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Adapted from: Government of NWT (2018)
Caribou have long been vital to the survival of Indigenous peoples in the north; the First Nations, Inuit, and Metis.
Read moreThreats
Reasons for the drop in caribou populations are complicated. There is still some disagreement among scientific and Indigenous experts as to which factors are most important.
Management
It is often said that forms of wildlife management are mostly not about managing the animals, but about managing people. Some Indigenous peoples find it disrespectful to even talk about managing caribou. In that spirit, this section is largely about managing human interventions that affect caribou.
News and resources
Recently added resources
A decision support tool for assessing cumulative effects on an Arctic migratory tundra caribou population
This academic paper uses a "caribou cumulative effects model" to examine what would happen to the Porcupine Caribou herd if oil and gas development took place in the herd's calving grounds. It concludes that the likelihood of a decline in the herd would move from 3% to 19% over the next tend years, depending on the development secenario.
ecology and Society (2021)
Usage: Non-commercial with attribution Format: web
PorcupineBarren-groundRange managementHuman disturbanceNWT SPECIES AT RISK COMMITTEE (SARC) SPECIES ASSESSMENT PROCESS
A document explaining the new Species at Risk assessment process adopted by the Northwest Territories Species at Risk Committee. The committee has adopted new rules that explain how inputs from Indigenous Knowledge will be used in assessment criteria.
NWT species at risk committee (2021)