Justice officials investigating possible illegal caribou hunt in Labrador

A spokesperson for the Department of Justice has confirmed that fish and wildlife officers are investigating a tip that a possible illegal caribou hunt took place recently in Labrador.

Very little information is available, but the hunt is believed to have occurred in the Labrador West region.

• Hunting 'primary factor' in decline of Red Wine caribou, says Dan Crummell

Officials would not say what caribou herd may have been involved.

Dwindling caribou numbers have been raising concerns in Labrador for many years, with the provincial government announcing less than a month ago that the Red Wine Mountains caribou herd in central Labrador is close to extinction.

The larger George River herd is also protected by a hunting ban.

Efforts are underway by the provincial government to determine the reason for the population crash, and officials have cited illegal hunting as one of several probablefactors.