Caribou: Heartbeat of the Tundra

Project Leaders: Eric Bongelli, Lakehead University and Lynda Orman, Polar Knowledge Canada.

Research Summary

What is the population status of key northern migratory caribou herds in Canada and what factors are affecting them?

Caribou are key indicators of the health of northern ecosystems. Many of the 23 migratory caribou herds in Canada’s north have experienced significant population declines. Over the past two decades, both scientific and Indigenous knowledge holders are concerned that factors such as natural population fluctuations, habitat degradation, predators, climate change, industrial development, and cumulative effects are contributing to these declines.

This collaborative assessment project brought together experts in both science and Indigenous knowledge to synthesize knowledge on northern migratory caribou herds, with an emphasis on Porcupine Caribou, Bathurst and Qaminarjuaq Barren-ground Caribou, and George River Caribou populations. Two caribou herds are now at critically low numbers: the Bathurst herd with an estimated 6,800 caribou in 2022 (down from a peak of 500,000 in 1986), and the George River herd, estimated at 7,200 in 2022 (down from a peak of 800,000 in 1990). It is important to note the peak population of these herds may have exceeded the habitats carrying capacity, making them unsustainable in the long-term.

Migratory caribou herd populations naturally fluctuate over a period of 30-to-65-year cycle, depending on the herd. Population declines can be partly attributed to over-grazing of vegetation when herd size exceeds the carrying capacity of the land, followed by herd increase in abundance once the vegetation has recovered in about 20 years. Caribou are also affected by both natural (weather, insects, and disease), and human-caused (industrial development, climate change, and harvest) factors.

To assess the health and status of caribou herds and their habitat it is critical to consider both short-term and long-term trends. Short-term trends can influence current co-management strategies, while long-term trends can help provide insight into natural and human-caused factors affecting decline and recovery.

Read the full research results in Aqhaliat.

This project was funded by Polar Knowledge Canada.