Caribou in the Yukon

Yukon Conservation Society

What are caribou?

  • There is  one species  of caribou (Rangifer tarandus) which ranges across North America, Europe, and Asia
  • There are two  ecotypes  (distinct form of a species in a particular habitat)
    • Migratory
    • Sedentary (includes Boreal and Mountain caribou). This ecotype travels between its  seasonal grounds  and is only 'sedentary' when compared to their migratory counterparts
  • Subsistence hunting by First Nations and Inuit peoples is constitutionally guaranteed by treaty rights
  • In Yukon, hunting is regulated by comanagement boards
  • The main natural predator of Boreal and Mountain caribou is gray wolves. Other predators include: bears, coyotes, and lynx

What threats do caribou face?

  • Northern Mountain Caribou (most herds in Yukon) are listed as Special Concern by the Federal Species at Risk Act  (SARA) 
  • In  southern Canada , declines in caribou numbers and ranges are attributed to the indirect effects of human activities

Most declines in Boreal and Mountain caribou result directly or indirectly from human activities

  • Industrial activities open up areas that were previously accessible to hunters. Linear features (e.g., roads, cut lines, hydro lines) associated with industrial development allows wolves greater travel efficiency; this increases the predation rate of caribou

What caribou are in the Yukon?

  • There are 30 caribou herds whose range extends into the Yukon
    • 3 migratory herds (subspecies R. t. granti)
    • 26 northern mountain herds+ 1 boreal herd (2 distinct ecotypes of the subspecies R. t. caribou)

Northern mountain

  • Migrate elevationally between summer and winter ranges
  • Migrate to higher locations during calving
  • Breed (or rut) on alpine plateaus from late September to mid-October before moving to their winter ranges

See below for information on each herd

Herd Summaries

We have summarized all the publicly available western science about each caribou herd in the Yukon, with hyperlinks (underlined) to all primary data sources.

If you notice that any data are missing or incorrect, please let us know. This is a living document and we are happy to add more information as we get it.

Click on the herd (below right) or herd range (map) to learn more about each caribou herd in the Yukon. To return to the list of herds, click the X at the bottom of the herd description.

Aishihik

Located on the traditional territories of the White River, Kluane, and Little Salmon Carmacks First Nations

Atlin

Located on the traditional territories of the Carcross/Tagish First Nation and the Teslin Tlingit Council

Bonnet Plume

Located on the traditional territories of the Tetlit Gwich'in and Na-cho Nyak Dun First Nations

Boreal

Located on the traditional territories of the Tetlit Gwich'in and Vuntut Gwitchin First Nations

Carcross

Located on the traditional territories of the Carcross/Tagish and Kwanlin Dün First Nations and the Ta’an Kwäch’än and Teslin Tlingit Councils

Chisana

Located on the traditional territories of the White River and Kluane First Nations

Clear Creek

Located on the traditional territories of the Tr’ondëk Hwëch’in and Na-cho Nyak Dun First Nations

Coal River

Located on the traditional territories of the Kaska Dena Nation and Teslin Tlingit Council

Ethel Lake

Located on the traditional territories of the Selkirk and Na-cho Nyak Dun First Nations

Finlayson

Located on the traditional territories of the Kaska Dena Nation

Fortymile

Located on the traditional territories of the Tr’ondëk Hwëch’in, Na-cho Nyak Dun, White River, Kluane, and Selkirk First Nations

Hart River

Located on the traditional territories of the Tr’ondëk Hwëch’in and Na-cho Nyak Dun First Nations

Horseranch

Located on the traditional territories of the Kaska Dena Nation

Ibex

Located on the traditional territories of the Champagne and Aishihik, Carcross/Tagish, and Kwanlin Dün First Nations

Klaza

Located on the traditional territories of the Champagne and Aishihik, Little Salmon/Carmacks, Tr’ondëk Hwëch’in, Kluane, White River, and Selkirk First Nations

Kluane

Located on the traditional territories of the White River, Kluane, Champagne and Aishihik, and Selkirk First Nations

Laberge

Located on the traditional territories of the Kwanlin Dün First Nation and the Teslin Tlingit and Ta'an Kwäch'än Councils

Labiche

Located on the traditional territories of the Kaska Dena Nation

Liard Plateau

Located on the traditional territories of the Kaska Dena

Little Rancheria

Located on the traditional territories of the Kaska Dena

Moose Lake

Located on the traditional territories of the Na-cho Nyak Dun and Selkirk First Nations and the Kaska Dena Nation

