As research progresses into the fate of Nunavut polar bears in the face of climate change, Kitikmeot harvesters are hoping for greater clarity and, perhaps, the return of a greater number of hunting tags.
photo courtesy of Oliver Porter
In Gjoa Haven, the number of polar bear tags in the MSA国际影视传媒機lintock Channel and Gulf of Boothia have been reduced to 12 from 33 in the past, according to James Qitsualik, chair of the Gjoa Haven Hunters and Trappers Association. Qitsualik is confident that tags issued should increase again, even if modestly.
SA国际影视传媒淲eSA国际影视传媒檙e seeing healthy bears, but weSA国际影视传媒檙e seeing an increase in (bear population) so much so that weSA国际影视传媒檙e seeing a lot more bears in Gjoa Haven, especially young male bears that tend to get pushed out of prime locations by these bigger bears,SA国际影视传媒� Qitsualik said.
The Nunavut Wildlife Management Board decides how many polar bears can be hunted by each community while the Government of Nunavut makes changes to regulations official.
One of the conditions in the MSA国际影视传媒機lintock Channel, northwest of Gjoa Haven, is to only harvest one female for every three males, a ratio that Qitsualik called SA国际影视传媒渞idiculous.SA国际影视传媒�
SA国际影视传媒淭hey donSA国际影视传媒檛 do that with whales, muskox or any other tagged animal,SA国际影视传媒� he said. SA国际影视传媒淭hey should just give us the tags and, here, get your bear.SA国际影视传媒�
In Cambridge Bay, the number of tags has dropped to seven from 15 in the past, said Bobby Greenley, chair of the communitySA国际影视传媒檚 Hunters and Trappers Organization (HTO).
Ansgar Walk/Wikimedia Commons photo
SA国际影视传媒淚t does affect a lot of the (HTO) members. A lot of people live off of that type of hunting at that time of the year,SA国际影视传媒� he said. SA国际影视传媒淭hereSA国际影视传媒檚 some food for the community and they get to sell the hide and have some money coming in for themselves.SA国际影视传媒�
Rather than wait on the GN to raise the number of tags again, Cambridge Bay has been in negotiation with Ulukhaktok to acquire some of that NWT communitySA国际影视传媒檚 unused tags in a shared zone, said Greenley.
Polar bear tags are reviewed as new population data is made available. Studies on MSA国际影视传媒機lintock and Gulf of Boothia populations were carried out from 2014-2016 and 2015-2017, respectively, according to the Department of Environment.
Gjoa Haven harvesters have been determined for decades to use non-invasive techniques to monitor polar bear health and populations, said Qitsualik. Many community members believe the use of helicopters, tranquilizer darts and tracking collars are harmful to the animals. To further the non-invasive approach, Gjoa Haven harvesters have teamed up with Genome Canada, a not-for-profit organization thatSA国际影视传媒檚 funded by the Government of Canada, for a research program known as BearWatch. It also includes university scientists and the GNSA国际影视传媒檚 Department of Environment.
BearsSA国际影视传媒� hair and fecal samples are collected for DNA analysis.
BearWatch has resulted in a database that combines Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit SA国际影视传媒� traditional knowledge SA国际影视传媒� with SA国际影视传媒減olar bear genetic identity and ecological and physiological measures that permit assessment of bear health,SA国际影视传媒� according to the projectSA国际影视传媒檚 website. BearWatch SA国际影视传媒渨ill integrate polar bear traditional ecological knowledge and science as well as historical data, allowing the project team to compare insights from each knowledge system and translate findings into a community-based monitoring protocol that will track polar bear population responses to environmental change.SA国际影视传媒�
The bearsSA国际影视传媒� hair samples are collected from posts, wrapped with a bit of barbed wire, placed in the ground with a piece of seal meat attached, Qitsualik explained. Tufts of hair are snagged while the bears snack on the seal.
SA国际影视传媒淲e proved that this way is better than the old way,SA国际影视传媒� he said. SA国际影视传媒淏earWatch has proven we can get the same results for much cheaper and we donSA国际影视传媒檛 need to harass bears, drug them, handle them.SA国际影视传媒�
Arctic Bay and Kimmirut are trying to arrange to have harvesters from Gjoa Haven come to their communities to demonstrate the procedures, according to Qitsualik.
SA国际影视传媒淭heySA国际影视传媒檙e very interested,SA国际影视传媒� he said, adding that thereSA国际影视传媒檚 also talk of expanding BearWatchSA国际影视传媒檚 non-invasive practices to Greenland and Alaska.
