Five caribou raised in captivity are now roaming free alongside wild caribou in Jasper National Park’s Tonquin Valley. The animals were raised at the first caribou conservation breeding centre in North America, run by Parks Canada to help boost the region’s caribou population. Over the last two years, Parks Canada has captured wild caribou and brought them to a breeding facility. The federal agency announced its first release of caribou in June. …Caribou populations have been listed as species at risk in Canada for more than 20 years due to habitat fragmentation and rising wolf predation driven by industrial development. …Mark Boyce, at the University of Alberta, said that caribou decline in Alberta is tied to the forestry and oil industries. …While Jasper National Park is protected from forestry and oil development, Bisaillon said wolf populations are the biggest factor in the decline of caribou in the park.