ENR investigating illegal caribou harvest

Remnants of an illegal harvest in 2020. (Photo retrieved on ENR's Facebook page).

Posted By: Francis Tessier-Burns March 16, 2022

Wildlife officers are investigating an incident of illegal caribou harvesting within the Kǫk’èetı Ekwǫ̀ (Bathurst caribou) no-hunting zone.

The Department of Environment and Natural Resources says this is the fourth investigation this year.

“(Sixteen) caribou appear to have been harvested illegally in the mobile zone,” reads a post to social media. “Gut piles, heads and hides were found during an aerial patrol on Sunday March 13 on the Southwestern shoreline of Fletcher Lake.”

Any residents with information on the illegal harvest can call 867-873-7181.

The latest population survey shows Kǫk’èetı Ekwǫ̀ continue to decline. The herd numbers about 6,200 caribou.

About the Author

Francis Tessier-Burns
Francis has been a general news reporter with CKLB since January 2019. Originally from rural Ontario, he first came to the NWT in 2016 as an intern with Up Here magazine and fell in love with the North. In his time with CKLB, he's had the immense pleasure and honour of learning about northern Indigenous cultures. Otherwise, you can find him hanging around the Legislative Assembly. If you have a story or want to chat, reach out to francis@cklbradio.com