Are forestry clearcuts ecological traps for caribou?

Woodland caribou (Rangifer tarandus caribou) declines are linked to increased predation facilitated by industrial land-use changes, including logging, through mechanisms such as disturbance-mediated apparent competition.

We hypothesized clearcuts could exacerbate predation risk by functioning as ecological traps in low-productivity landscapes, drawing caribou during summer when nutritional demands are high. We predicted caribou would select clearcuts as or more strongly than other landcovers, with clearcuts providing comparable or greater forage but imposing fitness costs.

Using step-selection functions, we analyzed habitat selection for 71 GPS-collared caribou in west-central British Columbia, Canada. We assessed forage availability through vegetation surveys at 56 paired clearcut and uncut plots, and inferred predation risk from wolf (Canis lupus), coyote (C. latrans), grizzly (Ursus arctos), and black bear (U. americanus) detections from 149 camera traps.

Caribou selected regenerating (≤ 25 years old) clearcuts as or more strongly than other landcovers, whereas older clearcuts (26-39 years old) were used neutrally or avoided. Compared to paired uncut areas, forage was greater in regenerating clearcuts, but not in older clearcuts. Predation risk was elevated in clearcuts and near roads, with higher activity of wolves (clearcuts), coyotes (roads), and black bears (both).

We provided partial evidence that regenerating clearcuts may function as ecological traps during summer in low-productivity landscapes. Elevated predation risk does not necessarily equate to reduced fitness, and alternative mechanisms (e.g., risk-sensitive foraging) require further investigation. Regardless, selection of high-risk clearcuts by caribou represents an understudied pathway potentially contributing to population declines. We recommend limiting new clearcutting and improving protection of caribou summer ranges.

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s10980-026-02411-1.