The Western Arctic Caribou Herd in Alaska is declining due to shrubification linked to climate change, while the Porcupine Caribou Herd is thriving due to stable tundra conditions.

The Kivalliq Inuit Association says a road connecting the Whale Tail pit project to the Meadowbank mine, near Baker Lake, will bisect a caribou migratory route and will have more frequent traffic than any other mine in Nunavut.

With caribou herds in decline and migration patterns swaying in recent years, news that caribou are following a more traditional migration route near Kivalina and Noatak caused a buzz this fall.

The caribou are crossing at different times and locations as the years go by.

11-11-13 Weather effects caribou migration and season - Barrow, Alaska, USA