Environment and Conservation
February 1, 2007

Over 100 Samples Received for Caribou Health Monitoring Program 

The 2006 caribou health monitoring program came to a close yesterday with a total of 122 resident caribou hunters participating in the program.  The Honourable Clyde Jackman, Minister of Environment and Conservation, expressed thanks to all hunters who took part in the caribou health monitoring program by providing samples from their caribou carcass and other relevant hunting information. 

�The caribou health monitoring program was initiated last year and will be offered again in 2007.  To have such a tremendous response from resident caribou hunters illustrates the interest and concern resident hunters have for sustaining the resource,� said the minister. �The information from the caribou samples provided by hunters will help wildlife officials in my department better understand the causes of the current caribou population decline.� 

The wildlife division of the department developed the caribou health monitoring program for the 2006 hunting season.  The program was designed to encourage successful resident hunters to provide information about the body condition of woodland caribou across the island portion of the province.  The collected samples will be analyzed at the wildlife lab in Corner Brook and the information obtained will be used to refine the caribou health monitoring program for the 2007 hunting season. 

Hunters who sent in a completed caribou sample package had their names entered in a prize draw. The prize draw took place at the Wildlife Division building in Corner Brook on January 31 and the winners are:

1st prize � Lorance i-Finder H20 colour GPS unit ($300 value) � Lester Parsons, Mount Pearl; 2nd prize � Bushnell 8X42 trophy binoculars ($200 value) � Linda Bromley, Hawkes Bay; and 3rd prize � Leatherman utility knife ($100 value) � Adam King, Bishop�s Falls. 

�Hunter participation is instrumental to the success of the program and I encourage hunters to partake in the program again next year,� said Minister Jackman. �Congratulations to the three winners and I look forward to next year�s caribou health monitoring program and contest.� 

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Media contact:
Diane Hart
Director of Communications
Department of Environment and Conservation
709-729-2575, 685-4401

dianehart@gov.nl.ca 

2007 02 01                                                        9:30 a.m.


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