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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
WHAT WE HEARD: Range Plan for Boreal Caribou in the Northwest Territories: Wek’èezhìı Region
A brief (4 page) report covering the results of a 2026 public commentary on a range plan for boreal (woodland) caribou covering the Wek'eezhii region in the Northwest Territories. This is the first of five regional plans to be developed in the NWT. The caribou are listed as "threatened" under both the federal and NWT species at risk acts. The plan will now be finalized, and needs to be approved by both the Wek’èezhıı Renewable Resources Board and the government of the Northwest Territories.
Government of the Northwest Territories (2026)
Usage: Non-commercial with attribution Format: web
Range managementClimate changeHuman disturbanceNatural factorsKugluktuk Harvesters on the Grays Bay Road and Port
The link will take viewers to a few different resources posted by the Kugluktuk Hunters and Trappers Organization. Kugluktuk is a small mostly Inuit community on the Arctic Coast of Canada. The community is close to a major proposed infrastructure development project, the Gray's Bay Road and Port. The resources on this page include a short (13':46") film expressing local concerns about the effects of the road and port on the Doplphin and Union carinou herd, and a 38'18" video of a question and answer session held after the fiml's online premiere.
(2026)
Usage: Non-commercial with attribution Format: web
Dolphin and UnionRange managementHuman disturbance