Caribou protection means so much more than just the protection of a single iconic species. It means staving off earth-altering carbon emissions. It means the protection of Indigenous ways of life and the recognition of Indigenous rights to their homelands. It means progress toward achieving international goals around protected areas and safeguarding some of Canada’s most precious ecosystems. With limited time left for action, Canada has to decide now whether it will live up to its obligations to the world and future generations.