Richard Gleeson
Northern News Services

Yellowknife (Apr 17/00) - The Porcupine caribou herd is doing just fine, and a group of naturalists and politicians want to keep it that way.

A calf survival survey done last month showed there were 56 calves per 100 cows, the highest ratio since 1990, reports the Porcupine Caribou Management Board.

The survey is used to measure how many of the calves survived the winter. A ratio of 30-35 calves per cow is considered healthy.

The Porcupine herd's range crosses northeastern Alaska, the northern Yukon and NWT. They calve in Alaska's National Wildlife Refuge, near an area British Petroleum wants to explore for oil and gas.

For years, oil and gas companies and caribou conservationists have waged lobbying campaigns over the status of the calving ground.

Porcupine board chair Joe Tetlichi said the lobbying isn't going to let up any time soon. Oil companies are interested in the area because it is close to the gas-rich North Slope area. Tetlichi said there is a fundamental difference between his views and those who support development.

"What they're trying to say is (development and environmental protection) can go hand-in-hand and we're saying they can't. I've seen that.

"Big corporations come in and do what they need to do and the people who live here are left with the mess to clean up."

Last week the lobbying campaign moved to London, England.

A group of Canadians and Americans, including Mackenzie Delta MLA David Krutko and former Yukon MLA Norma Kassi travelled to London to raise awareness of the importance of protecting the herd's calving ground.

The main purpose of the week was to persuade shareholders of British Petroleum to withdraw interest in developing the calving ground at BP's annual general meeting.

While in London, the group gave a presentation at the Canadian High Commission, illustrated with slides, about the importance of protecting the herd.

Last Wednesday, BP shareholders voted on a motion calling on the giant multinational to withdraw its interest in exploring the calving ground.

The motion was defeated but business analysts were surprised at the level of support it received -- 13.5 per cent of the shareholders, owning billions of dollars in shares, voted to keep the company out of the refuge.

Meanwhile, plans are well under way for a trek this summer to raise awareness of the need to protect the herd's calving ground near Yukon's arctic coast.

Among the guests anticipated to attend an Aug. 22 ceremony at the reserve is former U.S. President Jimmy Carter, who signed the bill that created the National Wildlife Refuge.

The Porcupine board wants the U.S. government to enact a law to prevent any exploration or development of the calving ground.