News

A report on a study done in the calving range of the Porcupine caribou herd has looked at antlers shed after calving for evidence of how long the area has been used by the herd. A few antlers were found that were hundreds or even thousands of years old. This suggests that not only has the herd been using the area for that long, but also that it has used it through changing climatic conditions.

PorcupineBarren-groundClimate change

Although this story is about woodland caribou, it is included here because of the actions being taken by a federal minister to discharge obligations to protect habitat for a threatened species, Woodland caribou. The federal minister has been negotiating a habitat protection plan with the government of Quebec, but the story quotes the Minister as saying that he is, "now required by law to recommend to the Governor in Council that a protection order be made for unprotected portions of critical boreal caribou habitat."

Range managementManagementHuman disturbance

A story about how Indigenous guardian programs are coming together to help conserve the decimated Bathurst Caribou herd that ranges between the NWT and Nunavut. Particpants hope that insights from the different guardian programs will help the herd recover.

Barren-groundBathurstRange managementPeople

An opinion piece by a former NWT cabinet minister talks about how caribou and wildlife issues were critical in creating a new cooperative political system in the NWT. He uses this example to question recent changes in NWT politics.

Range managementPeople

A story about a gathering of Gwich'in people in the Northwest Territories to discuss the state of the Porcupine caribou herd. The herd is one of the few barren-ground caribou herds that has not experienced declines recently, though the article does raise concerns about over-harvesting and meat wastage.

PorcupineBarren-groundHunting

A news story announcing that the community of Pond Inlet (on Northern Baffin Island, Nunavut) has reached it's total allowable harvest of 46 caribou for this season. The season ends in June 2023.

Baffin Island

The news story is about a drop in one of North Americ'a's largest caribou herds. Alaska’s Western Arctic herd population is 164,000 down from a high of nearly 500,000 in 2003. The article cites climate change and industrial developent as two potential causes for the drop in numbers. The lichen available to caribou has dropped markedly in recent years, and nany caribou refuse to cross a road connecting a lead zinc mine to the coast.

Barren-groundManaging huntingClimate changeHuman disturbance

This magazine article (based on a paper by the same author) suggests that dividing caribou into more subspecies would help to recognize and conserve their biodiversity.

Eastern MigratoryBarren-groundPearyDolphin and Union

A feature article on Valérie Courtois, Director of the Indigenous Leadership Initiative. The article talks about the "COP 15" meeting of the United Nations Convention on Bioversity, but also focuses on the decline of the George River caribou herd, noting that climate change and industrial development on the herds range may affect its ability to recover.

Eastern MigratoryGeorge RiverRange managementClimate changeHuman disturbance

A report of the recent meeting of the Beverly Qaminirjuq Caribou Management Board. Amongst other issues the board discussed was the difficulty experienced by some communities in accessing the caribou. A northwards move by the caribou has meant very long travel for some hunters in Alberta and Saskatchewan.

Beverly and QaminirjuaqBarren-groundHunting