Caribou (Rangifer tarandus) has been fundamental to the diet and culture of Arctic Indigenous Peoples for thousands of years. Although caribou populations observe natural cycles of abundance and scarcity, several caribou herds across the Circumpolar North have experienced dramatic declines in recent decades due to a range of interrelated factors. Broadly, the objectives of this study are to examine food and nutrition security in relation to wildlife population and management status across Inuit Nunangat (the Inuit homeland, consisting of four regions across the Canadian Arctic). Specifically, we: (1) characterize the contribution of caribou to Inuit nutrition across northern Canada and (2) evaluate the population and management status of caribou herds/populations harvested by Inuit. Dietary data were derived from the 2007-2008 Inuit Health Survey, which included dietary information for Inuit adults (n = 2097) residing in thirty-six communities, spanning three regions (the Inuvialuit Settlement Region, Nunavut, and Nunatsiavut) of the Canadian North. Published information regarding the range, abundance, status, and management status of caribou herds/populations was collected through document analysis and was validated through consultation with northern wildlife experts (territorial governments, co-management, and/or Inuit organizations). While caribou contributed modestly to total diet energy (3-11% of intake) across the regions, it was the primary source of iron (14-37%), zinc (18-41%), copper (12-39%), riboflavin (15-39%), and vitamin B12 (27-52%), as well as a top source of protein (13-35%). Restrictions on Inuit subsistence harvest (harvest quotas or bans) are currently enacted on at least six northern caribou herds/populations with potential consequences for country food access for over twenty-five Inuit communities across Canada. A holistic multi-sectorial approach is needed to ensure the sustainability of wildlife populations, while supporting Inuit food and nutrition security in the interim.
Describe your early background:I was born in St. John's, NL and grew up in Rimouski, QC and Sackville, NS before moving to Ontario for university. I was a curious kid who spent a lot of time on the computer. In some respects, not much has changed.
What (or who) influenced you to pursue a career in libraries?When I started my first library job as a student assistant at my alma mater, Trinity College in the University of Toronto, I had no inkling that I would still be working in libraries years later. In fact, it wasn't until I began working at the Map and Data Library at U of T that I realized how big of an umbrella library work can be-it has been a fabulous opportunity to combine my interests in maps, GIS, computing, and digital projects. By the time I had finished my B.Sc. in Geography, I knew that I wanted to keep working in the field. I completed my MLIS at Western while working part-time in their Map and Data Centre.
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