Following the appointment of the new Cabinet, the Forest Sector now reports to the ministère des Ressources naturelles et des Forêts, while the Wildlife and Parks Sectors report to the ministère de l'Environnement, de la Lutte aux changements climatiques, de la Faune et des Parcs. Adjustments will be made to the website over time.

Aerial survey of the Migratory George River Caribou Herd in July 2020

by | 25 January 2022

Aerial surveys of the George River Caribou Herd (GRCH) have been conducted at two-year intervals since 2010. In 2018, the GRCH reached its lowest recorded population size of 5,500 caribou, a decline of over 99% since 1993.

A post-calving survey was conducted in July 2020, continuing the partnership between the governments of Newfoundland and Labrador and Québec. The GRCH population was estimated at 8,100 individuals (+/- 6%; α = 0.10) in 2020, indicating a 47% increase since 2018. This population growth is primarily due to a very high proportion of calves (35%). However, survival of this cohort to adulthood remains potentially low.

The improvement in adult survival is reflected in an approximate 24% increase in the number of adults in the population since 2018. While this demographic update is encouraging, the status of the GRCH remains precarious due to its continuing low abundance and variability in adult and calf survival.

A sequence of survey results showing sustained growth will thus be needed to confirm whether the herd has entered a recovery phase.