Local wildlife officers in the North Slave region have opened two new investigations into possible illegal caribou harvesting.
Mike Westwick, a spokesperson for the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (ENR), confirmed on March 23 that on the weekend of March 19-20, two new investigations were opened into possible illegal harvests: One involving four animals, another involving five.
Both illegal harvests took place in the mobile zone designed to protect the vulnerable Bathurst caribou herd. That herd’s population has declined drastically over the last two decades, from 186,000 animals in 2003 to 6,240 in 2021.
A third investigation was launched into a possible illegal harvest involving a fifth-wheel RV, but no evidence of illegal harvesting was found.
So far, 42 caribou are alleged to have been illegally harvested along the Tibbitt to Contwoyto winter road since the beginning of the year.
Earlier this month, local wildlife authorities opened an investigation into the potential illegal harvest of 16 caribou along the shores of Fletcher Lake, also in the mobile management zone.
As the harvesting season enters its last few weeks, the Department of ENR is encouraging hunters to practice respectful harvesting. These include taking care not to waste or wound animals, hunting bulls rather than cows to allow populations to reproduce, and refraining from harvesting in the mobile zone.
Residents with knowledge of illegal harvests are also encouraged to share their tips with the North Slave Wildlife Officer at 1-867-873-7181.