Distribution and abundance of killer whales ( Orcinus orca) in Nunavut, Canada—an Inuit knowledge survey
Traditional ecological knowledge is being increasingly used in wildlife management in northern regions, and Inuit harvesters in Nunavut, Canada, have extensive knowledge about local wildlife species. We collected Inuit knowledge on killer whales ( Orcinus orca ) through 105 semi-directed interviews...
Published in: | Journal of the Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom |
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crcambridgeupr:10.1017/s0025315413000921 2024-06-23T07:50:41+00:00 Distribution and abundance of killer whales ( Orcinus orca) in Nunavut, Canada—an Inuit knowledge survey Higdon, Jeff W. Westdal, Kristin H. Ferguson, Steven H. 2013 http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s0025315413000921 https://www.cambridge.org/core/services/aop-cambridge-core/content/view/S0025315413000921 en eng Cambridge University Press (CUP) https://www.cambridge.org/core/terms Journal of the Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom volume 94, issue 6, page 1293-1304 ISSN 0025-3154 1469-7769 journal-article 2013 crcambridgeupr https://doi.org/10.1017/s0025315413000921 2024-06-05T04:03:21Z Traditional ecological knowledge is being increasingly used in wildlife management in northern regions, and Inuit harvesters in Nunavut, Canada, have extensive knowledge about local wildlife species. We collected Inuit knowledge on killer whales ( Orcinus orca ) through 105 semi-directed interviews in 11 Nunavut communities from 2007 to 2010. Interviewees provided extensive information on killer whale movements, seasonal presence, distribution and abundance in the eastern Canadian Arctic. Observations from different communities were often complementary, and there was consistency in interview comments both within and among regions. Nearly all participants had seen killer whales at least once, and the whales were present every summer (July–September) in all regions, although movements depended on ice conditions. Relative abundance of killer whales varied by region, and they were reported more often in North Baffin communities than in other regions. Killer whales migrated through Hudson Strait and Lancaster Sound following their marine mammal prey. Estimates of local population sizes were variable, with suggested numbers that varied from tens to the low hundreds. Most interviewees in the Foxe Basin, Hudson Bay and north Baffin regions thought that killer whale presence was increasing. In contrast, half the South Baffin interviewees noted declines in past abundance due to the 1977 harvest of 14 whales that became trapped in a saltwater lake. Interviews provided information at a long temporal and wide spatial record. Inuit are reliable observers and continued killer whale research will be most effective if it integrates modern science approaches with the traditional skills, knowledge and experience of Inuit harvesters. Article in Journal/Newspaper Arctic Baffin Foxe Basin Hudson Bay Hudson Strait inuit Killer Whale Lancaster Sound Nunavut Orca Orcinus orca Killer whale Cambridge University Press Arctic Nunavut Hudson Bay Canada Hudson Hudson Strait ENVELOPE(-70.000,-70.000,62.000,62.000) Lancaster Sound ENVELOPE(-83.999,-83.999,74.218,74.218) Foxe Basin ENVELOPE(-77.918,-77.918,65.931,65.931) Journal of the Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom 94 6 1293 1304 |
institution |
Open Polar |
collection |
Cambridge University Press |
op_collection_id |
crcambridgeupr |
language |
English |
description |
Traditional ecological knowledge is being increasingly used in wildlife management in northern regions, and Inuit harvesters in Nunavut, Canada, have extensive knowledge about local wildlife species. We collected Inuit knowledge on killer whales ( Orcinus orca ) through 105 semi-directed interviews in 11 Nunavut communities from 2007 to 2010. Interviewees provided extensive information on killer whale movements, seasonal presence, distribution and abundance in the eastern Canadian Arctic. Observations from different communities were often complementary, and there was consistency in interview comments both within and among regions. Nearly all participants had seen killer whales at least once, and the whales were present every summer (July–September) in all regions, although movements depended on ice conditions. Relative abundance of killer whales varied by region, and they were reported more often in North Baffin communities than in other regions. Killer whales migrated through Hudson Strait and Lancaster Sound following their marine mammal prey. Estimates of local population sizes were variable, with suggested numbers that varied from tens to the low hundreds. Most interviewees in the Foxe Basin, Hudson Bay and north Baffin regions thought that killer whale presence was increasing. In contrast, half the South Baffin interviewees noted declines in past abundance due to the 1977 harvest of 14 whales that became trapped in a saltwater lake. Interviews provided information at a long temporal and wide spatial record. Inuit are reliable observers and continued killer whale research will be most effective if it integrates modern science approaches with the traditional skills, knowledge and experience of Inuit harvesters. |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Higdon, Jeff W. Westdal, Kristin H. Ferguson, Steven H. |
spellingShingle |
Higdon, Jeff W. Westdal, Kristin H. Ferguson, Steven H. Distribution and abundance of killer whales ( Orcinus orca) in Nunavut, Canada—an Inuit knowledge survey |
author_facet |
Higdon, Jeff W. Westdal, Kristin H. Ferguson, Steven H. |
author_sort |
Higdon, Jeff W. |
title |
Distribution and abundance of killer whales ( Orcinus orca) in Nunavut, Canada—an Inuit knowledge survey |
title_short |
Distribution and abundance of killer whales ( Orcinus orca) in Nunavut, Canada—an Inuit knowledge survey |
title_full |
Distribution and abundance of killer whales ( Orcinus orca) in Nunavut, Canada—an Inuit knowledge survey |
title_fullStr |
Distribution and abundance of killer whales ( Orcinus orca) in Nunavut, Canada—an Inuit knowledge survey |
title_full_unstemmed |
Distribution and abundance of killer whales ( Orcinus orca) in Nunavut, Canada—an Inuit knowledge survey |
title_sort |
distribution and abundance of killer whales ( orcinus orca) in nunavut, canada—an inuit knowledge survey |
publisher |
Cambridge University Press (CUP) |
publishDate |
2013 |
url |
http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s0025315413000921 https://www.cambridge.org/core/services/aop-cambridge-core/content/view/S0025315413000921 |
long_lat |
ENVELOPE(-70.000,-70.000,62.000,62.000) ENVELOPE(-83.999,-83.999,74.218,74.218) ENVELOPE(-77.918,-77.918,65.931,65.931) |
geographic |
Arctic Nunavut Hudson Bay Canada Hudson Hudson Strait Lancaster Sound Foxe Basin |
geographic_facet |
Arctic Nunavut Hudson Bay Canada Hudson Hudson Strait Lancaster Sound Foxe Basin |
genre |
Arctic Baffin Foxe Basin Hudson Bay Hudson Strait inuit Killer Whale Lancaster Sound Nunavut Orca Orcinus orca Killer whale |
genre_facet |
Arctic Baffin Foxe Basin Hudson Bay Hudson Strait inuit Killer Whale Lancaster Sound Nunavut Orca Orcinus orca Killer whale |
op_source |
Journal of the Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom volume 94, issue 6, page 1293-1304 ISSN 0025-3154 1469-7769 |
op_rights |
https://www.cambridge.org/core/terms |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.1017/s0025315413000921 |
container_title |
Journal of the Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom |
container_volume |
94 |
container_issue |
6 |
container_start_page |
1293 |
op_container_end_page |
1304 |
_version_ |
1802641601313374208 |