Answers to your questions: archives for 2007

• And on that farm there was a caribou . . .
• A moosibou? A cariboose?
• Assessing the global economy for caribou
• When caribou roamed New Hampshire
• Exporting reindeer antlers
• Northern eats in Edmonton
• Where to buy caribou clothing?
• Digital map of Canadian caribou

And on that farm there was a caribou . . .

Dec. 30, 2007

Q. We have been putting together a small educational field trip farm for the schools and interested people in our area and was wondering if you can purchase or have domestic caribou?

R. K.
Mayfield, Utah

A. There are a few reindeer farms in Canada but I'm not familiar with the system in the United States. It would be best for you to check with the relevant U.S. government department, perhaps a division of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

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Assessing the global economy for caribou

July 31, 2007

Q. We are working on a paper that will examine the global economy for reindeer/caribou and the different management/production/consumption habits of each reindeer producing country. I was hoping that you could help me better understand how herd management happens in Canada, how commercial harvests are decided on, and how they happen, and any other information that you may feel would be useful.

J. H.
Anchorage, Alaska

A. I think much of the information you seek can be found in various publications on our website.

The BQCMB's annual reports contain harvest estimates for both the Beverly and Qamanirjuaq herds broken down by community, jurisdiction and category (traditional user and other aboriginal domestic use; resident licenced hunters, domestic use; and commercial use -- either local sales of meat or guiding non-residents). You can download the BQCMB's 2005-2006 annual report here. The BQCMB's 2006-2007 report is due out shortly. It must be emphasized that these harvest estimates are just that -- ballpark estimates.

The BQCMB has also commissioned a socio-economic evaluation of the Beverly and Qamanirjuaq caribou herds, which is being conducted by a Winnipeg firm called InterGroup Consultants. The final report is due out November 2007. This report is the first comprehensive evaluation done of the herds in a number of years and will contain considerable information on commercial uses of the Beverly and Qamanirjuaq herds. To learn more about management of the Beverly and Qamanirjuaq herds and the origins of the BQCMB, download the BQCMB's 20th Anniversary Report.

You may also wish to download Caribou Co-Management and Cross-Cultural Knowledge Sharing by Dr. Anne Kendrick.

Commercial use of barren-ground caribou differs between jurisdictions in Canada and is regulated by provincial/territorial governments. Saskatchewan, for example, does not permit the commercial use of barren-ground caribou while Nunavut, Manitoba and the Northwest Territories do. You can learn more about each jurisdiction's commercial use of caribou policies by visiting their websites:

Manitoba Conservation
Department of Environment (Nunavut)
Department of Environment and Natural Resources (Northwest Territories)

Hopefully, this is a helpful starting point. If you have other questions, please do not hesitate to contact us again.

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A moosibou? A cariboose?

July 9, 2007

Q. Can you tell me: Has a moose and a caribou, both from the deer, ever been breed with together?

J. E.
Anchorage, Alaska

A. To our knowledge, moose and caribou have never been cross-bred.

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When caribou roamed New Hampshire

April 12, 2007

Q. I have heard that caribou were once found in new hampshire. I cant find any information about the caribou that were once here. Do any of you know when they were last in new hampshire? Thanks,

J. L.
Kingston, New Hampshire

A. Those would be woodland caribou. According to a fact sheet on the website of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Services, woodland caribou were found in New Hampshire and other northern U.S. states prior to 1900.

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Exporting reindeer antlers

March 13, 2007

Q. I am looking for Export of Reindeer Antlers (in Bulk order) exclusively from Canada {especially my first preference from Toronto Area; if possible}.

Please advise me about it's availability and further requirements to fullfil the export marketing to India.

I won't mind if it's availibility is outside Ontario or even at any corner of Canada; because if it is difficult to have/get in Southern Ontario.

Kindly let me know as soon as possible.

Thanking you in anticipation.

A. D.
Toronto, Ontario

A. A. For the export from Canada of any products, you must contact the federal government for further information. Take a look at the exporting section of the Canada Business website first. You will also need to contact the government of the country to which you hope to import reindeer antlers to see if these are permitted. Try contacting the Consulate General of India in Toronto.

Are you specifically looking for reindeer products rather than caribou products? The population of reindeer is very limited in Canada. One of the few reindeer herders here is:

Lloyd Binder
Kunnek Resource Development Corporation
Inuvik, Northwest Territories
E-mail: kunnek@permafrost.com

Reindeer herding is more prevalent in Scandinavian countries with indigenous Sami populations. You may find a better supplier there. If you're looking for caribou antlers as opposed to reindeer antlers, you could contact one of the commercial meat processing plants in northern Canada to see if they would sell surplus antlers (there is no guarantee that they will, but you can ask).

