Hunters accused of caribou slaughter

ANCHORAGE, Alaska, July 29 (UPI) -- Eskimo hunters slaughtered at least 120 caribou, leaving rotting carcasses and stranded calves on the tundra in early July, Alaskan authorities said.

Investigators found a 40-mile trail and have identified five suspects, but say they have been getting a lack of cooperation from leaders in the rural Alaskan communities of Point Hope and Kivalina, the Anchorage Daily News reported Tuesday.

Meat from at least 60 animals had been either partially wasted or not even touched, said Alaskan Wildlife Troopers. Spokeswoman Beth Ipsen called the caribou killings "by far the worst case of blatant waste" they had ever seen.

Troopers showed village leaders photos of the slaughtered bulls and cows, some with calves still attempting to nurse on dead corpses.

"Even the elders were pretty stunned by this much waste," Ipsen said. "When we had a community meeting and showed them the photos, the room went silent."

But no names were given to investigators, with suspects identified only by troopers' police work, she said. The five suspects range in age from 17 to 25, but have not yet been charged while the cases are reviewed by the district attorney's office.