Nelchina

Located on the traditional territories of the Tr’ondëk Hwëch’in, White River, and Kluane First Nations

Pelly Herds

Located on the traditional territories of the Little Salmon/Carmacks First Nation, Ta'an Kwäch'än and Teslin Tlingit Councils, and the Kaska Dena Nation

Porcupine

Located on the traditional territories of the Tr’ondëk Hwëch’in, Vuntut Gwitchin, and Na-cho Nyak Dun First Nations, the Tetlit Gwich'in Council, and the Inuvialuit

Redstone

Located on the traditional territories of the Na-cho Nyak Dun First Nation and the Kaska Dena Nation

South Nahanni

Located on the traditional territories of the Kaska Dena Nation

Swan Lake

Located on the traditional territories of the Teslin Tlingit Council and the Kaska Dena Nation

Tatchun

Located on the traditional territories of the Selkirk, Little Salmon/Carmacks, and Na-cho Nyak Dun First Nations and the Kaska Dena Nation

Tay River

Located on the traditional territories of the Selkirk, Na-cho Nyak Dun, and Little Salmon/Carmacks First Nations and the Kaska Dena Nation

Wolf Lake

Located on the traditional territories of the Teslin Tlingit Council and the Kaska Dena Nation

Aishihik

Located on the traditional territories of the White River, Kluane, and Little Salmon Carmacks First Nations

Herd size (2010):  2044 . Growing at 5%/yr

Population  fell  from 1200 in 1981 to 700 by 1990

Reduction of herd size in early 1990's  attributed  to high adult mortality and low recruitment; wide distribution of caribou in the winter; low moose and high wolf populations; direct mortality from hunting

Herd population rapidly increased after experimental reduction in wolf population  (1992 - 1998) 

Herd is  genetically distinct  from the Chisana and Wolf Lake herds

 Maximum harvest  should be set at 2% of the population (conservatively)

Other resources:

Atlin

Located on the traditional territories of the Carcross/Tagish First Nation and the Teslin Tlingit Council

Herd size (2015):  442 

Population is  declining ; estimated at 800 in 2007

Southern Lakes herds (Atlin, Carcross, Ibex) are  genetically distinct  from other herds; active management of these herds as a single management unit is suggested to ensure long-term persistence

8% of high-quality winter habitat and 2% of high-quality summer habitat is lost due to  avoidance behaviours 

Caribou are the  primary prey for wolves  in the summer, even when moose are more abundant

Vehicle collisions represent the biggest human-caused source of mortality for Southern Lakes herds

Other Resources

Bonnet Plume

Located on the traditional territories of the Tetlit Gwich'in and Na-cho Nyak Dun First Nations

Herd size (1982):  5000 . Herd is stable or growing

Peak  calving  time: May 21-22

Mean annual  estimated harvest : 18

 Range overlap  with the Hart River herd likely only occurs in the summer

 Late winter habitat  (March) was mainly open black spruce forests; populations congregated along rivers

Located in the  Peel Watershed  planning region

Other Resources

Boreal

Located on the traditional territories of the Tetlit Gwich'in and Vuntut Gwitchin First Nations

Fewer than 100 boreal caribou in Yukon.  2% of range  is in Yukon. Rest of population ( 6000-7000 ) and range are in the Northwest Territories where the NWT Species at Risk committee has assessed the herd as  threatened  likely to become endangered if threatening factors are not reversed

In Yukon,  24% of the herd range is disturbed  (20% by fire, 4% by human activity)

Carcross

Located on the traditional territories of the Carcross/Tagish and Kwanlin Dün First Nations and the Ta’an Kwäch’än and Teslin Tlingit Councils

Herd size (2019):  851 

Previously, 800 in  2008 ; 400 in the early  1990s 

One of three herds that comprise the Southern Lakes caribou herds (Ibex and Atlin)

Herd range is in areas of high human density and is  frequently fragmented or interrupted  by developments or access roads for recreational. industrial or residental purposes

Herd is considered  stable 

Regular regional fire suppression has increased the possibility of a  habitat-altering fire 

Part of the herd's range is  protected  within the Chilkoot Trail National Historic Site

Likely that this herd has the  highest level of direct and indirect habitat impacts  of any Yukon woodland herds; 15% of the annual range has been affected by humans; 10% of the winter range has been affected by wildfire since 1946; 21% of the annual range and 29% of the winter range have been affected by the combined effects of human impacts and wildfires

