The Arctic Species Conservation Fund

Helping Wildlife Thrive in a Changing Arctic

The Arctic Species Conservation Fund supports high-quality stewardship and research initiatives focused on wildlife and habitats in the Canadian Arctic. WWF-Canada relies on partnerships with Indigenous organizations and the best available information to jointly advocate for effective Arctic conservation policies and legislation.

Established in 2016, the ASCF is proud to support applied conservation initiatives that focus on Arctic wildlife including Atlantic walrus, barren-ground caribou, beluga whales, bowhead whales, narwhal, polar bears, and ringed seals.

A History of Success

Since the Arctic Species Conservation Fund began in 2016, more than 80 projects have been supported across Canada’s Arctic. Results from these projects include:

Community-based monitoring that led to the discovery that narwhal stress hormones have increased 100% in recent years as shipping intensifies and the climate warms.
The mapping of all known polar bear denning habitat across the Canadian Arctic.
Updated polar bear subpopulation estimates including good news for the M’Clintock Channel and Gulf of Boothia subpopulations.
The mapping of calving grounds of the struggling Baffin Island caribou herd using Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit (Inuit Knowledge) workshops.
A new method to study the impact of disturbance from mining activity on barren-ground caribou.
The discovery of a novel way the narwhal tusk is used to feed in the area around Tremblay Sound.
The development of drones as a non-invasive method of studying bowhead whale feeding habits and population demographics.
Acoustic monitoring and aerial survey analyses to learn how increased ship traffic and ice-breaking along proposed shipping routes affect marine mammals in north Baffin Island.
Mapping all known walrus haul-outs in Canada and advocating for the avoidance of these areas by ships through Mariner’s Guides and intervention in industrial development projects.

Applicants from all backgrounds (community groups, Hunters and Trappers Organizations, governments, universities, independent researchers, non-government organizations, etc.) and fields of study (Indigenous Knowledge (IK), Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit (IQ), natural sciences, social sciences, etc.) are eligible to apply.

The types of projects the fund seeks to support include:

Indigenous Protected and Conserved Area projects at any stage of development, including scoping
Initiatives that enable communities to participate in Land Use Planning, Environmental Impact Assessments, Strategic Environmental Assessments, Species at Risk listing processes etc.
Studies on the resilience of Arctic habitats
Projects that demonstrate the potential of economic opportunities for northern communities through conservation programming
Nature-Based Solutions projects seeking to identify, restore or protect areas of carbon storage

Understanding the effects of underwater noise, ice breaking and oil spill events on marine mammals
Understanding the impacts of ship-based contaminants (black carbon, grey water, heavy metals, invasive species, microplastics, scrubbers etc.) on marine mammals and Arctic marine habitats
Research furthering our understanding of the effects of roads, development sites and other forms of disturbance on caribou and their habitats
Identification and characterization of critical habitat for caribou
Development and implementation of methods to reduce human-polar bear conflict in communities

How to Apply

Applications should be submitted in PDF format to [email protected]. For full fund criteria, please refer to the 2025 call for proposals available in English,  Inuktitut and French.

Arctic Species Conservation Fund Projects

Arctic Whales

Evaluating the importance of Churchill River estuary for Western Hudson Bay beluga whales

Reduced sea ice and a tentative change in plans for one of Canada’s largest ports threatens to significantly increase shipping traffic across important winter and migratory habitats of the Western Hudson Bay beluga whale population, the largest in the world.

The main objective of this project is to assess the importance of summer refuge as critical habitat by monitoring foraging and body condition, an index of health, when the whales have just completed their migration.

Project partners: Fisheries and Oceans Canada

Polar Bears

Reducing human-polar bear conflict in Whale Cove, Nunavut

Driven by a variety of factors, including climate change and related reductions in annual sea-ice coverage on Hudson Bay, polar bears are spending more time ashore.

To prevent polar bear and human conflicts in Whale Cove, the Issatik HTO will continue to implement a successful polar bear monitoring and patrol program during the fall and early winter when encounters are most common. This project aims to keep the community and polar bears safe by deterring the species away from the town.

Project partners: Issatik Hunters and Trappers Organization

Investigating the ecology of the world’s southernmost polar bears through community-based research in the Eeyou Marine Region of James Bay

This project is a multi-year field-based polar bear study in the Eeyou Maine Region of James Bay. Working alongside local Indigenous governments and Hunters and Trappers Organizations (HTOs), the team will use hair snares and camera traps to non-invasively investigate the genetics, diet, body condition and habitat of the world’s southernmost polar bear population.

The project also addresses Indigenous concerns about the scientific techniques used to study polar bears by developing and implementing research approaches centred on Indigenous Knowledge and community-based non-invasive methods.

