The early bear gets the goose: climate change, polar bears and lesser snow geese in western Hudson Bay

ABSTRACT. Polar bears (Ursus maritimus) are an iconic Arctic species, but residents of Arctic coastal communities are among the few who have opportunities to observe their behavior for extended periods of time. Documenting traditional knowledge about polar bears is thus an important research approach, especially in light of recent rapid changes to summer sea ice extent. We interviewed polar bear hunters in seven Alaska Native communities along the coast of the northern Bering Sea and Chukchi Sea. Our study confirmed findings from similar research conducted in the mid-1990s and added information about the responses of polar bears to more recent environmental change. The distribution and local abundance of polar bears have changed over time, though different communities report different patterns. Polar bears arrive from the north later in fall than previously. Despite substantial changes in sea ice and other aspects of polar bear habitat, the animals generally appear to be in good body condition, and cubs continue to be observed regularly. While polar bears continue to feed primarily on seals, they have been observed eating a diverse range of foods, including eggs, greens, fish, berries, and other foods as available. Reduction in harvest levels due to environmental, economic, and social factors is the overriding trend; however, in years when bears are particularly abundant around villages, this pattern is temporarily reversed. Polar bears remain important spiritually and culturally for the indigenous communities of northern and western Alaska.

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 87%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Traditional Knowledge about Polar Bears (Ursus maritimus) in Northwestern Alaska

Voorhees¹,

Sparks²,

Huntington³

et al. 2014

“…In Hudson Bay, Canada, polar bears (Ursus maritimus) have been documented earlier on shore as the date of spring ice breakup has advanced. A single polar bear traveled between multiple islands over a 96-hour period and consumed all of the eggs in 206 of approximately 325 eider nests (Rockwell and Gormezano, 2009 (Born et al, 2011).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Nesting Common Eider (Somateria mollissima) Population Quintuples in Northwest Greenland

Burnham¹,

Johnson²,

Konkel³

et al. 2012

ABSTRACT. Common eider (Somateria mollissima) populations in Greenland severely declined throughout the 20th century. As a result, in 2001, harvest regulations were changed and the length of the hunting season was reduced. Recent data suggest that these changes have been successful, and population regrowth is occurring. In the Avanersuaq District, northwest Greenland, only one systematic survey quantifying the number of nesting eiders had previously been conducted, in 1997 and 1998. Although this district had historically been identified as having the largest number of breeding eiders in Greenland, the 1997 -98 survey results showed a relatively small estimated population of 5000 pairs. However, it is not known to what extent changes in hunting regulations have affected nesting abundance in this area. Therefore, the Avanersuaq District was systematically resurveyed during the 2009 breeding season, approximately 11 years after the previous survey. These results showed that the population had increased to 5.4 times its 1997 -98 size, with an annual compounded growth rate of 15.3%. On a single island, nearly 4500 active nests were observed. Five islands had more than 2600 nests each and comprised 75% of the total nests counted. Along with historical information to account for additional nesting habitat not surveyed, the observed population growth rate from this study suggests that the overall Avanersuaq common eider breeding population size ranges from 25 000 to 30 000 pairs, or roughly half of the total estimated West Greenland breeding population. Despite the significance of the Avanersuaq District as a breeding area for common eiders, we have only limited information about this population. The effects of recent extensions of the hunting season on this population are also unknown, and the only wintering location information is based on a few individuals banded in the 1920s and 1940s. Additional research on migratory movements is suggested before any further changes are made to hunting regulations.Key words: common eider, Somateria mollissima, population growth, Greenland, Avanersuaq District RÉSUMÉ. Au cours du XX e siècle, les populations d'eiders à duvet (Somateria mollissima) ont connu un déclin considérable au Groenland. C'est pourquoi en 2001, le règlement relatif à la chasse a été modifié et la saison de chasse a été raccourcie. Selon des données récentes, ces changements ont porté fruits en ce sens que la population s'est accrue. Dans le district d'Avanersuaq, dans le nord-ouest du Groenland, seulement un relevé systématique ayant pour but de quantifier le nombre d'eiders nicheurs a été fait, et c'était en 1997-1998. Bien qu'au fil des ans, ce district a compté le plus grand nombre d'eiders reproducteurs du Groenland, le relevé de 1997-1998 avait établi que la population était relativement petite, avec une estimation de 5 000 paires. On ne sait toutefois pas dans quelle mesure la modification du règlement sur la chasse a eu des effets sur l'abondance d'eiders nichant dans la région. Par conséquent, le dist...

