Project Summary
The Baffin Bay (BB) polar bear subpopulation (figure 1) has been the subject of significant debate amongst government agencies, Inuit and other stakeholders.
Differing perspectives on population size, trend and the sustainability of harvest levels, combined with a lack of current research, has generated uncertainty about the status of this sub-population. In response to this uncertainty, the Government of Nunavut in collaboration with the Greenland Institute of Natural Resources initiated a study designed to provide updated information on the size and status of the sub-population. Taking into account Inuit concerns about capture and handling of polar bears as well as a broader interest in the development of alternative monitoring techniques for polar bears, the study was designed as a 3year genetic mark-recapture program. Unlike methods previously used to study polar bears in BB, the study design does not require the capture of polar bears.
Instead biopsy darting is being used to obtain samples of DNA which are then analysed in-order to identify individuals; in essence a genetic tag equivalent to the ear-tags and lip tattoos applied during previous capture-based studies.
As part of this project, access is required to the Ninginganiq National Wildlife
Area (NWA) to search for and biopsy dart polar bears in September 2013. Time spent in the NWA will total approximately 15 hours over 2-3 days, dependent on weather conditions and bear numbers. Using a Bell 206L helicopter, flying at an altitude of approximately 500 feet above ground, researchers accompanied by a member of the Namautaq HTO will search for polar bears on land within the
NWA. Upon sighting a bear, the helicopter will descend to about 30 feet for a period ranging from 30 seconds to 2 minutes to biopsy dart. The biopsy dart takes a small sample of tissue (<5 mm diameter), mostly skin and leaves no visible mark. The darts are designed to fall to the ground after impact and can be retrieved without handling a bear (once the bear has moved a safe distance away). Searching will be limited to land within the NWA including the coastline and islands (figure 2). The helicopter will cross over waters within the NWA only for the purpose of accessing islands, opposite sides of the bay or in instances where bears located close to the shoreline are approached for biopsy darting.
Each part of the NWA will only be visited once except where travel to and from
Clyde River necessitates crossing previously searched terrain. No camps will be established or used within the NWA. Time on the ground will be limited to brief landings (approx 1 minute) to retrieve biopsy darts.