Big crowds turn up in Whitehorse for debut of documentary on Porcupine caribou

Around 300 people in Whitehorse came out to support the protection of the Porcupine caribou herd's calving ground at the debut of the new documentary film Camera Trap on Tuesday night.

The film, by Marty O'Brien, documented photographer Peter Mather's trip to the calving grounds. According to a photo censusdone in 2013, the herd had anestimated 197,000 caribou. Mather said they have approximately 40,000 calves a year. Theygo to a small piece of land in Alaska to have calves.

• PHOTOS |Up close with the migrating Porcupine caribou herd

The Vuntut Gwitchin First Nation hasbeen fighting to stop oil drilling on the land for 40 years.

Mather says caribou are important to the Gwich'in, but with U.S. President Donald Trump changing protective legislation, the "Gwich'in are now important for the caribou."

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Mather takes picturesof the caribou in the hope that the photographs will create an emotional connection withpeople.

"A simple image can make a big difference in the world," he says.

After the film, VuntutGwitchincitizen Jeffrey Peter stood in front of the crowd. He said he doesn't usually get up in front of people to talk, but he had a message.

"Some places are sacred. It's too important to risk losing, at this point in our human history, when we've already exploited so much."

Pauline Frost, the VuntutGwitchinMLA from Old Crow, Yukon, told the crowd that she's in the position because it's necessary for "someone to speak for the caribou."

Mather says if people want to help, they can donate money to the Gwich'in Steering Committee, whichraises money to fight big oil companies in Alaska. He also said people can write to the government, or join one of four expeditions he's organizing to the calving grounds next summer.

Mather's hoping filmmakers, writers and artists join the groups. He wants"an army of artists to tell the story of Vuntut Gwitchin and caribou."

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