 Vehicle collisions  represent the biggest human-caused source of mortality for Southern Lakes herds

Other Resources

Chisana

Located on the traditional territories of the White River and Kluane First Nations

 Located  within the boundaries of the Kluane Wildlife Sanctuary and Asi Keyi Natural Environmental Park

Herd-specific  management plan  to ensure inclusive and collaborative management of this transboundary herd (Yukon and Alaska)

Other Resources

Clear Creek

Located on the traditional territories of the Tr’ondëk Hwëch’in and Na-cho Nyak Dun First Nations

Herd size (2018):  792  

Previously,  900  in 2001

Herd is stable and distinct from Hart River herd (north)

 Sustainable harvest  is estimated at 18-27 caribou per year

Herd range is easily accessible via  resource roads 

Approved industrial disturbance within the herds range has  surpassed sustainable limits 

Coal River

Located on the traditional territories of the Kaska Dena Nation and Teslin Tlingit Council

Herd size (2008):  450 

 Observed sex ratio  is one of the lowest in Yukon (33 bulls:100 cows) may indicate elevated bull mortality

Part of the Nahanni Herd complex (South Nahanni, Coal River, and La Biche herds)

Ethel Lake

Located on the traditional territories of the Selkirk and Na-cho Nyak Dun First Nations

Herd size (1993):  316 

74% of  winter diet  is lichen

Finlayson

Located on the traditional territories of the Kaska Dena Nation

Herd size (2007): 3,077

Population down 1000 individuals since 1999

Demonstrated relationship between herd size and wolf population; evidenced by aerial  wolf control 

Other Resources

Fortymile

Located on the traditional territories of the Tr’ondëk Hwëch’in, Na-cho Nyak Dun, White River, Kluane, and Selkirk First Nations

Herd size (2022):  40,000  

Historically, population was  600,000  and ranged stretched from Whitehorse to Anchorage

Herd crashed to  4,000 in 1974  and stopped migrating to Yukon

Caribou  tradeoff  from eating ground lichens to shrubs during green-up (June) to accumulate fat

P referred habitat  has a high abundance of lichen and hasn't experienced wildfires since at least the 1950s

 Herd management plans  have been active since 1994

Other Resources

Hart River

Located on the traditional territories of the Tr’ondëk Hwëch’in and Na-cho Nyak Dun First Nations

Herd size (2006):  2133 . Previously (1978):  1200 

Mean annual harvest: 12

 Range overlaps  with Bonnet Plume herd in the summer

 Hunting pressure increases  in years when the herd range overlaps with the Porcupine herd

Horseranch

Located on the traditional territories of the Kaska Dena Nation

Herd size (1999):  600 

 Some logging  occurs on the eastern side of the range; mineral development, increasing road access, and ORVs are present in the fall range

Ibex

Located on the traditional territories of the Champagne and Aishihik, Carcross/Tagish, and Kwanlin Dün First Nations

Herd size (2008):  850 

 Vehicle collisions  represent the biggest human-caused source of mortality for Southern Lakes herds

Klaza

Located on the traditional territories of the Champagne and Aishihik, Little Salmon/Carmacks, Tr’ondëk Hwëch’in, Kluane, White River, and Selkirk First Nations

Herd size (2012): 1179

Formerly known as the Klotassin herd

From  aerial surveys , most caribou were seen in open-canopy spruce forests and in sparsely treed plateaus in hilly terrain

Kluane

Located on the traditional territories of the White River, Kluane, Champagne and Aishihik, and Selkirk First Nations

Also known as the Burwash Herd

Herd size (2009):  2009 . Declining at 4% per year.

Herd size (2003):  235 

Herd range is close to the Aishihik herd; herds are often surveyed in conjunction

Herd range is  closed to licensed harvest  due to continued population decline

 Sedges  are the main component of summer forage

Other resources

Laberge

Located on the traditional territories of the Kwanlin Dün First Nation and the Teslin Tlingit and Ta'an Kwäch'än Councils

Herd size (2003):  200 

No formal population estimates exist

Labiche

Located on the traditional territories of the Kaska Dena Nation

Part of the Nahanni Herd complex (South Nahanni, Coal River, and La Biche herds)

Liard Plateau

Located on the traditional territories of the Kaska Dena

Population is mainly based in BC but ranges up to  Larsen Lake (YT) 

