Muskox hunt cancelled near Cambridge Bay, Nunavut

This years commercial muskox hunt near Cambridge Bay, Nunavut, has been cancelled.

Hunters from the community normally harvest about 200 muskoxen over a two week period each year.

But this year, the animals are too far from the community for hunters to get them.

Stephane Lacasse, the general manager of Kitikmeot Foods, said up to 30 jobs will be affected.

"It is important, there's no doubt, it creates jobs and it's part of culture too in the same time and you know it's some type of ritual happening here."

Lacasse said the muskox meat is sold to stores and restaurants in and outside of Nunavut.

He said the harvest could reopen in 2014but that will depend on the health of the herd and its proximity to the community.