Interpretations of Polar Bear (<em>Ursus maritimus</em>) Tracks by Inuit Hunters: Inter-rater Reliability and Inferences Concerning Accuracy

Abstract

due to their tracking experience in pursuing Polar Bears (Ursus maritimus), Inuit hunters could provide non-invasive estimates of Polar Bear characteristics from tracks, and Polar Bear monitoring programs could benefit from Inuit input. We determined i) inter-rater reliability of estimates of the sex, age, and size of Polar Bears, and estimates of the age of tracks made by a group of nine Inuit hunters who interpreted 78 tracks; ii) we made preliminary comparisons of sex and size estimates with conventional (scientific) estimates; iii) we catalogued the Polar Bear hunting experience and track interpretation techniques of nine Inuit hunters; and iv) we explored relationships between hunting experience and the ability to interpret tracks. The group of Inuit hunters made reliable and consistent estimates of Polar Bear sex, age, and size, as well as estimates of age of track (after data from one participant was excluded). Although our comparisons are based on small samples, our findings suggest that Inuit hunters may be accurate in estimating the sex of Polar Bears (74.42% agreement with genetic determinations) and the size of Polar Bears from their tracks. our data indicate shared tracking techniques used by hunters may explain high agreement in making specific estimates, while individual hunting experience and particular methods used to interpret tracks may lead to inter-rater reliability and accuracy in interpreting tracks.

Toward a non-invasive inuit polar bear survey: Genetic data from polar bear hair snags

“…There was a higher frequency of contact events comprising single versus multiple genotypes (individuals), which was consistent with Inuit diagnoses (Wong et al ); 81 contact events were associated with 1 genotype, 7 contact events were associated with 2 genotypes, and 2 contact events were associated with 3 genotypes. There were no contact events that were associated with ≥4 genotypes.…”

Experience based reading of Pleistocene human footprints in Pech-Merle

“…The capabilities of hunteregatherers in reading tracks are legendary throughout various types of literature (e.g. Marshall Thomas, 1988;Liebenberg, 1990;Biesele and Barclay, 2001); and were verified under western scientific test conditions (Stander et al, 1997;Wong et al, 2011). But despite the presence of prehistoric tracks on all continents A.…”

“…Table 1 Methodological base: morpho-metric versus morpho-classificatory approach (*refers largely to animal spoor, but most can be transferred to human spoor as well; studies of Stander et al (1997) and Wong et al (2011) refer only to animal spoor).…”

In vivo and in vitro changes in neurochemical parameters related to mercury concentrations from specific brain regions of polar bears (Ursus maritimus)

“…Age estimates of polar bears by experienced field crew members by tooth wear, relative body size, and reproductive status have been shown to be close to age estimates by cementum annuli . Furthermore, a small group of Inuit hunters made reliable and consistent estimates of sex, age, and size of polar bears . Sex (14 females, 10 males) was determined by DNA using brain tissue following the technique for polar bear sex identification of Amstrup et al using segments of zinc finger genes, ZFX and ZFY, located on the X and Y chromosome, respectively (Shaw AC, Chan HM, unpublished manuscript).…”