After an estimated 30,000 to 35,000 years frozen in one spot,┬аNun cho ga┬аis again on the move тАФ this time, being carried across the country to Ottawa by a delegation of Indigenous elders.
Nun cho ga is the name that was given to the┬аalmost perfectly-preserved baby mammoth that was dug up by a miner in 2022 near Dawson City, Yukon.
The rare find made headlines around the world and excited┬аlocal paleontologists as it was deemed┬аto be the first whole baby mammoth to be found in North America, and the second in the world.┬а
The mammoth┬аalso inspired awe among some local Indigenous leaders, who felt a spiritual connection to the ancient animal. It was┬аfound on┬аTr’ond├лk Hw├лch’in┬аlands┬аand the First Nation took┬аthe lead in determining what happens with it.
Now, after a year and a half in a Dawson City freezer,┬аNun cho ga┬аis being transported to the┬аCanadian Conservation Institute in Ottawa, where it will be carefully preserved.
A delegation of Indigenous elders drove the animal to Whitehorse on Friday, and this weekend they’ll be on a plane to Ottawa, chartered by the Yukon government. First Nations heritage staff and Yukon government conservation specialists will also be making the trip.┬а
The Tr’ond├лk Hw├лch’in┬аFirst Nation regards Nun cho ga as a spiritual ancestor and┬аsees the journey as akin to a funeral procession. They declined to speak about the trip to Ottawa,┬аasking for privacy and respect.
┬аNun cho ga is expected to┬аeventually return to Dawson City. The First Nation has not said what the long-term plans are for the animal.
