Wildlife Research Permits

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Under the Wildlife Act (Section 24), a valid Wildlife Research Permit is required to study wildlife or wildlife habitat in the Northwest Territories (NWT). It is an offence to conduct a survey or census of wildlife or wildlife behaviour, administer drugs, collect or purchase specimens or carry out any scientific research relating to wildlife without a permit.

Under the NWT Wildlife Act, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (ENR) is responsible for issuing Wildlife Research Permits.

Who needs a Wildlife Research Permit? 

When do you need a Wildlife Research Permit? 

How can you apply for a Wildlife Research Permit?

Contact Information

Who needs a Wildlife Research Permit?

Research includes monitoring, experiments, surveys and any study of any form done for the collection of wildlife or wildlife habitat-related information or data.

You need a Wildlife Research Permit if you plan to study any vertebrates (except fish), or their habitats anywhere in the NWT.

You may need alternative or additional permits if your study involves fishes or fisheries, traditional knowledge and social research, bird banding or bird collection, radio telemetry, contaminants, human health, and if your study is in a National Park or a Wildlife Sanctuary. See the Aurora Research Institute for more information. For information on handling wildlife, please visit the Wildlife Care Committee web-page here.

Wildlife Research Permits are free. Always carry your valid Wildlife Research Permit on you while studying wildlife in the NWT.

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When do you need a Wildlife Research Permit?

You need a valid Wildlife Research Permit before you begin your wildlife research in the NWT. Wildlife Research Permits are project specific and can be issued for up to one year (365 days), after which another permit is required. You are required to apply for a new permit for each project and every year the project is active. Permits cannot be re-issued automatically without an application.

Please note: You will not be issued a new Wildlife Research Permit until ENR has received a follow-up report, for previous permits.

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How can you apply for a Wildlife Research Permit?

Please, follow these steps:

1. Location Determine if your study location is within the NWT. If your research will take place in both Nunavut and the NWT, you will have to apply for a permit in Nunavut as well. Determine if your study area is in one or more Land Settlement Area(s) or Region (see Map).

Before submitting an application for a Wildlife Research permit, you are required

• to fully inform all Aboriginal renewable resource organizations in the area where your project will be conducted about your research plans. This includes Hunting and Trapping Associations, Renewable Resource Boards and Councils, and others in the contact lists provided below;
• to seek the approval of these organizations, and
• to submit evidence of the approvals with your application.

Expect the consultation process to take at least 30 days. Some organizations have meetings on a seasonal basis, which may not correspond to the timing of your wildlife research applications. Expect delays in the Spring.

Based on your study location, identify the appropriate contact organizations. 

Click here to get a PDF version of the Recommendation Forms.

Use the Wildlife Research Permit Application Form as a template and provide all requested information to each contact organizations along with a covering letter describing your research plans in plain language. In the letter, request each contact to send you back the Recommendation Form stating their concerns, suggestions, requirements, and their Agreement or Disagreement with the proposed study.

We recommend that you communicate with each contact organization using fax or mail services.

Community meetings In-person presentations at community meetings are an excellent part of a community consultation plan. Make sure that you record and consider all concerns, comments, suggestions that were provided at a meeting. However, meeting notes are not the equivalent of Recommendation Forms, which are signed confirmation that you have consulted the appropriate contact organizations. Meeting notes are rarely signed and do not replace Recommendation Forms.

If you are having problems during the consultation process, please contact the ENR Region where you will be conducting your study. If your study location is in more than one region, please contact the Wildlife Division for directions.


3. Submission

Submit your application by sending (1) a completed copy of the Wildlife Research Permit Application Form, (2) a covering letter and (3) a copy of all the correspondence (including signed Recommendation Forms resulting from your community consultation) to the appropriate ENR Office.

To modify your submission or to extend your permit, contact the office you have applied to.

If your study will be conducted in ONLY ONE REGION, please submit your application to the ENR Superintendent for that Region.

