DOCSLIB.ORG

Across the Top of the World

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Across the Top of the World TRIP DOSSIER, VOYAGE 1332 ACROSS THE TOP OF THE WORLD TO WRANGEL & HERALD ISLANDS ACROSS THE TOP OF THE WORLD TO WRANGEL AND HERALD ISLANDS “Near the top of the world in one of the most remote and inhospitable parts of the planet, lie two wild and undeveloped islands of great significance to the conservation of life on earth.” This unique journey not only Untouched by glaciers during the includes the isolated Wrangel and last ice age, this is a treasure trove Herald Islands but also a significant of arctic biodiversity and is perhaps section of the wild North Eastern best known for the multitude of Siberian coastline. Polar Bears that breed on the island. We hope to catch many glimpses It is a journey made possible only of this beautiful animal as well as in recent years by the thawing in Walrus, Reindeer, Snow Geese the politics of the region and the and other migratory species retreat of the summer pack ice that nest here annually. in the Chukchi Sea. Right on the border between Soviet Russia and Of equal importance is the the USA, the area was known as ‘mammoth steppe’ vegetation the Ice Curtain and today remains complex, a rich and diverse relic one of the last undiscovered from the Pleistocene epoch, Our vessel, the Spirit of Enderby wonders of the world. nurturing over 400 plant species. (Professor Khromov) is perfect for The islands’ human histories are expedition travel. We sail through the Bering Strait not without interest either and west along the north Siberian our expert Expedition Team will The real focus and emphasis coastline before crossing the take time to give lectures and of every expedition is getting you De Long Strait to Wrangel Island background to the landscape ashore as often as possible for as and there spend four to five days we move through and the long as possible with maximum under the guidance of local encounters we enjoy. safety and comfort. It carries just Rangers on the Nature Reserve. 50 passengers in very comfortable We will undertake numerous accommodation. She measures 72 landings during our voyage, look metres in length and is fully ice- for whales, visit huge bird colonies, strengthened. Walrus haul-outs and native villages and will take every opportunity to discover the region’s rich biodiversity. 2 WWW.HERITAGE-EXPEDITIONS.COM ACROSS THE TOP OF THE WORLD TO WRANGEL AND HERALD ISLANDS ITINERARY Depending on your arrival time Day 4: Cape Dezhnev / Uelen NOTE: You can join this expedition you may have the opportunity to Village either in Anadyr, Russia or in Nome, explore Anadyr, the administrative Sea conditions permitting, we will Alaska. Those starting in Nome will centre of the Chukotka region, land at Cape Dezhnev early this fly by a Heritage Expeditions charter before getting to know your fellow morning. The north-eastern most flight to Anadyr and will join the ship voyagers and crew on board the point of the Eurasian continent, it is and the expedition members who Spirit of Enderby. sometimes possible to see the coast have travelled direct to Anadyr. of America from this remote and Day 2: Anadyrskiy Bay lonely outpost. It is also a historic Day 0: Nome We will depart Anadyr Harbour landmark named after the Siberian Those departing from Nome, Alaska, early morning and you are invited Cossack Semyon Dezhnev, who in should arrive in Nome before midday to join the Captain, officers and the 1648 became the first European to and preferably the previous night. expedition staff on the bridge. sail from the Arctic to the Pacific. The Anadyr estuary is renowned On arrival, you should check in with for its Beluga Whales. Bering Air at the Nome Airport who will have details of our charter flight. Today as we sail across During this flight you will cross the Anadyrskiy Bay towards the International Date Line, arriving into Bering Strait there will be briefings, Anadyr on Day 1 of the expedition. introductory lectures and a chance You will clear Russian Customs and to relax or enjoy some “birding” Immigration. with our naturalists. Day 1: Anadyr Day 3: Yttygran, Nuneangan and All expedition members will arrive Arakamchechen Islands in Anadyr. If you are travelling Yttygran Island is home to the direct to Anadyr and require pre monumental ancient aboriginal or post cruise accommodation or site known as Whale Bone Alley. excursions, please contact us. Whalebones stretch along the A steep scramble from the beach beach for nearly half a kilometre. brings you to an abandoned There are many meat pits used for Border Guard base, a monument storage and other remains of a busy to Dezhnev and another to all the whaling camp that united several