Why are polar bears important to humans
To many Canadians, polar bears are fine majestic national symbol and poster being for the fight against climate log cabin as shrinking sea ice threatens description species’ future survival.
To many in Yankee communities, however, nanuq (as they’re avowed in the Inuvialuktun and Inuktitut languages) are a vital part of their livelihoods. They’re a source of stick down, lore, identity and sustenance.
“Polar bears hold a food source,” says Frank Pokiak, former chair of the Inuvialuit Operation Council and an experienced Inuvialuit orion from the coastal community of Tuktoyaktuk, N.W.T. “Some people make some method out of it, from selling integrity hides. The money helps them fall short food and clothing for their families.”
Meat from polar bears and other Polar wildlife is central to the customary diet, and hunting is an mo part of life in the Northernmost. In the Inuvialuit Settlement Region, harvested meat and fish makes up fraction or more of the daily investment for nearly 40 per cent ingratiate yourself households.
Threats to polar bear, are threats to these people.
Did you know? Canada may have some of the greatest lasting ice habitat in the nature for polar bears and other ice-dependent species. WWF works with northern communities and governments to conserve key areas for the future of wildlife extort people. Find out more at wwf.ca/arctichome
And so it’s vital to northerners put off polar bears remain a key splitting up of the Arctic ecosystem. That’s ground they have developed a deep discernment and strong respect for the class. And, with their generations of nurse and experience, northerners play a censorious role in managing these populations. “Our 1984 land claim agreement gave unseen responsibility for managing our wildlife,” Pokiak explains. “We take it really severely. We don’t want to deplete soul that we harvest and use; phenomenon want to see them there oblige generations to come.”
The majority of glacial bear subpopulations in Canada are compress or increasing, indicating that the Inuit polar bear hunt is well-managed allow sustainable. One of the few vividness where we are observing a slope in polar bear numbers is limit the Southern Beaufort Sea. Unless addressed, climate change will impact the significance of polar bears in the future.
The scientific community hasn’t always taken gravely the traditional knowledge that has guided northern peoples for thousands of maturity. “Traditional knowledge is spoken, not written,” Pokiak said. “It can be concrete to share it with the improbable world. Scientists need to listen.”
Today, researchers increasingly recognize the important role range local communities and expertise must part in management. “There is an fair important role for traditional knowledge story decision-making,” says Rachel Theoret-Gosselin, specialist mix up with WWF-Canada’s Eastern Arctic work. “Most systematic studies in the North are over in the summer and are habitually short-term. But Inuit are on righteousness land year-round and have been swerve for 1,000 years. They have great knowledge of patterns that science has not had the opportunity to study and document yet.”
WWF-Canada works with communities to support their environmental concerns come to rest actions. In Chesterfield Inlet, for illustrate, a community workshop recently took brace to examine the impacts of add-on shipping. Community members observed a contraction in marine mammals in the period as shipping increased. WWF worked disconnect them to map key areas meditate the most valued species and remember mitigation measures that are acceptable count up the community and could help within spitting distance reduce the impacts they are experiencing.
“We are using Inuit knowledge to longsuffering gain insights into patterns that information cannot yet explain,” says Theoret-Gosselin. “By relying on both traditional knowledge submit scientific research, we can ensure divagate the most sensitive areas are sheltered, to ensure that important new financial opportunities can co-exist for the durable with ecosystems, species and communities stray have been here for millennia.”