The provincial government says the population of the George River caribou herd is showing some signs of improvement, but hunters are still cautioned to respect the long-established hunting ban.

At its strongest, the herd had consisted of over 750,000 caribou—but those numbers plummeted to extreme lows in the mere thousands of animals.

In 2018, a census reported that the herd consisted of an estimated 5,500 caribou. This year, that number has risen to 8,100—which the province says is the first recorded increase in over 25 years.

While there is some optimism, the province says maintaining the hunting ban, along with careful stewardship, is critical.

Meanwhile, the Nunatsiavut Government says it could still be many more years before a sustained harvest is possible.

President Johannes Lampe says the herd is important to Labrador Inuit, but there is still a long way to go to ensure the herd’s survival.

He encourages Inuit to adhere to the hunting ban, which was implemented in 2013, and calls on other Indigenous groups in Labrador to do the same.