Iñupiat communities depend on NPR-A caribou for subsistence hunting and food security.

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Iñupiat communities in the Arctic depend on NPR-A caribou herds for subsistence hunting, food security, cultural identity, and spiritual practices. Their livelihoods are deeply intertwined with the health of these ecosystems. The Teshekpuk, Western Arctic, and Central Arctic caribou herds provide essential protein and sustenance in a region where food costs are extremely high and access to grocery stores is limited. Traditional hunting practices connect Iñupiat people to their ancestors and land. Drilling infrastructure disrupts caribou migration patterns and calving grounds, threatening this subsistence lifestyle. Some North Slope Iñupiat organizations support drilling for economic opportunities, while others oppose it to protect traditional ways of life. This division reflects complex choices between economic development and cultural preservation in remote Alaska Native communities.

Iñupiat communities depend on NPR-A caribou for subsistence hunting and food security.

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