Caribou in the NWT

Dolphin and Union Caribou

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Description

Dolphin and Union caribou have a mostly white coat in winter and are slate-grey with white legs and under-parts in summer. They look similar to Peary caribou but are larger and slightly darker.  The velvet covering their antlers is grey. The population was considered as Peary caribou in the past but genetic studies indicate the animals are distinct from both barren-ground and Peary caribou.

Dolphin and Union Caribou
Photo Credit: Xavier Fernandez Aguilar

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Habitat

Dolphin and Union caribou live on Victoria Island and the nearby mainland coasts of Nunavut and the NWT. They cross the frozen sea ice between Victoria Island and the mainland twice a year.

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Population

Population estimates from surveys show the population was above 30,000 in 1997 but declined to about 18,000 as of 2015, with a further decline to about 3,800 as of 2020. Inuvialuit traditional knowledge and Inuit Qaujimajatuqagit also noted a declining trend and changes in distribution of Dolphin and Union caribou during this period.

Mortality of Dolphin and Union caribou due to drowning (breaking through sea ice), as well as predation and hunting, is relatively high. In recent years, Inuvialuit and Inuit have taken a series of voluntary and legislated measures to reduce the harvest of Dolphin and Union caribou in response to population declines.

In 2023, a population survey conducted by the Government of Nunavut showed the total number of Dolphin and Union caribou had increased to 5,200 and is now considered stable at a low level.

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Species at Risk Status and Recovery

Dolphin and Union caribou are listed as a species at risk under the federal Species at Risk Act and the territorial Species at Risk (NWT) Act.

The management plan for Dolphin and Union caribou in the NWT and Nunavut sets out recommended approaches to maintain the long-term persistence of a healthy and viable Dolphin and Union caribou population that moves freely across its current range and provides sustainable harvest opportunities for current and future generations.

Inuvialuit and Inuit communities hold regular user-to-user meetings to discuss shared management of Dolphin and Union caribou. A report on progress to implement the management plan is published every five years.

Further information on species at risk status and recovery of Dolphin and Union caribou can be found at www.nwtspeciesatrisk.ca.

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Resources

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