Wildlife officials investigating alleged caribou wastage along N.W.T. winter road

The N.W.T. Department of Environment and Natural Resources is investigating after at least one caribou carcass is alleged to have been abandoned along the Tibbitt to Contwoyto winter road.

Photos submitted to CBC on Monday appear to show several caribou heads and legs, cut below the knee, and at least one full carcass. The photos were taken last week.

It's legal to discard caribou heads and legs below the knee, but an offence to waste, destroy, abandon or allow most other caribou parts to spoil, according to department regulations. That includes backstraps, hindquarters above the knee, front quarters above the knee, tenderloins, ribs or neck.

"Renewable resource officers continue to conduct regular patrols along the winter road to prevent illegal harvest or harassment of wildlife," stated ENR spokesperson Joslyn Oosenbrug in an email.

Oosenbrug said anybody who comes upon possible meat wastage or other wildlife infractions should report it to the department.