Atuagagdliutit - 16.12.1993, Blaðsíða 12

12
ICC
DECEMBER 1993
Qaammataasanut aallakaatitsissutit
qilalukkat tuugaavinut ivertlnneqartut
»Qilalukkat qernertat
qaammataasakkut malin-
naavigineqarsinnaanngor-
tinnerini piniartut ikiuuttut
„ qaqortanik taamaaliornis-
samik siunnersuuteqartut.«
Aasarmanna Qimusseri-
arsuarmi qilalukkanut arfi-
neq marlunnut qaammataa-
samut aallakaatitsissutinik
piniartut ilisimatuullu ikio-
qatigiillutik siullermeersu-
mik ivertitsinerat iluatsillu-
artoq.
Ukiuni arlalinni taamatut
ivertitsinissaq Kalaallit Nu-
naata Avatangiisinut Aali-
sakkanillu Misissuisoqarfi-
up piareersarluareerlugu,
> ilaatigut silarluttarnerit si-
kullu ajornartorsiutaasar-
neri aqqusaartoreerlugit su-
liaq naammassivaa.
Silaqqinnerata
iluatsisippai
Ukiormannali silap atoru-
minartuusimanerata angal-
lammi »Sila«-mi inuttaasut
suliamik naammassinnin-
nissaat periarfississimavaa.
Piniartullu misilittagaqar-
luartut Kullorsuarmeersut
aammalu »Sila«-mi inuttaa-
sut ikiuulluarnerat ilaatigut
t peqqutaalluni qassutit ator-
lugit qilalukkat pisarineqar-
sinnaasimapput. Qaamma-
taasanut aallakaatitsissutit
tuugaartuunut sisamanut
ikkunneqarsimapput sinne-
rilu pingasut mikinerusut
qatigaannut ikkunneqarsi-
mallutik.
Atortorissaarutillu iver-
tinneqarnissaasa tungaanut
suliap ingerlanerani piniar-
tut ilisimatuullu akunner-
minni paaseqatigiinnerule-
riartorsimapput aammalu
ilisimasaminnik imminnut
iluaqutisseeqatigiissimallu-
tik. Qaammataasanut aalla-
kaatitsissutit ivertinniarne-
rata nalaani piniartut pissa-
ngallutik suleqataasimap-
put suliallu naammassine-
rani siunnersuuteqarsimal-
lutik qilalukkanut qaqorta-
nut atortorissaarutinik ik-
kussinissaq pissusissami-
soortutut isigigalugu. Qa-
qortat Kalallit Nunaanni
ikiliartornerat pasitsaassi-
maneqarpoq, taakkualu qa-
noq siammarsimatigineri-
- nik aammalu qanoq pissuse-
qarnerinik paasissutissat pi-
gineqartut qernertanut tun-
ngatillugu paasissutissanik
pigineqartunut sanilliullu-
gu annertunerugaluartoq
taamaattoq ilimagineqar-
poq taamatut qaammataa-
sanut aallakaatitsissutinik
atortulernerisigut nikerar-
tarnerat qanoq isikkoqar-
nersoq pillugu annerusumik
paasissutissanik pissarsia-
qamissaq naatsorsuutigine-
qarpoq taamaalilluni amer-
lassusaannik missingersuu-
siortarnerit suli piviusorpa-
laarnerulersinnaanerat ili-
magineqarluni.
Isertuunneqassanngilaq
Qaammataasanut aallakaa-
titsissutit qilalukkat sumiit-
tarnerannut aammalu qa-
noq nikerarnerannut tun-
ngasunik paasissutissanik
nassiussuisartussatut sana-
neqaateqarput taamatut-
taaq puiaartarnerisa aqqaa-
masarnerisalu qanoq akili-
kitsigisumik pisarnersut
pillugit paasissutissat nassi-
ussuunneqartartussaallu-
tik. Aallakaatit sissullu ataa-
seq immap iluani arferit ni-
piliortarnerannik ilisimatu-
sarsimasumit sananeqarsi-
mavoq arferit neriniarner-
mi nalaanni nipinik qanoq
atuisarnerat pillugu paasi-
niaanernut nalunaarsuutis-
satut atorneqarsinnaasun-
ngorlugu. Ilimagineqarpoq
qilalukkat qernertat assi-
giinngitsunik sakkortuunik
nipiliornermikkut nerisas-
saminnik nukillaartitsisar-
tut.