Kivalliq Arctic Foods Inc.
P.O. Box 329
Rankin Inlet, NU X0C 0G0
Tel: (867) 645-3137
Fax: (867) 645-3467
E-mail: tundra@qiniq.com
Web site: www.ndcorp.nu.ca/ndc/en/subs_meatandfish/kivalliq/

Kitikmeot Foods
P.O. Box 2268
Cambridge Bay, NU X0B 0C0
Tel: (867) 983-2881
Fax: (867) 983-2801
E-mail: kitikmeot@qiniq.com
Web site: www.ndcorp.nu.ca/ndc/en/subs_meatandfish/kitikmeot/

Iqaluit Enterprises
Building 158-A
Iqaluit, NU X0A 0H0
Tel: (867) 979-4458
Fax: (867) 979-0214
E-mail: jcurrie@nunanet.com

Nunavik Arctic Foods Inc.
Web site: www.makivik.org/eng/subsidiary-companies/wo_nunavik.asp

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Northern eats in Edmonton

Jan. 30, 2007

Q. I teach a resource class with students from grade 4,5 and 6. We are studying the physical regions of Canada and are trying to come up with some foods that are representative of the different physical regions. We would like to sample foods from each of the different regions and would like to sample some caribou to represent the Arctic. Do you know of anyplace in Alberta, particularly Edmonton where we might be able to purchase caribou meat to cook and eat?

Thanks,

L. B.
Wetaskiwin, Alberta

A. Since Edmonton is so close to the territories, there are probably butcher shops that sell caribou meat. You can also contact Kivalliq Arctic Foods. Based in Rankin Inlet, Nunavut, they export caribou meat and other products, and perhaps Edmonton is one of their markets. If not, you can probably order directly from them.

Kivalliq Arctic Foods Inc.
P.O. Box 329
Rankin Inlet, NU X0C 0G0
Tel: (867) 645-3137
Fax: (867) 645-3467
E-mail: tundra@qiniq.com
Web site: www.ndcorp.nu.ca/ndc/en/subs_meatandfish/kivalliq/

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Where to buy caribou clothing?

Jan. 24, 2007

Q. Is it possible to buy real caribou clothing? Where?

C. D.
Champaign, Illinois

A. A. You could trying contacting either Kiluk Ltd. In Arviat, Nunavut or the Jesse Oonark Centre in Baker Lake, Nunavut. If they don't sell caribou clothing directly, they may be able to put you in touch with a seamstress to commission an item to be made.

Kiluk Ltd.
Email General Manager, Sherlyn Kadjuk at kiluk_ltd@qiniq.com
Tel: 867-857-2713 / Fax: 867-857-2714
Website: www.ndcorp.nu.ca/ndc/subs_artsandcrafts/kiluk/

Jesse Oonark Centre
Email General Manager, Kevin Kelly at jessie_ndc@qiniq.com
Tel: 867-793-2428 / Fax: 867-793-2429
Website: www.ndcorp.nu.ca/ndc/subs_artsandcrafts/jessieoonark/

You could also contact Nunavik Creations in Kuujjuaq, Nunavik (northern Quebec). They sell a lot of sealskin fashions but perhaps they also sell caribou clothing.

Nunavik Creations
Makivik Corporation
P.O. Box 179
Kuujjuaq QC
Phone: (819) 964.2925
Fax: 1-888-686-2845
E-mail: info@nunavikcreations.com
Website: www.nunavikcreations.com

If you still can't find what you're looking for, trying contacting the following for leads:

Nunavut Development Corporation
Rankin Inlet, Nunavut
Phone: (867) 645-3170
Fax: (867) 645-3755
E-mail: opportunities@ndcorp.nu.ca

Northwest Territories Arts and Fine Crafts
Yellowknife NWT
Website: www.nwtarts.com/

Prince Albert Grand Council
Prince Albert, Saskatchewan
Website: www.pagc.sk.ca

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Digital map of Canadian caribou

Jan. 4, 2007

Q. Can you help me with an e version of a map of Canada showing all the caribou populations. Any such luck? or who might I get in touch with who would have such a map?

S. T.
Regina, Saskatchewan

A. I don't have such a map but you could try contacting Gary Kofinas at the website rangifer.net. They have several maps showing barren ground caribou herd distributions in North America and elsewhere.

According to their website, Gary's contact info is:

Gary Kofinas
Assistant Professor of Resource Policy and Management
Institute of Arctic Biology
School of Natural Resources and Agricultural Sciences
PO Box 757000
University of Alaska Fairbanks
Fairbanks, AK 99775-7000
USA
tel: 1 (907) 474-7078
fax: 1 (907) 474-6967
E-mail: gary.kofinas@uaf.edu
Website: www.rangifer.net

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