Elders Not Sold on Caribou Satellite Collars

Elders Not Sold on Caribou Satellite Collars

Friday, November 12, 2004 at 13:03

A provincial wildlife biologist says he hopes to see more radio collars put on caribou in the Far North.

Tim Trottier says the move would allow scientists to determine how many different herds are entering into our province from the Northwest Territories and Nunavut every year.

He says this information would also answer a number of other questions about the caribou’s migratory patterns.

Trottier says they want to make sure the caribou are branching out to other areas, and not over-using just a few regions they feel comfortable with.

However, one Fond du Lac resident says there are concerns over the use of radio collaring technology.

Joe Martin says some elders in the Athabasca region don’t like to see the animals with equipment strapped to their bodies, and feel it has scared some herds away from their area.

However, Martin admits some younger residents support the radio collaring initiative, as they feel it could one day allow hunters to track the animals.