From patrolling on sea ice and responding to polar bear calls to managing wildlife in remote communities, Conservation Officer Jack Skillings takes us deep into the Canadian Arctic. Offering a rare glimpse into wildlife enforcement in the far north, Jack shares the rewards and realities of protecting the environment in some of the most isolated places on Earth.
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Here’s what we discuss:
- Yukon’s Conservation Officer Services Branch and its role
- Nunavut: Canada’s newest territory
- Nunavut’s unique conservation structure
- “There’s at least one conservation officer in every community.”
- Patrolling without roads: snowmobiles, ATVs, boats, and planes
- Polar bear management and why it’s handled by territories, not federal agencies
- Community policing: “education over enforcement.”
- Modern polar bear research using DNA instead of tags
- Differences between Nunavut and Yukon: isolation vs. road access and teamwork
- “The biggest difference in Yukon? Roads. Having a truck changes everything.”
- Wildlife species and hunting traditions: caribou, muskox, seals, moose, sheep, and Arctic char
- A polar bear deterrence gone wrong
- Life in remote communities
- “My favorite thing was just getting out on the land – patrolling, hunting, fishing.”
Credits
Hosts: Wayne Saunders and John Nores
Producer: Jay Ammann
Warden’s Watch logo & Design: Ashley Hannett
Research / Content Coordinator: Stacey DesRoches
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