Ungava's caribou
population crashes
BY CHRISTOPHER CURTIS, montrealgazette.com
Since its creation in 2009, the Caribou Ungava team has closely tracked the George River caribou migration pattern and the herd's rapidly dwindling population.
Photograph by: JoËlle Taillon , Caribou Ungava
MONTREAL — At its peak, the George River caribou herd
was among the most expansive groupings of large mammals
on the planet.
was among the most expansive groupings of large mammals
on the planet.
Today, just three decades after its population exceeded
800,000, there are fewer than 28,000 caribou roaming
the flatlands between Quebec's boreal forest and the
coastal mountain ranges of Labrador. And with a further
10,000 expected to die off before year's end, experts
believe the worst is yet to come.
800,000, there are fewer than 28,000 caribou roaming
the flatlands between Quebec's boreal forest and the
coastal mountain ranges of Labrador. And with a further
10,000 expected to die off before year's end, experts
believe the worst is yet to come.
But all hope may not be lost for the embattled herd
. In the face of disaster, there's been unprecedented
levels of co-operation among researchers at the
natural resources ministry, mining companies and
the aboriginal communities whose survival in the
unforgiving north has depended on caribou for
thousands of years.
. In the face of disaster, there's been unprecedented
levels of co-operation among researchers at the
natural resources ministry, mining companies and
the aboriginal communities whose survival in the
unforgiving north has depended on caribou for
thousands of years.
Even in its depleted state, the George River herd
is a humbling sight to behold.Footage of the caribou
taken in 2011 shows a group the size of several football
fields crossing a stream somewhere in the pass between
Quebec and Labrador.As thousands of them exhale into
the cold air, a cloud of mist forms above the herd. Their
hoofs trample and reshape the frozen ground. They can
graze through untold hectares of moss, lichen and black
pines that sparsely populate the taiga.
is a humbling sight to behold.Footage of the caribou
taken in 2011 shows a group the size of several football
fields crossing a stream somewhere in the pass between
Quebec and Labrador.As thousands of them exhale into
the cold air, a cloud of mist forms above the herd. Their
hoofs trample and reshape the frozen ground. They can
graze through untold hectares of moss, lichen and black
pines that sparsely populate the taiga.
Throughout the year, they will roam across a habitat
roughly the size of England."It's truly impressive. Unlike
anything you've ever seen before," said Steeve Coté, a
biologist with Quebec-based Caribou Ungava. "In a way,
the northern ecosystem is defined by the presence of
caribou. They reshape its vegetation. Clans of wolves
survive by hunting them. Crows and Arctic foxes live
by picking through the carcasses that wolves leave
behind. And, of course, the Inuit, Innu and Cree have
sustainably hunted the caribou since long before
Europeans arrived in North America."
roughly the size of England."It's truly impressive. Unlike
anything you've ever seen before," said Steeve Coté, a
biologist with Quebec-based Caribou Ungava. "In a way,
the northern ecosystem is defined by the presence of
caribou. They reshape its vegetation. Clans of wolves
survive by hunting them. Crows and Arctic foxes live
by picking through the carcasses that wolves leave
behind. And, of course, the Inuit, Innu and Cree have
sustainably hunted the caribou since long before
Europeans arrived in North America."
Coté is part of a team of university researchers that
tracks the George River herd and the much larger
Leaf River herd.
tracks the George River herd and the much larger
Leaf River herd.
The biologists take a census of the caribou populations
, test them for parasites and track their migration patterns.
Using aerial photography from a helicopter, the group
painstakingly studies the shots and enters the number
of caribou they find into an algorithm that determines
the herd's size.
, test them for parasites and track their migration patterns.
Using aerial photography from a helicopter, the group
painstakingly studies the shots and enters the number
of caribou they find into an algorithm that determines
the herd's size.
The latest figures confirmed Coté's worst fears: With
a total of 27,600 George River caribou recorded in
October 2012, the Arctic mammals are in much quicker
decline than previously believed.
a total of 27,600 George River caribou recorded in
October 2012, the Arctic mammals are in much quicker
decline than previously believed.
In 1983, official estimates placed the herd's population
at 800,000. By 2010, that number dropped to 74,000.
Given the low survival rate Coté and his team have
observed, the George River herd could shrink to
18,000 before the end of the year.
at 800,000. By 2010, that number dropped to 74,000.
Given the low survival rate Coté and his team have
observed, the George River herd could shrink to
18,000 before the end of the year.
"The consensus as to why the caribou began to die off
is pretty clear," said Serge Couturier, who spent 27
years studying caribou for the Quebec government
. "When there were 800,000 caribou, the habitat just
couldn't support it. There were too many mouths to
feed. So you would start to see calves being born
undersized, weak, and they wouldn't survive. Instead
of weighing eight kilograms like they're supposed to,
they'd weigh five kilograms."
is pretty clear," said Serge Couturier, who spent 27
years studying caribou for the Quebec government
. "When there were 800,000 caribou, the habitat just
couldn't support it. There were too many mouths to
feed. So you would start to see calves being born
undersized, weak, and they wouldn't survive. Instead
of weighing eight kilograms like they're supposed to,
they'd weigh five kilograms."