Qernertat
pmgaartinneqarput
Ukiullu tulliuttut ingerla-
neranni aallakaatitsissutit
paasissutissanik assigiin-
ngitsunik ilisimatuunut
paasissutissiisarnissaat
naatsorsuutigineqarpoq
ilaatigut ukuusunik: ukio-
rissinerata nalaani sikut
akornanni sumerpiaq unin-
ngaarfeqarnersut; qilaluk-
kanik qernertanik allanik
Canadameersunik attaveqa-
tigiittarnersut pillugit paa-
sissutissat; aqqaamasarne-
rat qanoq akilikitsiginersoq
aammalu aqqaam anermi
nalaani itissutsini assigiin-
ngitsuni qanoq sivisutigisu-
mik aqqaamasarnersut pil-
lugit paasissutissat. Paasis-
sutissat kingullernut tun-
ngasut pingaaruteqartoru-
jussuartut isigineqarput
tassami sumerpiaq pingaar-
nerusunik neriniartarfeqar-
nersut nalunaarsorneqar-
tussaassammat. Qanoq aki-
likitsigisumik qanorlu sivi-
sutigisumik aqqaam as arne-
rat pillugit paasissutissat pi-
ngaaru teqartu ssaappu t
ilaatigut timmisartut ator-
lugit arfernik kisitsinermi
takusat tunngavigalugit
missingersuusiomermut
atorneqartussaammata.
Misissuinernut atatillugu
suliaq ingerlanneqartoq taa-
maattoq Kalaallit Nunaanni
siullerpaajuvoq taassumalu
ingerlanneqarnerata nalaa-
ni Canadami qilalukkanut
qernertanut marlunnut
qaammataasamut aallakaa-
titsissutinik ikkussisoqarsi-
mavoq. Mattallillu pineqar-
tut pillugit misissuinerit
nassuiaatigineqartut paa-
sissutissanik manna tikillu-
gu ilisimaneqanngitsorpas-
suarnik paasissutissiinis-
saat naatsorsuutigineqar-
poq tassami mattallit taak-
kua pineqartut uumasuu-
nermi sivisunerpaartaani
avannaarsuaniittarput mi-
luumasut allat ikittuinnaat
najortagaat avannarpasis-
suseq 80 allaat tikittarlugu.
Misissuinerit taakkua
ingerlanneqartut Kalaallit
Nunaanni ilisimatuussut-
sikkut misissuisoqarfinniit
uumassusilinnillu pineqar-
tunik nakkutilliisoqarfin-
niit pingaartinneqartoru-
jussuupput, ukiullu tulliut-
tut suli ingerlaqqinnissaat
pilersaarutigineqarluni. Qi-
lalukkat qernertat Kalaallit
Nunaanni piniartoqarfmni
isorliunerusuni isumalluu-
tit uumassusillit atugaasut
akornanni . pingaaruteqar-
nerusutut isigineqarput
ilaatigut mattaata tuugaavi-
salu tuniniameqartarnerisi-
gut isertitaasartut piniartut
aningaasarsiornerannut ul-
lumikkut killeqaqisumut
ikorfartuutaaneri pissutiga-
lugit. Kalaallillu Nunaanni
qilalukkanik qernertanik pi-
niarneq akornusersorniar-
neqartuarpoq ilaatigut uu-
masunik illersuiniat sakkor-
tuniartuusut nunat tama-
laat akornanni tuugaanik
nioqquteqartarnerup suli
sakkortunerusumik killiler-
suiffigineqarnissaa siuner-
taralugu sunniiniartuarner-
mikkut.
Qilalukkat qernertat pil-
lugit paasissutissat annikik-
kaluartut taamaattoq suli
ilisimatuussutsikkut upper-
narsivinneqanngilaq ilumut
nu ngu taaqqaj aanersu t.
Taamaakkaluartorli ilisima-
tuussutsikkut misissorne-
qarneri, nalunaarsorneqar-
neri aammalu amerlassu-
saasa nalilersorneqarneri
suli annertusameqartuar-
tariaqarput tassuunatigut
nunarsuup sinneranut tak-
utinniarlugu ilumut piniar-
neq ullumikkut qilalugaqa-
tigiinnut ikiliartuutaan-
ngitsumik ingerlanneqar-
tuusoq, aammalu inuit alla-
tigut sunniutaat soorlu nipi-
liornerit kiisalu mingutsitsi-
nerit kemiskiusut qilaluk-
kat peqqinnerannut qanoq
sunniuteqartarneri pillugit
navianartorsiortitsisinnaa-
sut nalilersorlugit, il. il.
Kalaallit Nunaanni ICC-
ip allaffeqarfia Danmarkimi
Avatangiisinut Ministere-
qarfimmut aningaasanik
qinnuteqaateqarpoq qaam-
mataasatigoortumik qila-
lukkat qernertat nikerarne-
risa malinnaavigineqarnis-
saasa ingerlaqqinnissaa siu-
nertaralugu atugassanik
kiisalu Baffin Bugtimi siku-
sarnerata qanoq isikkoqar-
nera sikullu qanoq nikerar-
tuunersut pillugit nalunaar-
sornissaanut atugassanik.
Paasissutissallu taaneqar-
tumut kingullermut tun-
ngatillugu pissarsiarineqa-
rumaartussat atorlugit qila-
lukkat qernertat nikerartar-
nerminni qanoq ingerlaar-
tarnersut paasiniarneqar-
poq soorlu siuliani taane-
qartutuut qaammataasak-
kut paasissutissat pissarsia-
rineqartussat tassani ator-
neqarnissaat naatsorsuuti-
gineqarpoq.