Inuvialuit Settlement Region or Gwich'in Settlement Area Regional Superintendent Inuvik Region Department of Environment and Natural Resources Government of the Northwest Territories Box 2749 Inuvik, NT X0E 0T0 Phone: 867-678-6650 Fax: 867-678-6659 or 867-678-6699	South Slave Region Regional Superintendent South Slave Region Department of Environment and Natural Resources Government of the Northwest Territories Box 390 Fort Smith, NT X0E 0P0 Phone: 867-872-6400 Fax: 867-872-4250
North Slave Region Regional Superintendent North Slave Region Department of Environment and Natural Resources Government of the Northwest Territories Box 2668 Yellowknife, NT X1A 2P9 Phone: 867-920-6134 Fax: 867-873-6230	Deh Cho Region Regional Superintendent Deh Cho Region Department of Environment and Natural Resources Government of the Northwest Territories Box 240 Fort Simpson, NT X0E 0N0 Phone: 867-695-2231 Fax: 867-695-2442
Sahtu Settlement Area Regional Superintendent Sahtu Region Department of Environment and Natural Resources Government of the Northwest Territories Box 130 Norman Wells, NT X0E 0V0 Phone: 867-587-3501 Fax: 867-587-2204

Send Copy To:

Director, Wildlife Division
Department of Environment and Natural Resources
PO Box 1320
Yellowknife, NT X1A 2L9
Phone: 867-920-8064
Fax: 867-873-0293
E-mail: wildliferesearch_permit@gov.nt.ca


If your study will be conducted in MORE THAN ONE REGION, please submit your application to:

Director, Wildlife Division
Department of Environment and Natural Resources
PO Box 1320
Yellowknife, NT X1A 2L9
Fax: 867-873-0293
E-mail: wildliferesearch_permit@gov.nt.ca

Expect at least 15 days before your submission is reviewed.

Upon submission, ENR may determine that further community consultation is required. This further consultation will be done for you, but may delay the review of your submission by up to four (4) extra weeks.

The Community consultation process is best served if done directly by the applicant.

If you are having problems with the submission process, please contact the Wildlife Division for directions.


4. Follow-up reporting

Please use the Wildlife Research Permit Summary Template report to summarize your activities and findings and send to the Wildlife Division Director. Reports can be sent to:

Director, Wildlife Division
Department of Environment and Natural Resources
P.O. Box 1320
Yellowknife, NT X1A 2L9
Fax: 867-873-0293
Email: wildliferesearch_permit@gov.nt.ca 

Wildlife Research Permit Summary Template

As all Wildlife Research Permit Summaries will be compiled in the Annual Wildlife Research Permits Summary publication, please include a high quality digital image (jpg > 100 KB) to be published with the report. Any additional reports, maps, short result summaries and a list of conclusions are appreciated. Be sure to provide your contact information on each copy.

Please note any additional Research Permit will not be granted until ENR has received a report on activities and finding done under a previous permit. Please send a copy of any final reports, published papers, or theses produced to the Wildlife Division. These documents will be placed in the Shared Services Department Library and will be made available to the public and other northern wildlife researcher.

Send copies of your summary and any additional reports to the ENR region where you have submitted your application and to each contact who has requested it. 

The Wildlife Management Information System (WMIS) provides a central repository to store standardized point feature data to support the conservation and management of the NWT's wildlife species and habitat. Researchers are encouraged to submit wildlife observations along with summary reports of studies conducted in the NWT. This spatial collection of data is an important contribution to the knowledge base for wildlife management. Please note that all observations should be geo-referenced, along with the observation date. For more information on WMIS please contact WMISTeam@gov.nt.ca.

Please consult the Aurora Research Institute for more information on how to do research in the Northwest Territories and on ideas and other ways of sharing information about your studies.

GOOD LUCK IN YOUR RESEARCH!

Contact Information

Information about your submission is available at any time.

General Information on Wildlife Research Permits

Patricia Handley
Information Coordinator
Wildlife Division
Department of Environment and Natural Resources
Government of the Northwest Territories
Email: wildliferesearch_permit@gov.nt.ca
Telephone: 867-873-7760

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Annual Wildlife Research Permit Publications

2008 Annual Report of NT Research Permits
 
2009 Annual Report of NT Research Permits

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