Exactly, Mr. Chair. As we travelled through the Tlicho, listening to elders talk and listening to an 87-year-old elder in the Tlicho saying that he has hunted caribou his whole life, and he always believed that the wolves are a major predator. He told us that they take between 30 to 35 caribou apiece. I mean, I recognize that the Member was referencing a couple of comments that were made by one outside Canada, in Montana, and one in Saskatchewan. I am not sure what their connection to the Northwest Territories is, or if they know where it is on the map, but I would take the word of our elders over any person who doesn't make this their home. We rely on the words of the folks who have lived in that area their whole life.
We have worked with them in coming up with a plan, and we also work with our co-management partners. We have a very close working relationship with the Tlicho government right now, and again, to their credit, they recognize the importance of the preservation of the caribou herd for their future generations.
I am going to go back to a comment that I heard when we were visiting Whati. There was a gentleman there who is 87 years old, and he said, "I have hunted caribou my whole life. I have had the opportunity to hunt caribou and live off caribou. What can I do to help, to make sure that my children and my grandchildren enjoy the same privilege that I had?" Of all the words I have heard on the caribou in all the conversations I have had, I thought those were the wisest words I have ever heard as far as the caribou go. It is that type of advice that we take to heart. If they say wolves are a problem, I believe them. If they say wolves are going to make a difference in saving some of the caribou, I believe them, and I think we should.
My understanding is: in our zone, I think we have taken about 20 wolves so far. If you listen to the elders, they say they can take between 30 and 35 animals. Twenty wolves at 30 animals, that is 600 caribou we may have saved. It is one of the steps that we are going to take and try to preserve the caribou herd. It all goes back to this traditional knowledge and listening to those who have the most expertise. Thank you, Mr. Chair. I have gone on a little too long. I apologize for that.