One of Canada's most prominent environmental groups opened an office in Iqaluit on Tuesday.

The World Wildlife Fund hopes to raise its profile in Nunavut by conducting research in the High Arctic, and building relationships with Inuit organizations.

Vicki Sahanatien, senior officer of government and community relations with the World Wildlife Fund's Canadian Arctic Program, will work out of the Nunavut Research Institute building. (CBC)

Vicki Sahanatien, senior officer of government and community relations with WWF’s Canadian Arctic Program, will work out of the Nunavut Research Institute building. She'll be working with Nunavut communities as a contact for the environmental organization.

She said WWF is not an anti-hunting group.

“We support people's use of wildlife when it's sustainable and managed and that is done here in Nunavut with all of the species really, and we certainly support that fully,” she said.

Sahanatien said she hopes the organization can support community-based research involving Hunters and Trappers Organizations, government agencies and Inuit organizations.

As part of developing its Arctic program, the WWF wants to start an ice management strategy as it believes the permanent ice is disappearing due to global warming. She said they will also continue their research on polar bears and Arctic wildlife. The WWF has also provided money through its Arctic program for Nunavut communities to hire polar bear patrols to reduce the number of bears being killed for safety reasons.