Caribou are an important food source for Inuit on Baffin Island in Canada’s eastern Arctic territory of Nunavut.
Johnny Mike, Nunavut’s minister of the environment. (Courtesy Government of Nunavut)
But declining populations led to a moratorium on hunting the animals in December.
This week however, the government lifted the moratorium, allowing a total harvest of 250 male caribou in the southern part of the island.
To find our more about why the moratorium was partially lifted and how the harvest will work, Eye on the Arctic spoke with Nunavut’s minister of the environment, Johnny Mike:
ListenRelated stories from around the North:
Canada: Caribou numbers plummet in eastern Canada, Radio Canada International
Finland: Reindeer glitter to improve road safety in Finland, Yle News
Norway: Blog – Reindeer migration (by boat!) in Arctic Norway (VIDEO), Eye on the Arctic
Sweden: Bear hunt quota worries reindeer herders in Sweden’s Arctic, Radio Sweden
United States: Wildfires could threaten Arctic caribou herd’s winter habitat: study, Alaska Dispatch
For reasons beyond our control, and for an undetermined period of time, our comment section is now closed. However, our social networks remain open to your contributions.