sailors who have sailed these seas. aboriginal villages at a time. In one location, immense Cape Prince of Wales in Alaska lies Bowhead Whale jawbones and 89 kilometres across Bering Strait. ribs are placed together in a A few nautical miles to the west stunning arch formation. of Cape Dezhnev we visit Uelen Village; the most north-eastern Grey Whales are frequently seen village in Russia. Archaeological around the Island. After landing work has revealed that walrus, at Whale Bone Alley we will take seal and whale hunters have lived the Zodiacs on a whale watching here for over 2000 years. Today excursion. We will also cruise close the population is predominantly inshore of neighbouring Nuneangan Chukchi, with some Russians and Island (Bird Island) where a large Inuit. Hunting is still very important number of seabirds nest. but the village is also one of the largest centres for traditional On nearby Arakamchechen Island Chukchi and Inuit art in the world. there is a prominent walrus haul out; if the animals are present we will We will be entertained by villagers land and walk across the tundra and visit the bone-carving workshop to view them from the cliffs. during our visit. Sculptures from the bone-carving workshop in Uelen 3 WWW.HERITAGE-EXPEDITIONS.COM ACROSS THE TOP OF THE WORLD TO WRANGEL AND HERALD ISLANDS can be found in most of the major Days 6 to 10: Wrangel and Herald of the Karluk which was crushed by museums in Russia. Islands ice in 1914 scrambled ashore and Ice and weather conditions lived until they were rescued. permitting, we will spend the If ice conditions permit, we will next few days on Wrangel Island explore Herald Island to the east and we will also include a visit to of Wrangel Island. nearby Herald Island. Day 11: North Siberian Coast Wrangel Island is one of those Although well mapped and Islands that you have to visit to charted, there have been very appreciate. The earliest human few expedition cruises and occupation is dated 3,200 years consequently there is a lot of scope BC and it has been established for expedition landings. Depending they were seasonal hunters from on weather and sea conditions we Siberia. The island’s presence was will attempt a landing today. speculated about and marked There are several choices, on maps by early Russian explorers at Cape Vankarem there is but it wasn’t until 1849 that it was reputedly a large Walrus haul ‘rediscovered’ by the British. A out that we would like to check Canadian expedition attempted out. The area around the Cape is to establish a settlement and claim bounded by narrow sand ridges the Island for Canada, they were with numerous coastal lagoons evicted by the Russians who and inlets; nearby there is a small claimed the island. Chukchi village whose residents still make their living hunting Walrus, Today it is a Russian Federal Nature Seals and Whales. There is another Reserve of international significance smaller Chukchi village called and importance. A lot of its Nutepelmen which is situated on a significance lies in the fact that it spit at the entrance to Pyngopikhin Day 5: Kolyuchin Island is a major Polar Bear denning area. Lagoon, further west of Cape This small island was once an In fact it is sometimes referred to Vankarem. important Russian Polar Research as a Polar Bear maternity ward on Station and one of a number account of the large numbers of Day 12: Kolyuchin Inlet dotted across the Arctic. Sadly pups born there. It is also the last So huge that it is visible from with the collapse of the USSR there landfall for migratory species flying satellite photos, this inlet contains was no money to maintain them north. Each summer thousands vast numbers of waterfowl and and they were abandoned; the of birds migrate here to breed, migratory waders. We concentrate buildings are derelict but the wildlife including Snow Geese, Snowy Owls, our visit on the spit near the mouth the men studied are still there. skuas, Arctic Terns, Ross’s, Sabine’s of the Inlet. Near the abandoned station at and Ivory Gulls. the north-western end of the island are some of the most amazing bird There are many landings that we cliffs in the Arctic; puffins, guillemots, can make to search out wildlife, gulls and cormorants can be wildflowers and Arctic landscapes. observed and photographed Polar Bears will be high on our list from just meters away. of animals to see and with a little patience we should be rewarded At the south-eastern end of the with a number of encounters. island there is a prominent Walrus Musk Oxen and Reindeer were haul out, if the animals are present introduced to the Island in 1975 it is one of the easiest places to and 1948 respectively, though observe them and get some good Reindeer numbers are low.
