Makivik Magazine Issue 102

ROBERT FRECHETTE
m5bzi9l m5b sl s3hzi5. bm4f x gryMÏAtQA8NbK5 hNi4
iE§a7m¯b ck3l iENh§a7m¯b xfi si3n6 iENh x3ic3ht4
Gb3éi m3Îi b3é5 Wzh5 tr5hQ. v?mgc4f5 wcl8i xioEpq5,
wvJ3tc3ht4 xaNh5ti9l urQ x3i xti9l xuhwi5 b3Cu
kNo8i, k x5yc5bymo3d5 x3“5 m5bq8il s3hq8il c spnC5nst9lQ5
xuhwi5 kNym[ sJi5 Wc5bht4 sr s3b©2 yeizb kw[-
xi kNymJi4 bm4fizl x3ÇAi xuhZM8i Wtb sAtc3 xo3ht4.
bf8NChl x1a x§aZ5b s3hqb hNbcDtq8i4 ckw8ic3m¯b %)
x3“5, wM st9lQ5 Wzh5 kK x¬2 wrCnzi5 WymJ5. s3hqb W5nsi3bq5
x5pŒZMgw8NsMsJJ5 xatxl8il x3ˆl8il eMlZ5n/il
x5pŒ5tq5gi4 xqo‰i GWD‰3ym1qgil WD‰3i so3gilH.
C sp/K5 gryAtQM sJ?K5 xu3çctŒAtc§aQ xq5 iENh5bu
wMq8i4 Öà9l xg5 hN siq8il vt1zctQ§5 gry5hb ieNh2-
xQ xq9l x5pŒ?9lgw8Ni4. w¬8ˆA5
c spn3bK5 x3“5 s3hq8i4 W/ symJi5
yei s2 kw[ xi si3n6 bf5n sM sJJ5
iEc5byml x1a xE xq5 vMˆ+ SPP-i4,
wm3W s2 i3Jt xDq8i4, Ì4f x x3[k5
ie8NE/ sJ5 bm4fkz x3[ xl8k5.
Ö4f x xgc5bym/K5 xe x3du sb[î5,
s3hbq9l ie8Nq9l c spnDt smJ5
x3“5 i3Wq8i4 gryAtQÔuM sJ?K5
ckw¬3ht4 iENh x§a7m¯b c sposuAtQ5htQ9l
hNi4 bm4f x i3J†5
iENh§a7m¯b. sr s3b©2 yMzb
iDu8iz s3Úy?9o xic3m5 m3D[9lxgu4
hv8io7u4 yM3J x2 x?tzb ni x8i.
yM s2 iDu8izb xy5p?9o xq8Niz
s4 s3bgu h3êico‰3m5 §3l yM3J xu5
emC st5hi bm4f xl h3êo‰3d5
sr s3b©2 ie5ndtq8i4 x3[ xlw9l
x©tc5bExc˜o3d5 xy5p?9oxisix3gi4
ie5nutA9l ckwoziEi x3bqtA9l
ieQ§gcq5b.
srs3b© yMzb iDu8iz
s3Úy?9oxic3m5 m3D[9lxgu4
hv8io7u4 yM3Jx2 x?tusbzb nix8i.
yMs2 iDu8izb xy5p?9oxq8Niz
s4s3bgu h3êico‰3m5 §3l
yM3Jxu5 emCst5hi bm4fxl
h3êo‰3d5 srs3b©2 ie5ndtq8i4
x3[xlw9l x©tc5bExc˜o3d5
xy5p?9oxisix3gi4 ie5nutA9l
ckwoziEix3bqtA9l
ieQ§gcq5b.
Average temperatures in the Arctic are rising
twice as fast as the global average. The
ongoing environmental changes in the Arctic
are already starting to impact the marine
Arctic food web and bowhead whales will
have to cope with potential changes in their
prey distribution and assemblages of other
preys in the near future.
CORINNE POMERLEAU
the food we eat) and stable isotopes (measurement
of the ratios of naturally occurring
chemical elements) in their skin and their
blubber. They provide some insights into
the diet and the feeding ecology of animals
over a longer period of time (two to three
months). Fisheries and Oceans Canada, with
the help of hunters and trappers of several
northern communities, have been collecting
skin and blubber samples of bowhead whales
at various locations in the Eastern Arctic for
several years. We looked at the fatty acid (FA)
composition of the blubber of 50 bowhead
whales, including three individuals from the
Hudson Strait area. The fatty acid composition
was similar in males and females and
among whales of different size classes (immature,
juvenile and adult). Our results suggest
some sharing of foraging areas among these
age and sex classes, and similarity in diet.
Overall, the analyses on the blubber of bowhead
whales from the Eastern Canadian Arctic
showed that Calanus spp., lipid-rich copepod species, was likely
a major prey item. The combined use of stomach content,
fatty acid and stable isotope
analyses in tissues of
bowhead whales allowed
us to better understand
their foraging behaviour
and to gain knowledge
c9lˆ3tg5 vMN+ òsÍEx+ GyM3Jxu
x9MbsmAyqtA5 wm3usbs5ht4
i3J†5H.
Calanus hyperboreus (World Register of
Marine Species).
about what these animals
eat. Average temperatures
in the Arctic are
rising twice as fast as the
global average. The ongoing
environmental changes in the Arctic are already starting
to impact the marine Arctic food web and bowhead whales
will have to cope with potential changes in their prey distribution
and assemblages of other preys in the near future.
cspm/sQxo4: iEsN3S6 dx3bus5 ßmJoEº5 vg5pctŒq5 xsM5ypsic˜3tlQ5
x3[ix3iu4 @)!$ xs/zi, s9lQ˜3bMEz ho
h3dwm9ME1qvlx3tlA Ì4fiz x9MymJoso3tlb.
Note: It is anticipated that the Local Umajulirijiit Katujjiqatigiiningit
of Quaqtaq will host a bowhead whale hunt in summer 2014,
although the date was yet to be confirmed at the time of this
writing.
MAKIVIK mag a zine
35