Caribou in the NWT

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Caribou play an important role in the traditional, cultural and spiritual lives of Aboriginal residents of the Northwest Territoires. Many people rely on caribou as their main food source and caribou hides are still traditionally tanned and made into clothing such as footwear, gloves and jackets.

The Department of Environment and Natural Resources is responsible for the management, habitat preservation and sustainable use of all caribou in the NWT.

Some people believe the word "caribou" was derived from the Micmac "xalibu" which means "the pawer". Inuvialuit and Inuit call the caribou "tuktu" or "tuktuk"; the Denesuline "et-then"; Tli Cho people refer to caribou as "ek-wo"; the Gwichin say Vadzaih; and,  the  North Slavey people call caribou
"ekwe".

Caribou are circumpolar, found in Russia, Scandinavia, Greenland and across arctic North America.

There are four subspecies of caribou found in the NWT:

• Barren-ground caribou (Rangifer tarandus groenlandicus) have the widest distribution. Herds range over the taiga forests and tundra of the NWT mainland. Barren-ground caribou are the most abundant subspecies in the NWT and have the greatest cultural and economic importance. The NWT Barren-ground Caribou Managment Strategy 2011-2015 outlines actions needed to conserve these herds in the NWT.  Taking Care of Caribou -  a Draft Management Plan for the Cape Bathurst, Bluenose-West and Bluenose-East herds is available for review. 
• Grant's caribou (Rangifer tarandus granti) are found mainly in Alaska and Yukon, but part of the Porcupine herd migrates through the northwest corner of the NWT in the spirng and fall to its calving and wintering grounds.
• Woodland caribou (Rangifer tarandus caribou) are divided into two distinct populations in the NWT: Boreal and Northern Mountain. Northern Mountain caribou gather in groups numbeing in the thousands during late summer to late spring.  These herds have distinct seasonal migrations and live in the Mackenzie Mountains. Boreal caribou live in the forests east of the Mackenzie Mountains and tend to live in small groups. They prefer to stay within the forest  for most of the year and do not migrate.
• Peary caribou (Rangifer tarandus pearyi) / Dolphin-Union Caribou (Rangifer tarandus groenlandicus x pearyi) range throughout the Arctic Archipelago.