Inuit Polar Bears And Sustainable Use

The aim of this book is to contribute to culturally inclusive, equitable and effective wildlife conservation and management in the northern regions—and by extension, in other regions where indigenous systems of co-existing with wildlife also struggle to work with positivistic science-based assessments of conservation needs. Given the diverse worldviews, perspectives, and agendas of all those seeking to influence conservation of the iconic polar bear, it is impossible in a single book to provide a comprehensive treatment of the management problems Inuit residents of the Canadian Arctic and their government co-management partners face at the present time. Consequently, what is presented in this volume are the generally under-reported perspectives of Arctic residents that reflect an experiential understanding of events taking place in the region, and of some others whose views also augment assessments being used to develop polar bear conservation initiatives.

The rationale for this survey was the indication that the catch of polar bears in Northwest Greenland had increased since the early 1990s, simultaneously with marked changes in weather conditions, sea ice cover, and glaciers. Building on information provided by 72 polar bear hunters living in Greenland's towns of Qaanaaq and Upernavik, this study offers important discussions about polar bear biology, polar bear catch, climate change, and the effect of these changes on the polar bears. The survey also presents the demography of the catch of polar bears in the area during 1952-2005, described on the basis of 588 catches.

Do you like polar bears? Do you want polar bears to be around in 50 years? Do you think that climate change is the only major threat to polar bear survival? Do you believe that polar bears are adequately protected today? Would you like to contribute to saving polar bears today and in the future? If your answer to any of those questions is yes, you need to read this book. "This book is an eye-opener and should kick off extensive debates."Dr. Thor S. Larsen, professor emeritus, Member of the IUCN Polar Bear Specialist Group 1968-1985. "In this impassioned book Morten raises very important, provocative questions that are not being addressed by the international environmental groups." Art Wolfe, Award-winning conservation photographer. In this book, the author analyses the current status of the polar bear. And he punctures the myth that polar bears are well protected and managed today. While most people think that global warming is the overhanging threat to polar bear survival, the author documents that it is actually the continuation of an unsustainable hunting pressure that is driving the species towards extinction. Across 228 pages, interspersed with beautiful photographs, Morten Joergensen demonstrates how there are probably fewer polar bears than most authorities claim, how hunting is the greatest manageable threat to the species, how current protection measures are insufficient, how the animal has been commercialized and how lack of courage and honesty is allowing this scenario to continue. The book also contains a long string of realistic and very urgent recommendations for action - to save polar bears before they are gone forever.

The Arctic,The Inuit and the Polar Bear,is a account of the most unexpected and incredible experience that I had ever had,living with three Inuits well within the Arctic circle.I became part of their extended family and for three weeks I worked,slept and ate with them,eating Inuit food,which is high in protein and fat and low in carbohydrates.I had to adapt to their diet,culture and to twenty four hours of daylight.this was very hard to do as there is no dawn or dusk to indicate the start and finish of each day. None of this was planned,it seemed like fate that I was destined to go,and celebrate my sixtieth birthday in a remote part of the world and if I had learned about it earlier in Life I would have jumped in with both feet at such an opportunity. I learned first hand of how they cope with a complete change in their lifestyle from being a nomadic race to learning to live in the twenty first century by white man's rules.In days gone by they were completely self sufficient but now they have to buy products from the 'south' such as clothes,snowmobiles and white man's food which has not done them any favours and has introduced obesity among other illnesses.They now have to earn money to pay their way in our world,and in their environment it is very difficult to do. The hunt was very difficult and all of us were working over eighteen hours each day and only sleeping when we were exhausted.At first it was difficult to realise that the temperatures were down to minus forty as the sky was blue and the sunshine made it appear warm but if you removed your gloves you could get frostbite within minutes. After a two day journey on snowmobiles pulling our sledges from Arctic Bay to the hunting grounds,we made base camp and from then on we reverted to using the dog sleighs,this was truly unbelievable and was exciting to say the least,it was remarkable how these dogs performed,they did all that their master asked of them and even more.How the could work as hard as they did on the minimum of food astounded me,any other dog would have died. For the first time in my life I was living with true hunters,these guy do it not for sport but for pure necessity,they needed food to survive.They were true masters of their art.At the start of our hunting day we released the dogs from their chains and harnessed them to their sledge in readiness to start our daily routine,which often lasted eighteen hours before we returned to camp and tied the dogs to their chains,where they stayed until the next day. To be free in such a pristine and frozen wilderness and be as one with nature is something that I would love to repeat,it was a remarkable twenty one days,we started from Arctic Bay as three Induits with their client,after two days I was part of the team and returned as close friends,I was now part of their family and will remain so for ever,I can't wait to go back in the summer and learn about how they survive and prepare for the winter to come.

In Arctic Canada, Hudson Bay is a site of great exploration history, aboriginal culture, and a vast marine wilderness supporting large populations of marine mammals and birds. These include some of the most iconic Arctic animals like beluga, narwhal, bowhead whales, and polar bears. Due to the challenges of conducting field research in this region, some of the mysteries of where these animals move, and how they are able to survive in such seemingly inhospitable, ice-choked habitats are just now being unlocked. For example, are polar bears being replaced by killer whales? This new information could not be more salient, as the Hudson Bay Region is undergoing rapid environmental change due to global warming, as well as increased pressures from industrial development interests. A Little Less Arctic brings together some of the world’s leading Arctic scientists to present the current state of knowledge on the physical and biological characteristics of Hudson Bay.

Inuit have been hunting polar bear for centuries and have built up a rich knowledge about their habitat and behaviour-a knowledge expressed in the oral history, Inuktitut vocabulary and cultural traditions- in Inuit Qaujimaningit, or IQ. The Hunters' and Trappers' Organization of Gjoa Haven, Taloyoak, Kugaaruk and Cambridge Bay share concerns over the future viability of the polar bear population in the McClintock Channel Polar Bear Management Area and about the future integrity of the related IQ. The objective was to record and communicate, as accurately as possible, the IQ of Gjoa Haven residents related to polar bears. The lessons learned from this study will enable application as a model for studies of a similar nature elsewhere.

A treasury of information and outstanding photographs brought together to reveal the fascinating life of the symbol of Arctic survival, the polar bear