easy and slow down.

The case for slowing down

“The provincial Ministry of Transport has informed us that it is investigating the possibility of a decreased speed limit for that nine-kilometre section of highway near the summit,” Quinn said. A lower speed limit, Quinn said, wouldn’t be that difficult for motorists to accept, as transport trucks already slow down due to steep grades and for brake checks at the summit, and other vehicles stop at the summit for a break or to go backcountry skiing.

“It’s already congested—the decreased speed limit shouldn’t be that difficult to do, and would be a good idea for human safety as well.”

Quinn said the MOT responded quickly to this March’s herd fatalities by installing large wildlife silhouette signs near the area, and has committed to installing large mountain caribou messaging signs once the ground thaws.

“There is a real need to educate the public about mountain caribou on this section of road,” Quinn said. “Right now, Wildsight is waiting for the Ministry to finish its feasibility studies on both the lower speed limit and on finding alternatives to the road salt that attracts wildlife to the edge if deadly Highway 3.”