The causes of habitat loss range from changes in land use to lack of old age classes of trees due to logging. Fragmentation of habitat by small clearcuts and linear disturbances alters habitat from the fire-driven system to which caribou adapted. A busy highway can cut off part of a range traditionally used by caribou and can result in significant mortality, as seen on Highway 40 north of Hinton. Human activities indirectly alter predator-prey relationships, sometimes to the detriment of caribou. For example, logging activities can increase the densities of white-tailed deer, moose and wolves.
Wolves love the increased access as much as people.
Barriers to caribou movements may have long-term harmful effects by isolating populations. Loss of genetic diversity in small populations may reduce fitness-the ability to survive and reproduce. We risk isolating these sub-populations with, as yet, unknown consequences. Biologists attempt to isolate environmental factors and measure their effect on a population. However, the interaction of variables is likely to have the largest effect on caribou.