To curtail the overpopulation crisis, the government
issued more hunting licences and introduced a winter
hunting season in northern Quebec. There was even
an attempt to commercially harvest caribou meat
and sell it in supermarkets across the province.
issued more hunting licences and introduced a winter
hunting season in northern Quebec. There was even
an attempt to commercially harvest caribou meat
and sell it in supermarkets across the province.
Despite the new measures, the caribou population
underwent a violent downward spiral in the 1980s.
"When we started noticing the crash, I kept warning
my bosses at the ministry but it often fell on deaf ears,"
Couturier said. "They would keep saying, 'Let's wait for
the next population study,' but those would only come
once every decade or so. Meanwhile the situation
quickly began reaching crisis levels."
underwent a violent downward spiral in the 1980s.
"When we started noticing the crash, I kept warning
my bosses at the ministry but it often fell on deaf ears,"
Couturier said. "They would keep saying, 'Let's wait for
the next population study,' but those would only come
once every decade or so. Meanwhile the situation
quickly began reaching crisis levels."
Although hunting wasn't the cause of the population
crisis, by 2011 the government saw it as a contributing
factor. That year, the natural resources ministry issued
only 500 caribou hunting licences, down considerably
from the 2,000 awarded the previous year. The ministry
also imposed a five-year moratorium on hunting the
George River herd.
crisis, by 2011 the government saw it as a contributing
factor. That year, the natural resources ministry issued
only 500 caribou hunting licences, down considerably
from the 2,000 awarded the previous year. The ministry
also imposed a five-year moratorium on hunting the
George River herd.
The irony of the current crisis is that the caribou are
now much healthier than they were 30 years ago.
Because there's an abundance of vegetation to graze
in their habitat, calves are born much larger and stronger
than they were when the herd numbered in the hundreds
of thousands.
now much healthier than they were 30 years ago.
Because there's an abundance of vegetation to graze
in their habitat, calves are born much larger and stronger
than they were when the herd numbered in the hundreds
of thousands.
Still, the population continues to dwindle. This is, in part,
because of hunting but also the increasing presence of
predators within the George River herd's habitat, according
to Couturier.As the winter months wind down, caribou migrate
north away from the forests that house grey wolves and black
bears. Possibly because of the effects of global warming, wolves
can stalk caribou much further north than had been previously observed. The same is true with insects and disease-carrying
parasites.
because of hunting but also the increasing presence of
predators within the George River herd's habitat, according
to Couturier.As the winter months wind down, caribou migrate
north away from the forests that house grey wolves and black
bears. Possibly because of the effects of global warming, wolves
can stalk caribou much further north than had been previously observed. The same is true with insects and disease-carrying
parasites.
With billions in government and private funds being invested into exploring the mineral riches of the north, human activities are
also having a much larger impact on the caribou's habitat than
ever before.
also having a much larger impact on the caribou's habitat than
ever before.
"If you build a road, caribou won't come within 10 kilometres of it,"
said Jean-Pierre Tremblay, a Université Laval biology professor
. "Deer and other wildlife will adapt but caribou are really easily
startled. So as the north gets developed, the caribou's migration
patterns and its ecosystem are affected."
said Jean-Pierre Tremblay, a Université Laval biology professor
. "Deer and other wildlife will adapt but caribou are really easily
startled. So as the north gets developed, the caribou's migration
patterns and its ecosystem are affected."
The urgency faced by the George River herd has brought mining companies to the table, ready to donate hundreds of thousands
in research grants and travel resources to the Caribou Ungava
project. It has also forced groups within seven Quebec and
Labrador First Nations communities to give up traditional caribou hunting rights — the caribou hunt fed their communities for over
3,000 years.
in research grants and travel resources to the Caribou Ungava
project. It has also forced groups within seven Quebec and
Labrador First Nations communities to give up traditional caribou hunting rights — the caribou hunt fed their communities for over
3,000 years.
The Labrador Inuit have vowed to stop the hunt for a two-year
period while the territory's Innu people are restricting their annual
quota to 150 males in each of their two villages. Despite measures
taken by other First Nations, Quebec's Innu have been slower at
making concessions.
period while the territory's Innu people are restricting their annual
quota to 150 males in each of their two villages. Despite measures
taken by other First Nations, Quebec's Innu have been slower at
making concessions.
"Governments failed in their management of the caribou population
and their protection of our ancestral rights," said Uashatmak Mani-utenam vice-chief Mike McKenzie. "Once again, a non-aboriginal government will impose its solution on us without consultation."
and their protection of our ancestral rights," said Uashatmak Mani-utenam vice-chief Mike McKenzie. "Once again, a non-aboriginal government will impose its solution on us without consultation."
McKenzie emphasized the sacred relationship between the caribou
and Quebec's First Nations and insisted the government should
have taken action decades ago. He said he's confident the group
of seven can reach a solution that preserves their traditional rights
while protecting the caribou.
and Quebec's First Nations and insisted the government should
have taken action decades ago. He said he's confident the group
of seven can reach a solution that preserves their traditional rights
while protecting the caribou.
"At the end of the day, it's not our job to impose anything on first nations," Coté said."But the only thing we can do right now is to
stop killing the caribou and give them a chance to repopulate."
stop killing the caribou and give them a chance to repopulate."
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