Abstract
Environmental changes are affecting the Arctic at an unprecedented rate, but limited scientific knowledge exists on their impacts on species such as walruses (Odobenus rosmarus). Inuit Traditional and Local Ecological Knowledge (Inuit TEK/LEK) held by Inuit walrus harvesters could shed light on walrus ecology and related environmental changes. Our main objective was to study spatial and temporal changes in Atlantic walrus (Odobenus rosmarus rosmarus) distribution in Nunavik (northern Québec, Canada) using Inuit TEK/LEK. To do so, we documented the knowledge and observations of 33 local hunters and Elders as part of a larger project on Atlantic walruses in Nunavik. We first gathered information on changes in Inuit land use patterns and harvesting practices through time and space, which was a crucial step to avoid potential biases in interpreting local observations on walrus distribution. We found that walrus hunters are now covering smaller hunting areas over shorter time periods, reducing in space and time their observations of Atlantic walruses around Nunavik. While clearly taking these limitations into account, we learned from interviews that some areas abandoned by Atlantic walruses in the past were now being re-occupied. Importantly, Atlantic walruses, which migrate following the melting ice, are now traveling along the eastern coast of Nunavik one month earlier, suggesting that Atlantic walrus migration has changed due to variations in sea-ice coverage around Nunavik. Our study not only highlighted important changes in Atlantic walrus distribution and migration in Nunavik, but also sheds light on the importance of documenting temporal and spatial changes in Inuit land use patterns and harvesting practices to understand the ecology of Arctic species using Inuit Knowledge.
Highlights
Walruses, Odobenus rosmarus, have a discontinuous circumpolar Arctic and sub-Arctic distribution, and are represented by two subspecies: the Pacific walrus, Odobenus1 3 Vol.:(0123456789)Polar Biology (2021) 44:1833–1845In the Inuit region of Nunavik, Atlantic walruses are considered to be part of two different stocks: the stock of Southern and Eastern Hudson Bay and the stock of Northern Hudson Bay–Hudson Strait–South-eastern Baffin Island–Northern Labrador
Due to rapid environmental changes, there is a pressing need to increase our understanding of the distribution and ecology of Atlantic walruses, including those living around Nunavik
By analyzing qualitative data from 33 interviews with local walrus hunters and Elders as part of a larger project on Atlantic walruses in Nunavik (Martinez-Levasseur et al 2016, 2017, 2020), we found that the location and size of walrus hunting areas, as well as the time spent by hunters to look for walruses in those areas has changed over participants’ lifetime
Summary
Odobenus rosmarus, have a discontinuous circumpolar Arctic and sub-Arctic distribution, and are represented by two subspecies: the Pacific walrus, Odobenus1 3 Vol.:(0123456789)Polar Biology (2021) 44:1833–1845In the Inuit region of Nunavik (northern Québec, Canada), Atlantic walruses are considered to be part of two different stocks: the stock of Southern and Eastern Hudson Bay (hereafter SE Hudson Bay stock) and the stock of Northern Hudson Bay–Hudson Strait–South-eastern Baffin Island–Northern Labrador (hereafter Hudson Strait stock) (see map in Stewart 2008). Most research on Canadian Atlantic walruses has been conducted in Canada’s High Arctic (Stewart 2008), excepted from one aerial survey conducted around Nunavik in September 2014, which revealed an abundance estimate of 7,100 walruses within the Hudson Strait stock (Hammill et al 2016). Due to rapid environmental changes, there is a pressing need to increase our understanding of the distribution and ecology of Atlantic walruses, including those living around Nunavik. Around Alaska, Pacific walruses’ behavior, distribution, and mortality have been affected by a decrease in their sea-ice habitats (MacCracken 2012). Unusual sea-ice patterns were found to alter the migration course of belugas (Delphinapterus leucas), as well as their summer habitat use (O’Corry-Crowe et al 2016). On the western side of Nunavik within Hudson Bay (Fig. 1 in methods), longer ice-free periods resulting from unusual melting sea-ice have coincided with high level of stress, low body condition, and low pregnancy rates in ringed seals (Pusa hispida) (Ferguson et al 2017)
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