Officers from the GNWT’s Department of Environment and Climate Change (ECC) are investigating an incident of potential caribou wastage along the Tibbitt to Contwoyto winter road.
On Feb. 20, Facebook user Keegan Black-Fowler shared photos of what he estimated were about a dozen caribou lying in the snow.
He later told NNSL Media he was “enraged” by what he saw.
“People that are hungry could have used [the caribou] and would be grateful to have it,” he said. “My people believe that the caribou will give their lives for us to keep living. This slaughter just shows the greed and disrespect of some people only caring for themselves.
“They probably only did that so they can sell their meat and make money.”
ECC was promptly notified about the incident, which generated widespread outrage on social media. The government department assigned some of its renewable resources officers to look into the incident.
Wastage is a violation of section 54(a) of the Wildlife Act of the NWT. It can lead to fines of up to $50,000, imprisonment for a maximum of one year, and potentially both.
According to Black-Fowler, those responsible should have their gun licences suspended, and receive “a big fine” for each wasted animal.
It remains to be seen if ECC can find the culprits who caused this incident.
The department could not guarantee a successful investigation, but pledged to be “committed to pursuing every lead and utilizing all available resources to identify those responsible for the incident.”
Black-Fowler is not optimistic the investigation will bear fruit.
“I’ve heard talks about an investigation opening up and I don’t think they’ll find the culprits,” he said. “By the looks of it [the culprits] were rushing, as they knew what they were doing was wrong and greedy.”
Earl Evans, a Fort Smith-based Métis Elder and member of the Beverly and Qamanirjuaq Caribou Management Board, called the incident “terrible.”
Unfortunately, it’s not the first time he’s been made aware of caribou wastage.
“Happens every year on the ice road,” he said.
Some NWT residents have suggested that access to the ice road should be limited in order to reduce the frequency of incidents like this.
Evans shares that opinion, but said “the talk of closing the ice [road] has went on forever” with little results.
“We used those roads to get caribou since ice roads went in in the 1960s,” he added. “We hunted them every year and for a lot of people it’s their only chance to get meat for their community.
“It’s difficult because of some people abusing the opportunity. Myself, I like to go up and maybe get some wolves along with caribou. We have to do it in a respectful manner.”