t’s been many years since community members from West Moberly First Nations last ate caribou meat from their traditional territory. Southern Mountain Caribou haven’t been hunted by this community in central British Columbia since it voluntarily decided to stop hunting them in the 1970s.

Written by Clayton Lamb (Postdoctoral Researcher, Liber Ero Fellow, University of British Columbia), this article explores how Indigenous communities are taking the lead in conservation efforts to revive the population of caribou and restore cultural traditions associated with these iconic animals. By combining traditional ecological knowledge with scientific expertise, Indigenous-led initiatives are working towards the recovery of caribou populations while also nurturing sustainable relationships between humans and nature. This article highlights the significance of these efforts in terms of biodiversity conservation, cultural revitalization, and the pursuit of a more balanced approach to land management.