“…They are also physically immature, typically only weighing up to 180 kg, meaning they often are too small to defend a kill from larger marauding adults (Banfield, 1974;DeMaster and Stirling, 1981;Gjertz and Persen, 1987;Amstrup, 2003). If conditions are especially unfavourable, these smaller bears may be compelled to take greater risks and consider any prospective food sources or chance starvation (Derocher and Stirling, 1996;Rockwell and Gormezano, 2009;Stirling, 2011), especially during the ice-free period when bears are most nutritionally stressed and when the majority of documented encounters occur (Stenhouse et al, 1988;contra Gjertz and Persen 1987;Clark, 2003).…”

Section: Using Modern Polar Bear Behaviour To Understand Past Predatimentioning

confidence: 99%

Identification of a Pre-Contact Polar Bear Victim at Native Point, Southampton Island, Nunavut, Using 3D Technology and a Virtual Zooarchaeology Collection

Ryan¹,

Betts²,

Oliver-Lloyd³

et al. 2014

ABSTRACT. The skeletal remains of an adult Sadlermiut woman with obvious trauma to her cranial and post-cranial skeleton were excavated from Native Point (KkHh-1), Southampton Island, Nunavut, in 1954. In order to determine the possible cause of this damage, we first documented the skeletal injuries using traditional bioarchaeological techniques. We then created a three-dimensional model of the cranium and mandible to permit better visualization and analysis of the cranial lesions, some of which were obscured by post-depositional weathering. This model was imported into a virtual environment in order to compare the lesions with the craniodental structure of four Arctic carnivore species available as digital models through the Virtual Zooarchaeology of the Arctic Project (VZAP), an online comparative faunal collection. We eliminated all but the polar bear (Ursus maritimus) using this process, which suggested that an individual of this species was responsible for the skeletal trauma. We further identified a minimum number of "bites" on the cranium, some with overlapping lesions, which suggested a possible attack sequence. Use of a virtual environment and an online comparative collection were critical to this process and represent a new technique for evaluating past skeletal trauma and its causes.Key words: Sadlermiut, skeletal trauma, polar bear (Ursus maritimus), Virtual Zooarchaeology of the Arctic Project (VZAP), digital technology, virtual technology RÉSUMÉ. En 1954, lors de travaux archéologiques sur le site Native Point (KkHh-1), île Southampton, Nunavut, les restes du squelette d'une femme adulte de la culture Sadlermiut portant des signes évidents de traumatismes crânien et post-crânien avaient été excavés. Dans le but de déterminer les causes possibles de ces dommages, nous avons d'abord documenté les lésions squelettiques à l'aide de techniques bio-archéologiques traditionnelles. Ensuite, nous avons créé un modèle en trois dimensions du crâne et de la mandibule pour permettre de bien visualiser et analyser les lésions crâniennes, notamment parce que certaines d'entre elles étaient obscurcies par l'érosion post-dépositionnelle. Ce modèle a été importé dans un environnement virtuel afin de comparer les lésions à la structure cranio-dentaire de quatre espèces carnivores provenant de l'Arctique dont les modèles figurent déjà dans la collection ostéologique comparative en ligne du projet VZAP (Virtual Zooarchaeology of the Arctic Project). Nous avons ainsi éliminé tous les carnivores à l'exception de l'ours polaire (Ursus maritimus), laissant penser qu'un membre de cette espèce serait responsable des traumatismes du squelette de cette femme. Nous avons également identifié des morsures sur le crâne de cette femme, suggérant une possible séquence d'attaques, ne serait-ce que par la présence d'une série de lésions qui se chevauchent. L'utilisation d'un environnement virtuel et d'une collection comparative virtuelle a joué un rôle déterminant dans ce processus et représente une nouvelle technique pour évaluer les...