Immap assingani titartarneqarsimavoq qilalukkap qaam-
mataasakkut aallakaatitsissut atorlugu ingerlaarfigisima-
saanik nalunaarsuisimaneq, oktoberip 15-ianiit novemberip
15-iata tungaanut. (Paasissutissilsoq: Kalaallit Nunaanni
Aalisakkanik Avatangiisinillu Misissuisoqarlik. Titartaa-
soq: Jens Jacob Engelstoft.)
The map illustrates the movements of a satellite tacked
narwhal from October 15 to November 15. (Source: Green-
land Fisheries and Research Institute. Graphics: Jens Jacob
Engelstoft.)
Satellite transmitters mounted on narwhals
Piniartut ilisimatuullu suleqatigiillutik augustimi 1993-imi
Qimusseriarsuup ilaani qaammataasumut aallakaatitsissut
qilalukkap arnavissap qatigaanut ikkunniaraat.
Hunters and scientists about to mount a satellite transmit-
ter on the back ofa female narwhal in Melville Bay, August
1993. (Photo: H.C. Schmidt)
»Inuit hunters engaged in
satellite tracking of nar-
whals suggest the same pro-
cedure for beluga.«
It was a historie event when
hunters and scientists this
summer successfully moun-
ted satellite transmitters on
seven narwhals in Melville
Bay, northwest Greenland.
It took a few years for sci-
entists at the Greenland Fis-
heries Research Institute
and the Greenland Environ-
mental Research Institute
to carefully plan and prepa-
re the project, including a fl-
eld-season with extremely
poor weather and ice condi-
tions.
»SI LA« and the weather
led to success
This year, however, the we-
ather provided excellent
working conditions for the
expedition crew on board
the vessel »Sila«. The nar-
whals were captured in nets
with the invaluable assi-
stance of experienced nar-
whal hunters from Kullor-
suaq and crew members
from »Sila«. Satellite trans-
mitters were mounted on
the tusks of four big male
narwhals, while three trans-
mitters were attached to the
bags of some smaller nar-
whals.
During the working pro-
cess the hunters and scien-
tists developed a mutual un-
derstanding and gained in-
sight into eachother’s fields
of expertice. The hunters
were very excited about the
prospects of the satellite
tracking and suggested by
the end of the trip that a na-
tural follow-up on the pro-
ject would be to do a satellite
tacking of beluga. Belugas
appear to be on the decline
in Greenland, and although
the distribution and beha-
vior of beluga is far better
known than it is for nar-
whal, satellite trackning of
beluga would provide some
valuable information on the
extent of their migrations,
which again would be valua-
ble in terms of making more
accurate population estima-
tes.
No more secrets!
The satellite transmitters
have been developed to
transmit data on the loca-
tion and migration of the
whales as well as informa-
tion concerning the diving
patterns of the whales. In
addition, one transmitter
have been specially desig-
ned, by experts on »bio-acu-
stics« or sounds produced by
marine mammals, to collect
information on the animals’
use of sound during feeding.
The narwhals are believed
to paralyze their game
through powerful sound im-
pulses.
Over the next year, the
transmitters will enable the
scientists to determine fac-
tors such as; where in the
dense pack ice the whales
are wintering; if they have
any contact with narwhals
in Canada; the frequency of
their dives and how mueh
time the whales spent on
different deepts. The latter
is particularly relevant in
terms of identifying the
most important feeding
grounds. The frequency and
lengths of the dives are im-
portant factors when ma-
king population estimates
based on for example flight
surveys.
The project is the first of
its kind to be carried out in
Greenland waters, while in
the same period transmit-
ters were mounted on two
young male narwhals in Ca-
nada. The projects combi-
ned are expected to reveal
many secrets about the ani-
mals of which very little is
known, as they spent most
of their lives in inaccessible
pack ice as far as 80 degrees
north, in areas with only few
other mammals.
Narwhal studies have
high priority
The project nas very high
priority within the research
and management institu-
tions in Greenland, and is
planned to continue over the
next few years. Narwhals
are a highly valued resource
to the hunters in Greenland,
as trade with both mattak
(whale skin) and tusks pro-
vide an important cash sup-
plement to the strained eco-
nomy of the hunters in re-
mote districts. The hunting
of narwhal in Greenland,
however, is threatened by
intensive lobbying efforts of
powerful animal rights wan-
ting further restrictions in
the international trade with
narwhal tusks.
Although the knowledge
of the narwhals is fairly li-
mited, there is currently no
scientific evidence of the
species being endangered.
Nonetheless, it is important
to initiate more researh, mo-
nitoring and assessment of
the narwhals, in order to
convince the world that the
hunting of narwhal is in faet
sustainable, and, additional-
ly, to evaluate potential im-
pacts from other sources of
human activity, such as noi-
se and Chemical pollution
etc..
ICC Greenland is current-
ly seeking funding through
the Danish Ministry for the
Environment to support the
continuation of satellite
tracking of narwhal and a
project to monitor the ice
condition in the Baffin Bay
by means of remote sensing,
which is closely linked to the
above, as it will provide in-
formation which may help
interpreting the patterns of
movements of the narwhals
as determined from the sa-
tellite data.