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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
Reasons for Decisions Related to a Joint Proposal for Dìga (Wolf) Management in Wek’èezhìı
A 109-page document on the reasons for decision of the Wek’èezhìı Renewable Resources Board regarding wolf management in the region. The co-management board makes recommendations to the Tlicho and Northwest Territories governments, covering an area north and west of Yellowknife. The report supports continuing to kill wolves as a way of helping the recovery of the Bathurst and Bluenose East caribou herds.
Wek’èezhìı Renewable Resources Board (2021)
Usage: Non-commercial with attribution Format: web
BathurstBluenose EastManaging predatorsNatural factorsPopulation Estimate of the Dolphin and Union Caribou herd (Rangifer tarandus groenlandicus x pearyi) Coastal Survey, October 2018 and Demographic Indicators
This 49 page (in English) report contains executive summaries in Inuktitut (both syllabics and western orthography). It shows that the Dophin and Union herd has declined to an estimated 4,105 in 2018, down from 17,000 in 2015. The Dophin and Union herd is unique, being neither barren-ground nor Peary caribou. It migrates between Victoria Island and the mainland.
Government of Nunavut (2020)