The Nature and Significance of Polar Bear Conservation Hunting in the Canadian Arctic

Abstract

ABSTRACT. The history and current status of polar bear (Ursus maritimus) conservation hunting in the Canadian Arctic, where trophy hunts by non-local hunters have steadily increased in number over the past three decades, have been influenced by local and international factors. Although polar bear hides taken in the subsistence hunt have commercial value, revenues from nonresident trophy hunting provide a much greater economic return to the Inuit. Research suggests that these greater cash returns and the increased local interest by Native hunters in outfitting and guiding do not threaten community cultural values, which continue to emphasize subsistence and the conservation of local wildlife resources. These outcomes suggest that community-based polar bear trophy hunts provide an example of a successful conservation-hunting program that contributes to wildlife management and sustainable economic and community development in the Canadian Arctic.Key words: conservation hunting, community-based management, conservation, polar bears, trophy hunting RÉSUMÉ. L'histoire et l'état actuel de la chasse de conservation de l'ours polaire (Ursus maritimus) dans l'Arctique canadien, là où la chasse aux trophées par les chasseurs n'étant pas de la région a augmenté régulièrement au cours des trente dernières années, ont été influencés par des facteurs locaux et internationaux. Bien que les peaux d'ours polaires provenant de la chasse de subsistance aient une valeur commerciale, les revenus puisés de la chasse aux trophées par des personnes étrangères à la région procurent un rendement économique beaucoup plus grand aux Inuits. Des recherches suggèrent que ces rendements monétaires plus élevés et l'intérêt accru à l'échelle locale que portent les chasseurs autochtones aux activités de pourvoirie et de guide ne menacent pas les valeurs culturelles de la collectivité, qui continue à mettre l'accent sur la subsistance et sur la conservation des ressources fauniques locales. Ces résultats suggèrent que les chasses aux trophées d'ours polaires dans la région représentent un exemple de programme de chasse de conservation réussi qui favorise la gestion de la faune de même qu'un développement économique et communautaire durable dans l'Arctique canadien.

Mark-Recapture and Stochastic Population Models for Polar Bears of the High Arctic

“…Climate change will ultimately determine the future abundance and distribution of the species; however, in the archipelago of Canada's High Arctic, negative effects of climate change have yet to be reported for polar bears. Here, bear hunting remains of major cultural and economic importance to many northern residents (Freeman and Wenzel, 2006). Over the short term (e.g., the next 10 -15 years), it is highly likely that hunting, rather than climate change, will play the primary role in determining trends of polar bear populations.…”

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

“…Uncertainty in range-wide responses by the Polar Bear (Ursus maritimus) to changes in sea ice conditions (Aars et al 2006*;Freeman and Wenzel 2006;dyck et al 2007;Stirling et al 2008) can affect contemporary estimates of sizes and dynamics of Polar Bear populations (Taylor et al 2005;Aars et al 2006*;Taylor et al 2006;dowsley 2007). Canadian Polar Bears are monitored in accordance with the 1973 Agree ment on the Conservation of Polar Bears (Aars et al 2006*;Freeman and Wenzel 2006;Stirling and Parkinson 2006) using "sound conservation practices based on the best available scientific data" (Canada et al 1973*).…”

“…Canadian Polar Bears are monitored in accordance with the 1973 Agree ment on the Conservation of Polar Bears (Aars et al 2006*;Freeman and Wenzel 2006;Stirling and Parkinson 2006) using "sound conservation practices based on the best available scientific data" (Canada et al 1973*).…”

“…Information that Inuit hunters can provide, for example, numbers, age, or sex classes of Polar Bears or location of sightings (Stirling and Parkinson 2006), has not been integrated into a rigorous repeatable Interpretations of Polar Bear (Ursus maritimus) Tracks by Inuit Hunters: Inter-rater Reliability and Inferences Concerning Accuracy method, fuelling international criticisms of changes in quotas based on data provided by Inuit hunters (these data are considered non-scientific information) (Aars et al 2006*). With their expert knowledge of Polar Bear morphology and behaviour (Freeman and Wenzel 2006), Inuit hunters may be the first to notice major changes in Polar Bear population dynamics (derocher et al 2004). They regularly predict when and where Polar Bears are likely to be at certain times of the year, and they may be able to provide valid estimates of the sex, age, and size of specific Polar Bears from their tracks.…”

Polar Bear Conservation in Canada: Defining the Policy Problems

“…The international seal hunt protests of the 1970s and 1980s, although largely focused on the Gulf of St. Lawrence, led to a ban on sealskin imports by the European Economic Community and had profound negative impacts on economies and livelihoods in Inuit communities (Wenzel, 1991;Young, 1992). Polar bears are important to Inuit and Inuvialuit people not only because they are hunted for subsistence, but also because the guiding of sport hunters (predominantly Americans) generates considerable economic activity in their remote communities and sustains cultural traditions (Keith et al, 2005;Freeman and Wenzel, 2006). The term "conservation hunting" has been applied to this situation because it has produced a regulated and sustainable management regime for the species as well as local social and economic benefits (Freeman and Wenzel, 2006).…”