Community knowledge on Ivory Gulls near the Brodeur Peninsula, Baffin Island / J.A. Akearok, M.L. Mallory, and A.J. Fontaine.: CW69-5/378E-PDF

"The Ivory Gull (Pagophila eburnea) is listed as a species of "Special Concern" by COSEWIC. By the mid-1980s, there were 10 known, small breeding colonies of Ivory Gulls on the Brodeur Peninsula, northwestern Baffin Island. These colonies have not been visited for over 15 years, and there were anecdotal reports of declines in numbers of lvory Gulls in the area. We conducted interviews of 12 Inuit hunters and eIders in Arctic Bay, Baffin Island to gather traditional ecological knowledge (or Inuit Qaujimanituqangit) on Ivory Gulls. Inuit provided accurate information on natural history aspects of this species' biology, but there were some differences in perceptions of the local population status of this gull. We attributed these differences in part to the fact that this species has never been an important dietary item for Inuit in this region. Half of the people interviewed thought that they saw fewer Ivory Gulls now than in the past, whereas only one individual thought he saw more now. This study, combined with information from other High Arctic communities, suggests that some colonies of lvory Gulls may be declining. We recommend a resurvey of known, eastern Arctic Ivory Gull colonies as quickly as possible to assess current status of this species"--Abstract, p. 2.

Permanent link to this Catalogue record:
publications.gc.ca/pub?id=9.858270&sl=0

• MARC XML format
• MARC HTML format

Request alternate formats