The Conference of Management Authorities, established under the Species at Risk (NWT) Act to manage and recover species at risk in the Northwest Territories (NWT), has reached agreement on the implementation of the Recovery Strategy for Peary Caribou in the Northwest Territories.
Peary caribou are listed as a Threatened species in both the NWT and in Canada. The NWT recovery strategy, released in July 2024, is the result of a collaborative effort by wildlife management authorities responsible for Peary caribou in the NWT. It is based on Canada’s national recovery strategy for Peary caribou (2022) and shares the same population and distribution objectives as the national strategy. The NWT strategy also points to updated information available in the 2022 NWT species status report and highlights work that is already underway to conserve Peary caribou in the NWT.
The implementation agreement identifies the actions the Wildlife Management Advisory Council (NWT) and the Government of the Northwest Territories intend to take to put the recovery strategy into action. Successful conservation of Peary caribou in the NWT will depend on the commitment and cooperation of the many different groups with responsibility for wildlife management in the NWT, together with residents and visitors. Progress on implementation will be reported on every five years, as required under the Species at Risk (NWT) Act.
Additional species information and supporting documents, including status reports, assessments and consensus agreements, are available at www.nwtspeciesatrisk.ca.
For more information contact:
Jody Pellissey, Chairperson
Conference of Management Authorities
c/o NWT Species at Risk Secretariat
Phone: (867) 767-9237 ext. 53215
Email: SARA@gov.nt.ca
Photo: John Nagy, GNWT
BACKGROUND:
- Peary caribou live in small groups on the Arctic islands of the NWT and Nunavut. Populations declined steeply between the 1960s and the 1990s. The decline was followed by a period of sustained low numbers; however, there is recent evidence of an increase.
- The Recovery Strategy for Peary Caribou in the Northwest Territories provides guidance on the conservation and long-term recovery of Peary caribou in the NWT.
- The NWT recovery strategy includes the national recovery strategy (2022) and an NWT addition developed by the Conference of Management Authorities on Species at Risk (CMA). Indigenous governments and Indigenous organizations as well as NWT residents were invited to provide input on the NWT recovery strategy.
- The CMA is made up of the wildlife co-management boards and governments that share responsibility for wildlife in the NWT. Management authorities for Peary caribou in the NWT are the Wildlife Management Advisory Council (NWT) and the Government of the Northwest Territories.
- There are no automatic prohibitions or protections for Peary caribou, or its habitat, associated with the implementation of the recovery strategy. The recovery strategy does not change quotas, by-laws or regulations already in place.
- Implementation of the recovery strategy is subject to appropriations, priorities and budgetary constraints of the management authorities.
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