Amos Scott is SA国际影视传媒渇eeling goodSA国际影视传媒� about his new job as the executive director of the Caribou Guardians Coalition (CGC).

SA国际影视传媒淚SA国际影视传媒檓 feeling excited to be in a position that is advocating for the health and wellness of caribou,SA国际影视传媒� he said soon after his hiring was announced.

The CGC exists to foster collaboration between existing caribou guardianship programs, and to help people create new guardianship programs across the range of the Bathurst herd. The organization was founded in 2020, and following a three-year planning phase, moved into its implementation phase last year.

Scott applied for his new position with CGC in March, and was hired soon after.

He was born and raised in Yellowknife and is Tlicho on his motherSA国际影视传媒檚 side. Even as a young boy, he appreciated the importance of the caribou to people across the North.

SA国际影视传媒淚 grew up with caribou,SA国际影视传媒� he said. SA国际影视传媒淩ight from an early age, I knew it was important.

SA国际影视传媒淢y grandparents would make sure we always had caribou [to eat],SA国际影视传媒� he added. SA国际影视传媒淐aribou dry meat is probably one of my favourite foods in the world.SA国际影视传媒�

He brings some interesting professional experience to the role, having worked as a journalist and filmmaker.

SA国际影视传媒淥ver the years ISA国际影视传媒檝e had different ways to contemplate the role of caribou, and the importance of caribou in the North,SA国际影视传媒� he said. SA国际影视传媒淒uring that time, ISA国际影视传媒檝e also learned about some of the issues around the management of caribou and the population decline struggles.

SA国际影视传媒淚SA国际影视传媒檓 not the most experienced, but thatSA国际影视传媒檚 one of the reasons ISA国际影视传媒檓 happy to have this job, because many of the people who work around protecting and conserving Bathurst caribou have been doing it for a long time, and ISA国际影视传媒檓 hoping to learn a lot from their expertise.SA国际影视传媒�

The CGCSA国际影视传媒檚 membership includes a long list of Indigenous groups, including Deninu Kue First Nation, Lutsel KSA国际影视传媒檈 Dene First Nation, the NWT M茅tis Nation, the North Slave M茅tis Alliance, the Tlicho Government, and several hunter and trappers organizations in NunavutSA国际影视传媒檚 Kitikmeot region.

Scott said one of his top priorities in his new role will be nurturing collaboration and communication between those groups and the GNWT.

SA国际影视传媒淚 think that one of the opportunities that has already started to be established is that relationship between the Indigenous members of the Caribou Guardians Coalition, and the relationship that they have in the co-management of caribou with the Government of the Northwest Territories,SA国际影视传媒� he said. SA国际影视传媒淭hatSA国际影视传媒檚 never an easy relationship to have, but I think [CGC has] started off in a good direction and ISA国际影视传媒檓 hoping that ISA国际影视传媒檓 able to support that work.SA国际影视传媒�

The Bathurst herd, part of the barren-ground caribou species, occupy a range that extends from the southern and central NWT to the Bathurst Inlet in Nunavut. In some years, the animals winter as far south as northern Saskatchewan.

Scott could not comment on the current overall health of the herd, but pledged to do as much as he can support caribou conservation in his new role.

SA国际影视传媒淚 would hope that the numbers are improving and I would hope that the health of the herd is improving,SA国际影视传媒� he said. SA国际影视传媒淭hereSA国际影视传媒檚 been some aggressive management measures in the last number of years with the no-hunting zone, and hopefully thatSA国际影视传媒檚 doing the job it needs to do.

SA国际影视传媒淚SA国际影视传媒檓 there to support the people who are doing the hard work and the good work around helping caribou. I think that just needs to continue and they need more of a support system, and I hope to be that person.SA国际影视传媒�

CGC receives funding from several sources, including Polar Knowledge Canada, Environment and Climate Change Canada, the GNWTSA国际影视传媒檚 Department of Environment and Climate Change, and Aboriginal Fund for Species at Risk.