Adam Johnson
Northern News Services
Published Monday, December 10, 2007

YELLOWKNIFE - After three days of talks, delegates were left with as many questions as answers on how to deal with declining caribou numbers at last week's Dene leadership meeting.

"We need to take action," said Ndilo chief Fred Sangris, who also chairs the Dene chiefs committee on caribou.

However, there was little clarity on what form that action could take.

The first stumbling block was the cause of the decline. While representatives from Environment and Natural Resources pointed to climate factors and development pressures, other delegates brought up predation, sport hunting, natural cycles and the stress caused by collaring and tagging the animals.

"You say caribou numbers are low; this has happened before," said Colville Lake Chief Richard Kochon.

Representatives from ENR said while caribou numbers have been known to go up and down dramatically, this time around, the world is different.

"Today, when caribou numbers are low, it's harder for caribou to hide from people," said Bruno Croft, caribou monitor specialist with ENR.

He said ice roads and more powerful snowmobiles increase pressure from hunters, while resource exploration could be affecting migration routes.

Limits to the aboriginal hunt were not directly presented as a solution at this meeting, though some still spoke out against the idea.

"If things take a turn for the worse, the caribou will adapt," said Kochon, through an interpreter. "You can't just go and make a decision on another's behalf."

In a wildly different take, Boyd Warner re-emphasized Barren-ground Caribou Outfitters Association's position that the herds' numbers are not dropping - they have merely moved east.

In his presentation, he said the Ahaik herd in Nunavut has undergone rapid growth, and was once considered part of the Bathurst herd - thus the decline.

"If I believed the number of caribou were so low they couldn't sustain a harvest, I would be the first to give up my tags."

While representatives of ENR were clear there are problems with the herd, they did point out a silver lining from recent surveys.

"In 2007, calf survival was better everywhere across the NWT," said Susan Fleck, director of wildlife with ENR. She also said caribou are appearing healthier.

"These things need to happen for several years in order to see caribou increase."

One thing nearly all delegates agreed on was the need for another caribou summit, following up last year's meeting in Inuvik.

Many called for the meeting to include discussion on water in the North as well, and pressures being exerted on the Mackenzie River basin by southern development.

"How we deal with the caribou will set the standard for how we deal with many of the issues before us," said Thebacha MLA Michael Miltenberger, who made a presentation as minister of Environment and Natural Resources.

"The herds are in trouble right now."

According to ENR's 2006 Bathurst caribou census, number of caribou in the region have declined more than 70 per cent since 1986.

To end the Dene Leadership meeting leaders passed a resolution to protect caribou herds and caribou calving grounds.

They also requested a second caribou summit be held, similar to last January's summit in Inuvik.