Beverly Caribou
Management
The
Beverly and Qamanirjuaq caribou herds are jointly managed under the
advisement of the Beverly-Qamanirjuaq Caribou Management Board (BQCMB). The main purpose of the board is to safeguard the caribou
herds in the interest of Aboriginal
people who have traditionally relied upon caribou.
The
board consists of 14 members, including a chairman and vice chairman. As
the herd’s migratory route straddles two territories, two provinces, and
four different native cultures, so do the board members. Members include
representatives from the southern Kivalliq (Keewatin) Region of Nunavut,
Dene and Metis communities in the South Slave Region of the NWT,
communities in northern Saskatchewan and northern Manitoba, Indian and
Northern Affairs Canada, the Government of Manitoba, the Government of
Saskatchewan, the Government of Northwest Territories and the Government
of Nunavut.
Calving
ground surveys to estimate total herd size are carried out periodically.
If a survey indicates that the population of either herd has
dropped below 150,000 or if community-based indices suggest a decline, the
Beverly-Qamanirjuaq Caribou Management Board will submit recommendations
for emergency management and protection of the herd to the Saskatchewan,
NWT and Nunavut governments.
The
last survey, in 1994, indicated that the herd population was stable.
Calf mortality is also examined during calving ground studies.
Wolves cause 60% - 70% of calf mortality on the Beverly herd.
During the summer of 1994, forest fires caused a great deal of
damage to the range of these two herds. In the NWT, 11% of the Beverly
range was burned, while in northern Manitoba, 25% of mature and old forest
capable of supporting wintering caribou was destroyed. Several large fires
also burned in northern Saskatchewan.
The
potential for industrial activities on the range of these herds is a
management concern, and is monitored closely by the board.
For
more information, visit the
Beverly-Qamanirjuaq
Herd Management website.
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