OUR STORY
Caribou Patrol is an Indigenous-led stewardship program that promotes caribou conservation within AWN's traditional territory.
Highway 40 is Alberta's deadliest highway for caribou. What do we do?
- Conduct road patrols during critical times of the year to reduce the potential of caribou mortalities by vehicle collision (seasonal migrations in the spring and fall, calving)
- Collect wildlife information (including sightings of alternate prey, predators, and other species at risk)
- Enhance awareness through education and outreach (through in-person or online classroom presentations, workshops, attending public festivals, etc)
- Increase public safety by providing the public with wildlife roadsharing information and tips.
https://wildliferoadsharing.tirf.ca/
​
In 2012, AWN started this grassroots program in response to the declining caribou herd populations in west-central Alberta. It is a collaborative effort with support from Environment an​d Climate Change Canada, Foothills Landscape Management Forum (forestry and energy sector companies), the Government of Alberta, and fRI Research.
Caribou Patrol began working with Indigenous artist Kayla Bellerose (IG @bb.iskwew) to commission a new logo in 2022-23.
In the past, our AWN Elders have shared that we must speak for those that have no voice. When asked about our new logo, they commented that the blue flowers look like forget-me-nots, and they liked how our logo is stating that we won't forget the caribou.
​
About the artist:
Kayla Bellerose (@bbiskwew) is a sakâw nehiyaw and Métis iskwew (Bush Cree and Métis woman) multi-disciplinary artist from Slave Lake in Treaty 8 territory, with family ties to Bigstone Cree Nation and Sawridge Cree Nation. The stylistic linework of plant life throughout bb iskwew’s work is rooted in learning cree plant knowledge and is influenced by her family’s beadwork designs and stories. Through the mediums of muralism, beadwork, illustration, and photography,
bb iskwew hopes to share visual medicine with the world and contribute to a collective healing and restorative future. Themes portrayed throughout bb iskwew’s murals are rooted in matriarchy, mother earth, and stories shared with her from the community.
Every caribou counts
Every year, including during hunting season, there are plenty of exciting wildlife sightings. Hunting has long been a favourite past time of many Albertans and it’s also one of the cornerstones of traditional Indigenous culture and way of life. Historically, caribou have been hunted in this area. However, caribou herd populations in the Grande Cache area have drastically decreased to less than 300 animals across four herds. Although they have the legal right to hunt caribou, the Aseniwuche Winewak Nation voluntarily stopped harvesting caribou in the early 1970’s in support of conserving what animals are left. Thank you to everyone for following correct hunting protocols for the area and for your support of the Caribou Patrol Program.
For more information, please contact us at info@cariboupatrol.ca.
To report a poacher, call 1-800-642-3800.