Photo: Tuktu in Kivalliq: the hunt is on

While Baffin residents endure a caribou hunting moratorium, the central Nunavut herds, still plentiful at this point, are on the move and Paul Kabloona Qiyuk of Baker Lake was there for the harvest. Kabloona Qiyuk posted pictures to his Facebook page showing caribou crossing the Thelon River on April 20. In a message to Nunatsiaq News, Kabloona Qiyuk said, “we only harvest how much we need for our family ie: two that day out of about 10 thousand animals.” A Baffin Island caribou hunting ban has been in place since Jan. 1, 2015, to address a severe decline in caribou numbers. Following a public hearing this past March, the Nunavut Wildlife Management Board is expected to recommend a caribou management plan for the Baffin region. (PHOTO COURTESY PAUL KABLOONA QIYUK)