Porcupine Caribou - CPAWS Yukon

Porcupine Caribou Herd

Every year, the Porcupine caribou herd embarks on the longest land mammal migration in the world, covering over 2,400 kilometers across the Northwest Territories, Yukon, into Alaska, and back again. This incredible journey takes them through a significantly intact landscape of the Arctic.

At last count, the Porcupine caribou herd numbered 143,000 (2025 Census). It is one of the healthiest barren-ground caribou herds left in the world, thanks to both a long history of thoughtful co-management and efforts by the Gwich’in and environmental groups to protect their calving grounds.

But this progress is under threat.

In December of 2017, the U.S. Congress approved the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, and with it an unrelated provision which opened the Arctic Refuge to oil and gas leasing.

Today, the U.S. government, under President Donald Trump, is trying to steamroll more legislation that makes lease sales in the Arctic Refuge mandatory, instead of making decisions based on environmental science, traditional knowledge, or the will of the Gwich’in and other advocates.

The good news is that the last few years have shown once again how much support there is for the Gwich’in and the Porcupine caribou herd. Efforts to safeguard the Arctic Refuge have won unlikely allies in the dozens of banks that have pledged never to fund drilling in the Arctic, and even oil companies are showing their reluctance to pursue drilling in the Arctic Refuge.

CPAWS Yukon, along with other allies, is advocating for protection of the Porcupine caribou herd’s calving grounds in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. This refuge is home to numerous important Arctic species and provides nourishment and protection for calving caribou mothers, denning polar bears, and hundreds of species of migratory birds.

You can still help give a voice to the Porcupine Caribou. Vuntut Gwitchin First Nation is urging everyone to call on federal ministers and the Government of Canada to protect the Arctic Refuge. The Nation even created a script and compiled phone numbers to make the process incredibly easy.

Porcupine Caribou photo by Malkolm Bothroyd.

613-992-9381

Minister Julie Dabrusin
Minister of Environment

613-995-4014

Minister Anita Anand
Minister of Foreign Affairs

“Hello, my name is (your name), and I am calling from (your location). I am urging the Government of Canada to help protect the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, the calving grounds of the Porcupine caribou, from destructive oil and gas drilling.

I call on the Government of Canada to meet directly with First Nation and Inuvialuit leaders whose communities depend on the Porcupine caribou herd for their culture, food security, and way of life – and to take immediate action to protect this sacred place.

Canada must uphold its responsibilities under the Porcupine Caribou Management Agreement and the International Agreement on the Conservation of the Porcupine Caribou Herd. Thank you.”

Porcupine Caribou Herd

At last count, the Porcupine caribou herd numbered 143,000 (2025 Census). It is one of the healthiest barren-ground caribou herds left in the world, thanks to both a long history of thoughtful co-management and efforts by the Gwich’in and environmental groups to protect their calving grounds.

But this progress is under threat.

613-992-9381

613-995-4014

Learn More about the Arctic Refuge

Join the Herd, an evening for the Porcupine Caribou

Moving with the Herd: Navigating change and defending the Arctic Refuge

Where We Stand on the Arctic Refuge and What You Can Do

Canadian environmental groups call on banks to not fund drilling in the Arctic Refuge

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