Indigenous Efforts to Preserve Caribou Populations in Quebec Face Challenges**

As the Canadian government considers emergency measures to protect caribou herds in Quebec, the Innu community highlights their struggle to keep these animals alive, amid environmental threats from logging and wildfires.**

In Quebec, the precarious situation surrounding the caribou population has prompted urgent discussions among Indigenous groups and government officials. The Innu of Pessamit are witnessing the heartbreaking decline of the caribou herds, as logging activities and forest fires encroach on their ancestral territories. With only around 200 caribou remaining, the community faces a pressing need to ensure their survival.

Jean-Luc Kanapé, a member of the Innu community, has taken the initiative to draw attention to this pressing issue by purchasing a life-size fiberglass replica of the woodland caribou. Placed strategically along a main highway, this replica serves as a poignant reminder of the species that once thrived in these forests. "I wanted people to be able to see what it looks like, because when I talk about the caribou, it’s as if I’m talking about a ghost," Kanapé remarked, emphasizing the urgency of the situation.

The current state of the caribou population has instigated a heated debate between provincial and federal governments over the best approach to ensure the species' survival. As officials grapple with potential emergency measures, the Innu community remains steadfast in their commitment to protect these iconic animals that are critical to their culture and history.