Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Pursuant to Rule 7.27, I received follow-up information for Oral Question 630-20(1). Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Further to the response provided to the Member for Yellowknife Centre on March 11th, 2025, I am pleased to share the following additional information:
Caribou seen on Highway 3 near the intersection with the Tłı̨chǫ Highway would be boreal caribou, one of five types of caribou found in the NWT. Boreal caribou are dispersed throughout the boreal and taiga forests of the NWT, are not found in large groups, and while they move around, they do not migrate seasonally like barren-ground caribou. Boreal caribou sightings along highways occur periodically but are not very frequent. They tend to be secretive, which is why they are sometimes called “grey ghosts of the boreal forest”. It is estimated there are between 7,000 and 8,000 boreal caribou in the NWT. ECC has a number of study areas across the NWT where they monitor boreal caribou, and the location of this sighting would be part of either the North Slave or Mackenzie study areas. The latest updates show that the boreal caribou from in these areas are showing increasing trends.
The Department of Environment and Climate Change is responsible for monitoring and managing wildlife including caribou across the NWT in collaboration with co-management partners which includes Indigenous governments, Indigenous organizations, renewable resources boards, and communities. General information on all types of caribou found in the NWT can be found on ECC’s website, including population status of the nine herds of barren-ground caribou that spend all or part of their annual cycle in the NWT.
Thank you, Mr. Clerk. Oral questions. Written questions. Member from Yellowknife Centre.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I seek the House's unanimous consent to return to number 8, oral questions. Thank you.
Thank you, Member from Yellowknife Centre. Member from Yellowknife Centre has requested unanimous consent to return to item number 8, oral questions.
We have a nay. Thank you. We will not be returning to oral questions.
