Officers find caribou ribs illegally dumped at Inuvik landfill

Renewable resource officers found about 2.2 kilograms of caribou ribs illegally dumped at thelandfill in Inuvik, N.W.T.,on Thursday.

Norman Snowshoe, Environment and Natural Resources superintendent for the Beaufort Delta region,saidit is illegal to dispose of and waste wild meat in this way, under the N.W.T. Wildlife Act.

Snowshoe said meat would have come from the Porcupine caribou herd, which recently made its way past the DempsterHighway.

Gwich'in Tribal Council Grand Chief Bobbie Jo Greenland-Morgansays leadership in the area is asking people to wait before hunting the returning caribou herd. That's because vigorous hunting could deter itfrom following the same path in the future.

She also sayselders have asked hunters to allow the leaders of the herd to pass first, so the remainder can follow along their migration route.

"Even though we're asking them to wait a little bit longer, I do recognize that they are exercising their Aboriginal right to hunt and exercising your rights a good thing," said Greenland-Morgan.

• Caribou crossing Dempster Highway, but hunters asked to hold off for now

"But I'd like hunters to also just take a moment to reflect and think back on those rights."

The investigation into the caribou meat wastage is still ongoing and anyone with information on the incident is asked to contact the Department of Environment's Inuvik Regional office at 1-867-678-6650 or the Report-a-Poacher line at 1-866-762-2437.