Volume 8, 1955 - The Arctic Circle - Home

VCL. VIII NC. I THE ,,-RCTIe CIRCULt>.R 12.effect of this climatic change on the waters of the former walrusrange is difficult to estimate except for the last hundred years. andespecially the last thirty years, and it will be assumed for thepresent that the restriction in the walrus range cannot be ascribedto such change in climate, at least not to any significant degree inCanada.There is little doubt that the depredations of commercialhunting have been decisive in the process, from the late middle agesdown to the end of the nineteenth century. In the early days ofthe trade. walrus hides. obtained mainly in northern Europe, werein great demand for use in the making of ships' rigging, quite apartfrom the value of the ivory. Walrus were still killed for conunercialpurposes in this present century, up to 19L~3 at least. particularlyby Norwegian shiJ?s. and notably in Davis Strait. It is understoodthat this practice has stoi'ped, by agreement. In Canada, walrusmay be killed only by native Eskimo. and even in native hunts thereis officially supposed to be a government agent. usually a member,of the Royal Canadian Mounted J-·olice, present to supervise thehunt. It is not possible, however, to obey this regulation to theletter in practice.In spite of the cessation of conunercial killing of walrusby white men, there is no sign of recovery in the walrus Fopulation.There is indeed at least one good a priori ground for suspectingthat the numbers are still dedining;-;~elythe deterioration ofthe native hunting metho:is in certain parts of the north. I believethere is a regulation of-erating in the Thule district, to the effectthat a walrus must be harpooned before the rifle is used. Thismost excellent rule, if introduced into Canada, might go far toremedy the present situation. But unfortunatdy the rifle hasbeen used for so long as the first weaFon of hunting that it is verydoubtful whether the regulation could be enforced. Meantime, theintroduction of the rifle has. amongst other things. had the effectof making some ";'skimo "trigger -bar-lOY". ,,-.pecially since governmentrdief to families, and family allowanc-es, have maoe cartridgethriftless important. The result is that hunting partias in UngavaBay, for instance, formerly models of stelth and cunning, nowrival those fairy-tale hunters in "Feter and the Wolf". "comingthrough the forest, and shooting as they corne", The total fire-Fower of the hunting lcarty i" let loos e on the herd of walrus,wounding rath"r than killing, and allowing many maimed animalsto escar-e, to di" later. Fregnant females are killed and woundedas well as males, so that the total waste is difficult to estimate.