NWT RESEARCH DATABASE

Regions: Inuvialuit Settlement Region

Tags: social sciences, climate change, knowledge transfer, traditional knowledge, wildlife, wildlife management, polar bear

Objective(s): Collect local and traditional knowledge related to the population status of polar bears, and the influence that climate change has had on polar bears and their habitat to develop the management approach for polar bears in the Beaufort Sea.

Project Description: The researcher will gather local and traditional knowledge related to the population status of polar bears, and the influence that climate change has had on polar bears and their habitat in the Beaufort Sea. The information from interviews will be used to develop a description of acceptable management practices and management goals for polar bears. The researcher can then compare that information to science-based information to identify similarities and differences in management approaches. Using the traditional knowledge and science-based information, the researcher will develop the management approach for polar bears in the Beaufort Sea. Residents of each community will conduct or assist with conducting interviews. Youth from each community will accompany interviewers. This will help facilitate intergenerational transfer of knowledge as well as provide capacity building opportunities in communities. Interview training will be offered to all youth and community interviewers. Names of individuals that harvest polar bears will be obtained from the harvest database maintained by GNWT. This list will be used as a starting point for potential interviewees. Interviewees will also be selected by HTCs in Aklavik, Inuvik, Paulatuk, Sachs Harbour, Holman, and Tuktoyaktuk. The researcher will then ask individuals who are interviewed to suggest three other individuals to interview. Individuals most commonly suggested will be interviewed. Interviewing individuals in 6 communities will provide a regional perspective on the ecology and status of the Beaufort polar bear population. Some interview work has been conducted on the Alaska side of the Beaufort Sea population. Researchers will work with managers in Alaska to incorporate the information acquired during that local and traditional knowledge assessment. The researchers have searched known databases to gather and review potential sources of local and traditional knowledge of polar bears in the region. A gap analysis will be conducted of the information currently available, and interview hunters, elders, locals, and individuals who use the land to acquire information on polar bear ecology in the area. This information will be consolidated in a report and used to inform the management of Beaufort Sea polar bear populations. The researcher will produce a report to be distributed in the communities. The fieldwork for this study will be conducted from March, 2010 to December 31, 2010.