Project partners: McGill University and the coastal communities of the Eeyou Istchee

Project partners: Issatik Hunters and Trappers Organization

Assessing the seasonality of the Last Ice Area in a rapidly warming Arctic

As the Arctic continues warming, the region known as the Last Ice Area — north of the Canadian Arctic Archipelago and Greenland — is expected to be the final refuge for many ice-dependent species, such as polar bears and seals.

This project will use advanced climate model simulations to study how sea ice in this critical area changes over the seasons, including how thick the ice gets, when it melts, and how long the ocean remains ice-free each year. These details are important for understanding how long this region will continue to support Arctic wildlife and Inuit communities that depend on sea ice.

Project partners: McGill University

Walrus

Assessing walrus vulnerability to disturbance using satellite telemetry, stationary cameras and acoustics in Foxe Basin, Nunavut

The primary objective of this project is to quantify walrus responses to vessel-based disturbance at haul out sites through telemetry and photo analysis as well as at sea through telemetry data.

This project will focus on the Foxe Basin and Hudson Strait shipping corridors in anticipation of shipping increases within the next five years from Baffinland’s Mary River iron mine.

Project Partners: Fisheries and Oceans Canada and the Hunters and Trappers Organizations of Igloolik, Sanirajak, Coral Harbour and Kinngait

Barren-Ground Caribou

Supporting Taloyoak Umaruliririgut Association in Niqihaqut — Climate, caribou, and sustainable harvest in Taloyoak, Nunavut

Demonstrating the power of community-driven efforts to improve food sovereignty while preserving the environment on which people and wildlife depend, the Niqihaqut project will bring resilient and sustainable economic opportunities to the Inuit of Taloyoak that are consistent with local values and tradition.

Niqihaqut will take a closer look at the climate vulnerability of caribou and sustainable harvests in a context where the community wants to develop an Inuit Protected and Conserved Area.

Project partners: Taloyoak Umaruliririgut Association, ArctiConnexion

Tłı̨chǫ Ekwǫ̀ Gathering

The Tłıc̨hǫ Government hosted a three-day event in Behchokǫ̀, NT from May 6 – 8, 2025, with the theme “Ekwǫ̀ t’à Ts’eeda – Weghǫǫ Ełexègots’edo” (Sharing Stories About Caribou, Our Source of Life).

Caribou are a central part of Tłıc̨hǫ identity, survival, and culture, yet their populations are in decline. This gathering was an opportunity for youth, harvesters and Elders to come together and share their stories and spend time together talking about caribou. Other experts on caribou were invited to speak about past and ongoing research being conducted on caribou.

Project partner: Tłı̨chǫ Government

Caring for an at-risk caribou herd by protecting traditional harvesting locations

The main goal of this project is to identify critical harvesting locations of Dolphin-Union caribou for Kugluktukmiut by combining scientific research and Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit (Inuit knowledge) as well as visual media.

They will be reviewing data from different scientific databases and conducting interviews with traditional Knowledge Holders which will feed into the review process for the Grays Bay Port and Road project.

Project partners:Cloudberry Connections and the Kugluktuk Angoniatii Association

Crossings in a changing Arctic — Mitigating adverse effects of roads on barren-ground caribou

Proposed road development poses a significant threat to barren-ground caribou across northern Canada. This project aims to create a better blueprint for sustainable road development that safeguards both caribou and the livelihoods of the people who depend on them in a rapidly transforming Arctic.

By fostering inclusive partnerships and advancing applied conservation research, this work will fill a gap in conservation science and identify effective mitigation strategies that can address the adverse effects of roads on caribou.

Project partners:Université Laval

Investigating the cumulative effects of the Tibbitt to Contwoyto ice road on barren-ground caribou in the Northwest Territories — a Guardian-led initiative

In response to the growing concerns over declining caribou populations in the North Slave region, Guardians from the North Slave Metis Alliance monitor the Tibbit to Contwoyto winter ice road in the Northwest Territories.

This winter road runs directly through the ranges of the Bathurst, Beverly and Bluenose East barren-ground caribou herds. The Guardians will monitor road disturbances of caribou through their camp by the winter road.

Project partners: North Slave Métis Alliance

Caribou harvest monitoring in Arviat, Nunavut

This project will collect and summarize Qamanirjuaq and Beverly caribou harvest data from Arviat to develop a consistent and community-led method that can potentially be expanded to other communities in Nunavut’s Kivalliq region.

It aims to support community-based decision-making and caribou population management while providing users with accurate harvest information to assess the vulnerability of caribou herds.

Project partners: Arviat Hunters and Trappers Organization, Beverly and Qamanirjuaq Caribou Management Board

What is our arctic team working on?

Our dedicated team of conservationists and researchers are constantly out in the field gathering facts and data. Read more about their work.

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Arctic Species Conservation Fund

Helping Wildlife Thrive in a Changing Arctic

A History of Success

How to Apply