(RNN) – Along the U.S.-Canadian border, where British Columbia, Washington and Idaho come together, a small group of reindeer struggle for survival.

These 11 mountain caribou are all that remain of the South Selkirk Mountains herd. Given that it’s Christmastime, that’s just enough to power Santa’s sleigh with a few extra to spare.

Loss of habitat and an increase in predators put these reindeer on the brink. In all of North America, about 1,400 remain.

Conservation groups are trying to give them a fighting chance by keeping the local wolves at bay and protecting pregnant females, moms and their young calves.

To learn more, the National Wildlife Federation has a report you can read here.

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