Migratory caribou, which are vital to the culture, spirituality, and identity of Inuit, Naskapi, Innu, and Cree communities, are currently experiencing dramatic declines. Rising temperatures have contributed to the increased survival of predators, the spread of disease, the instability of the ice, and the reduced availability of lichens. Some Cree hunters are adapting by replacing caribou with moose, whose presence is increasing in the James Bay area. In an effort to ensure the recovery of this herd and the sustainability of caribou in the territory, seven Indigenous Nations demonstrated leadership in 2013 by creating the Ungava Peninsula Caribou Aboriginal Round Table (UPCART), a forum for more coordinated and long-term management of caribou. Following four years of negotiations, the seven Indigenous stakeholders came to a collaborative wildlife management agreement. In addition, government wildlife managers are tracking caribou migration patterns in real time using satellite tags, which helps support conservation decision-making for the species.
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