 Herd surveys by Yukon Government  did not occur prior to 2005

 Low calf:cow ratio  (19.6/100) and low bull:cow ratio (26/100)

In 1975, expert opinion  estimated the herd  was 325 - 475 individuals. Until the early 2000s, the population was estimated at ~150 individuals, based on expert opinion

In 2017, the  minimum count  was 87 (BC MFLNRO unpublished data)

There have been  minimal impacts  from industrial activity but there is an  active gas plant nearby  

Herd range is restricted to a small plateau so is  considered vulnerable 

Other Resources

Little Rancheria

Located on the traditional territories of the Kaska Dena

Herd size (1999):  1000 

Herd selects  habitats with high lichen cover , avoiding pine/feathermoss complexes

Timberharvest activity in the herds range has been low, but the  potential for habitat fragmentation is high . This could negatively affect important lichens and forage

To maintain healthy herd levels for hunting and to account for natural range losses due to fire,  development in the winter range must be kept below 50% 

Other Resources

Moose Lake

Located on the traditional territories of the Na-cho Nyak Dun and Selkirk First Nations and the Kaska Dena Nation

Herd size (1991):  300 

70% of  winter diet  is lichen

Nelchina

Located on the traditional territories of the Tr’ondëk Hwëch’in, White River, and Kluane First Nations

Herd size (2022):  21,000 

Other resources

Alaska Department of Fish & Game Nelchina Caribou Update 2020

Pelly Herds

Located on the traditional territories of the Little Salmon/Carmacks First Nation, Ta'an Kwäch'än and Teslin Tlingit Councils, and the Kaska Dena Nation

Herd size (2002):  202 

Other resources

Porcupine

Located on the traditional territories of the Tr’ondëk Hwëch’in, Vuntut Gwitchin, and Na-cho Nyak Dun First Nations, the Tetlit Gwich'in Council, and the Inuvialuit

Herd size (2017):  218,000 

Herd size (2013):  197,000 

If development displaces calving onto higher terrain,  higher rates of predation and mortality are likely 

Herd selects for forage with higher quantities of nitrogen, higher digestibility, and lower fiber content (including  deciduous shrubs, forbs, cottongrass )

Other resources

Redstone

Located on the traditional territories of the Na-cho Nyak Dun First Nation and the Kaska Dena Nation

Herd size (1997): 5000-10,000

Herd is  stable 

Local knowledge suggests that a regional lack of barren-ground populations may have resulted in  increased hunting pressure  on this herd

Planned upgrades to Canol Road (Yukon) may further increase  harvest pressures and industrial disturbances 

Part of the herds range is within the Nahanni National Park Preserve. The proposed Nááts'įhch'oh National Park would protect more herd habitat

Other Resources

South Nahanni

Located on the traditional territories of the Kaska Dena Nation

Herd size (2009):  2105  ; 1432 in 2001 (data from  here  and calculated  here )

Part of the Nahanni Herd complex (South Nahanni, Coal River, and La Biche herds)

Swan Lake

Located on the traditional territories of the Teslin Tlingit Council and the Kaska Dena Nation

Prevoiusly named  Jennings Herd 

Herd size (2005):  400 

Most of the year is spent in low-elevation, spruce-willow-birch  habitats ; terrestrial lichens are abundant

Tatchun

Located on the traditional territories of the Selkirk, Little Salmon/Carmacks, and Na-cho Nyak Dun First Nations and the Kaska Dena Nation

Herd size (2000):  500 

 High harvest levels are a concern  but little industrial activity in the herd range

 Fires burned over 70% of the herd range  in 1958, 1969, 1995, 1998, 2005

Other

Tay River

Located on the traditional territories of the Selkirk, Na-cho Nyak Dun, and Little Salmon/Carmacks First Nations and the Kaska Dena Nation

Herd size (1991):  3758 

76% of  winter diet  is lichen

Other Resources

Wolf Lake

Located on the traditional territories of the Teslin Tlingit Council and the Kaska Dena Nation

Herd size (1993):  1249 

Herd size (1987):  664 

Documented sex ratio of 1 male: 4 females (1987), the lowest documented ratio in the Yukon. Low male population is estimated to occur from one or more of the following reasons:  heavy predation, selective hunting of males, winter starvation, chronic poor recruitment 

In 1993, the number of young bulls increased, consistent with population growth. This demographic change was attributed to  high recruitment and low adult mortality 

This is a living document. If there is something we have missed, please let us know! wildlife@yukonconservation.ca