The Okanagan Mountain–k’nmalka Wildlife Corridor is a vital stretch of connected habitat in the Central Okanagan. Spanning approximately 65 km, it links Okanagan Mountain Provincial Park with k’nmalka (Kalamalka Lake Provincial Park)—forming the last intact low-elevation route for wildlife on the east side of Okanagan Lake.
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This corridor supports a wide range of large mammals—including black bears, deer, moose, elk, cougars, and even grizzly bears—that depend on continuous landscapes to migrate, find food and water, breed, and adapt to climate change. The corridor also falls within one of Canada’s most biodiversity-rich regions, home to some of the highest concentrations of species at risk in the country.
But these connections are under threat. Urban sprawl, road building, agriculture, and fencing fragment habitat and limit the movement of wildlife. Climate change is also shifting ecosystems—making connectivity more important than ever.
Your Role as a Land Steward
As a landowner or farmer within this corridor, your property is part of a larger, living network. Simple, intentional choices—like installing wildlife-friendly fencing, maintaining natural vegetation, managing livestock to prevent disease transmission to wild bighorn sheep, and keeping attractants secured—can have a big impact.
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Together, through thoughtful stewardship and small changes on the ground, landowners play a pivotal role in keeping this corridor open, healthy, and functioning for generations of wildlife and people alike.
A wildlife corridor is a connected strip of natural habitat that allows animals to move safely across the landscape.
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In the case of the Okanagan Mountain–k’nmalka Corridor, this means a mostly continuous stretch of grasslands, forests, and riparian areas that links Okanagan Mountain Provincial Park to k’nmalka (Kalamalka Lake Provincial Park). It runs through private land, farms, homesteads, and natural areas—forming a lifeline for wildlife.
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Corridors are used by animals to:
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Find food, water, and shelter
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Migrate between seasonal ranges
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Mate and maintain healthy populations
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Move during emergencies like wildfires
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Adapt to climate change by shifting their range
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Wildlife in the Corridor
Many animals, especially larger ones like deer, bears, elk, and cougars, rely on these corridors to roam. Without safe and connected habitat, they face increased risks of road collisions, food shortages, and population isolation.
Ecosystems in the Corridor
Keeping natural areas connected and protected supports the health and function of wildlife habitats. These areas are critical not only for our survival, our economic security, health and well-being, but also for wildlife that depend upon them. Our region is one of the fastest growing in Canada, and the ability of the landscape to provide essential functions such as habitat for species, pollination, flood mitigation, and clean air and water is at risk if we don't protect local ecosystems.
