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Big Island Habitat Protection Area

A Habitat Protection Area (HPA) is an area identified as requiring special protection under Yukon's Wildlife Act. HPAs are one of the ways in which the Yukon government can preserve habitat, practice conservation and safeguard traditional First Nation harvesting practices.

The Big Island HPA is 7.6 km2 in size and lies about 5 km upstream of Mayo, in the Stewart River. This lowland habitat is heavily used by moose and many other species of wildlife. Moose concentrate in this area in late winter, and use it for calving.

A management plan will provide guidelines for the long-term management of fish and wildlife, and their habitats, while allowing for traditional use of the HPA by Northern Tutchone people and the general public.

The density of moose in the lower Stewart River valley is above the Yukon average; this HPA is also significant for birds, particularly waterfowl and shorebirds. The Yukon government designated this area as a HPA in August, 2011; the area has been withdrawn from mineral staking.
Seven HPAs have been designated in Yukon, protecting about 577,000 hectares of exceptional habitat.

Additional Resources

• Devil's Elbow and Big Island Habitat Protection Areas Management Plan (2012, 32 p.)
• Devil's Elbow and Big Island Map