Plan drafted for dwindling Newfoundland caribou

The population of woodland caribou on Newfoundland has dropped by almost two-thirds in just over a decade, prompting a government program to figure out why.

About 90,000 caribou roamed the bogs and forests on the island in the mid-1990s. That number is now down to 37,000, with the Grey River herd on the south coast nearly wiped out, with only one in every 10 animals now left.

The Newfoundland and Labrador government on Thursday announced a $15.3-million program to better manage the herds, and to develop better scientific knowledge.

The program is taking a particular look at predators like black bears, which are known for targeting caribou calves, as well as lynx and coyotes.

The province has also halted all hunting in the Grey River herd, effective this fall.

Gord Follett, editor of the Newfoundland Sportsman magazine, said he did not find Thursday's announcement surprising.

"We've been hearing some rumours over the past couple of months that at least one area could be cut completely from hunting, because we've noticed the numbers go down year after year after year," he said.

Follett believes that caribou populations can rebound, but Wayne Holloway, an outfitter with nearly 20 years experience, is not so sure. He said the program is too little, too late. 

"We're looking at a 30- to 40-year recovery period," said Holloway, who has been warning about a looming crisis in caribou populations for almost a decade, he said.

"Caribou, no matter what you do, will not recover quickly."