Makivik asks Nunavik hunters to protect caribou
George River and Leaf River herds continue dramatic declines
A female caribou from Nunavik’s Leaf River herd is fitted here with a camera collar in 2016, part of Université Laval research looking at why the herd’s population has declined so drastically in recent years. (PHOTO COURTESY OF CARIBOU UNGAVA)
Makivik Corp. is asking Nunavik harvesters to do their part in protecting the region’s vulnerable caribou population.
The Inuit birthright organization issued a Dec. 6 news release calling on both hunters and governments to “help preserve the future of caribou herds in the Inuit territory.”
“Makivik will continue to monitor the situation, but in the meantime, we ask everyone to do their part to protect the population levels of our caribou,” said Makivik President Charlie Watt, following meetings with chiefs of the neighbouring Cree and Naskapi nations.
Over the last few decades, the populations of the George River and Leaf River herds have declined dramatically, with the latter dropping from about 600,000 caribou in the 2000s to an estimated 187,000 animals this year.
The Quebec government finally responded to calls from Indigenous groups in Northern Quebec and closed the sport hunt of Leaf River caribou, effective February 2018.
In Nunavik, measures have already been put in place to prohibit the harvest of any female caribou during the calving period, which includes the months of March, April, May and June.
Makivik’s board of directors also voted in favour of a resolution asking harvesters to voluntarily refrain from harvesting caribou from the George River herd until that population recovers.
That herd, which once numbered more than 760,000 caribou, has shrunk to fewer than 9,000.
The decline of Northern Quebec’s caribou herds prompted the 2013 creation of the Ungava Peninsula Caribou Aboriginal Roundtable, or UPCART, made up of seven Indigenous groups that inhabit the region, with Makivik designated as a representative of Nunavik Inuit.
That group signed its own co-operative wildlife management agreement in 2017.
“Our caribou has sustained us for thousands of years and Inuit will continue to pressure governments and other interested parties to respect our preservation plan for the caribou,” said Adamie Delisle Alaku, Makivik’s vice-president of environment, wildlife and research, who sits on the roundtable.
should make sure to communicate with all huntersupport orgs and pass message to fm announcer so everybody can hear and pass message to hunters.
We are alarmed, but then again, why are we still hearing and seeing on Facebook, that Kangiqsualujjuamiut are still hunting caribous, even heard an Elder announcing on CBC tuttavik, that, their Hunter Support Program are supporting hunters.
Elder mentioned, that, Inuit were hunting Labrador caribous.
We really need to support our caribou breeding all over.
The caribou that were hunted near kangirsualujjuaq were from the mostly sedentary torngat mountain caribou and not the heritage river herd which is most likely down near souther or middle Labrador for the winter
Last winter up to spring, caribous’ from so called Leaf River Herd passed by Umiujaq in great number. We estimated more than 1/2 million of (Leaf River Herd) passed by our community. It makes me wonder how they got only 187,000. I work for the wildlife board and I have not heard of any count being done to our herd. And or when the count was done. I wish to be involved in counting to see real number(s).
There could be miscalculation, 1/2 million is way too much, I believe 187,000 is accurate, if you start counting properly instead of estimating?!
There must be hungry wolves following the caribous, we are not the only hunters, massive loss could be from vicious wolves, why not start supporting calving grounds and help and outgrow them, the caribous
I said we saw and estimated caribous that passed by Umiujaq. We estimated about 1/2 million caribous’ passed by. I questioned, who counted 187,000 ?