Population Surveys

Barren-ground caribou herds have historically undergone large fluctuations in population size, and their abundance has been known to cycle.

Many barren-ground caribou herds across the NWT and the North peaked in abundance in the mid-1980s to 1990s and have been declining over the last 30-40 years. The declining trend observed in NWT caribou herds is consistent with declines in migratory tundra caribou herds across North America including the George River and Leaf River herds in Quebec/Labrador as well as some herds in Nunavut and Alaska. Recent surveys may be showing early signs of recovery in some herds while others are still declining or stable at low numbers.

We need the best possible information—from Indigenous, scientific and local sources—to help us understand how we can support barren-ground caribou throughout their cycles.

Survey Results

Biologists from the Government of the Northwest Territories (GNWT) work with Indigenous government biologists, community observers and our co-management partners to photograph and survey five barren-ground caribou herds that occur mainly in the NWT: Cape Bathurst, Tuktoyaktuk Peninsula, Bluenose-West, Bluenose-East and Bathurst.

Other barren-ground caribou herds are surveyed by the Government of Alaska (Porcupine) and Government of Nunavut (Beverly, Qamanirjuaq and Ahiak).

Latest Population Estimates

Porcupine: 218,457 (2017) – up from 197,000 in 2013
Tuktoyaktuk Peninsula: 2,798 (2024) – down slightly from 3,073 in 2021; increased from a low of 1,499 in 2018
Cape Bathurst: 8,533 (2025) – up from 4,900 in 2021
Bluenose-West: 20,476 (2025) – up from 18,440 in 2021
Bluenose-East: 28,759 (2025) – down from 39,525 in 2023; increase from 23,300 in 2021
Bathurst: 3,609 (2025) – Down from 6,851 in 2022 and 6,243 in 2021
Beverly: 152,000 (2023) – up from 103,000 in 2018
Qamanirjuaq: 252,900 (2022) – down from 288,000 in 2017
Ahiak: 24,910 (2021) – down from 40,341 in 2011 (excludes the Adelaide Peninsula)