Sentient Beings and Wildlife Resources: Inuit,Beluga Whales and Management Regimes in the Canadian Arctic

Beluga whale hunting is one of the most social subsistence hunting activities to take place in the Canadian Arctic. Through the harvest, distribution and consumption of beluga whales, Inuit identity and social relationships are affirmed. The whale-hunting complex is influenced by beliefs that beluga whales are sentient beings who inhabit a shared social space with humans. Yet, across the region beluga whales are perceived by wildlife managers as scarce resources and as such require protection through the imposition of management plans. There is currently no management of whales on the west coast of Hudson Bay, in Nunavut. In 2002, Inuit there were requested to sell part of their whale harvest to Inuit in Nunavik, northern Quebec, where hunting quotas exist. The outcome of this event was concern in Nunavut for the future of the whale hunt, and a deepening sense of powerlessness in Nunavik due to the management of the whale harvest.

Observations of a wild polar bear (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Ursus maritimus</Emphasis>) successfully fishing Arctic charr (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Salvelinus alpinus</Emphasis>) and Fourhorn sculpin (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Myoxocephalus quadricornis</Emphasis>)

Polar bears, Ursus maritimus, throughout their range, are nutritionally dependent on ringed (Phoca hispida) and bearded seals (Erignathus barbatus), which are predominantly caught on the sea ice. Other marine prey species are caught and consumed, but less frequently. As the annual sea ice retreats, polar bears throughout their range are forced ashore, where they mostly live off their stored adipose tissue. However, while land-bound they have been observed catching birds and terrestrial mammals. Although polar bears evolved from brown bears (U. arctos), direct observations of polar bears diving for and catching fish have not been reported. Here, we document observations of a young male polar bear catching Arctic charr (Salvelinus alpinus) and Fourhorn sculpin (Myoxocephalus quadricornis) by diving in Creswell Bay, Nunavut. We recorded six search bouts, where six fish were caught during dives, which were preceded by a snorkel. The average dive and snorkel length was (mean ± SD) 13 ± 5 and 6 ± 2 s, respectively.