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Pamphlet to Accompany Scientific Investigations Map 3131
    Bedrock Geologic Map of the Seward Peninsula, Alaska, and Accompanying Conodont Data By Alison B. Till, Julie A. Dumoulin, Melanie B. Werdon, and Heather A. Bleick Pamphlet to accompany Scientific Investigations Map 3131 View of Salmon Lake and the eastern Kigluaik Mountains, central Seward Peninsula 2011 U.S. Department of the Interior U.S. Geological Survey Contents Introduction ....................................................................................................................................................1 Sources of data ....................................................................................................................................1 Components of the map and accompanying materials .................................................................1 Geologic Summary ........................................................................................................................................1 Major geologic components ..............................................................................................................1 York terrane ..................................................................................................................................2 Grantley Harbor Fault Zone and contact between the York terrane and the Nome Complex ..........................................................................................................................3 Nome Complex ............................................................................................................................3
    [Show full text]
  • The Importance of Protection 57 60 1
    Arctic Ocean B e a u Utqiagvik f o r t Wrangel 4 (Point Barrow) S e a Island 62 49 52 3 61 1 2 Pacific Walrus Haulout 21. Dezhnev Bay 42. Tyulen’e Ozero Bay 58 The Importance of Protection 57 60 1. Cape Blossom 22. Anastasia Bay 43. Srednyaya Bay 56 59 23. Bogoslava Island 44. Somneniye Chukchi Sea 2. Somnitelnaya Spit 55 24. Cape Tiomney 45. Olutorskaya Spit The Walrus Islands State Game Sanctuary (WISGS) was established 51 3. Davidova Spit 54 25. Cape Sery-Anana 46. Lekalo Spit in 1960 to protect Pacific walrus haulout sites on seven small craggy 4. Gavai 39 53 5. Kolyuchyn Island 26. Verkhoturova Island 47. Cape Vankarem 47 27. Cape Golenishcheva 48. Cape Onmyn islands in northern Bristol Bay: Round Island, Summit Island, Crooked 48 6. Belyaka Spit 7. Strait of Neskenpil’gyn Lagoon 28. Cape Semionova 49. Ayon Island Island, High Island, Black Rock, and The Twins. Chukotka, Russia 5 7 30 50 29. Little Diomede Island 50. Cape Serdtse-Kamen’ t S o u 8. Unlisted 6 i e n u d a e b 30. Kotzebue Sound 51. Ryrkaipii r z t 9. Cape Inkigur 9 t 10 o The sanctuary includes the surrounding waters that support a diverse S K 31. King Island 52. Cape Shelagsky 10. Cape Dezhnev 16 12 11 group of marine mammals, seabirds, and other marine wildlife. 15 32. Gambell 53. Cape Lisburne g 29 11. Big Diomede Island 17 n Alaska, USA i 31 A b a r 33. Savoonga 54.
    [Show full text]
  • Beaufort Sea: Hypothetical Very Large Oil Spill and Gas Release
    OCS Report BOEM 2020-001 BEAUFORT SEA: HYPOTHETICAL VERY LARGE OIL SPILL AND GAS RELEASE U.S. Department of the Interior Bureau of Ocean Energy Management Alaska OCS Region OCS Study BOEM 2020-001 BEAUFORT SEA: HYPOTHETICAL VERY LARGE OIL SPILL AND GAS RELEASE January 2020 Author: Bureau of Ocean Energy Management Alaska OCS Region U.S. Department of the Interior Bureau of Ocean Energy Management Alaska OCS Region REPORT AVAILABILITY To download a PDF file of this report, go to the U.S. Department of the Interior, Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (www.boem.gov/newsroom/library/alaska-scientific-and-technical-publications, and click on 2020). CITATION BOEM, 2020. Beaufort Sea: Hypothetical Very Large Oil Spill and Gas Release. OCS Report BOEM 2020-001 Anchorage, AK: U.S. Department of the Interior, Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, Alaska OCS Region. 151 pp. Beaufort Sea: Hypothetical Very Large Oil Spill and Gas Release BOEM Contents List of Abbreviations and Acronyms ............................................................................................................. vii 1 Introduction ........................................................................................................................................... 1 1.1 What is a VLOS? ......................................................................................................................... 1 1.2 What Could Precipitate a VLOS? ................................................................................................ 1 1.2.1 Historical OCS and Worldwide
    [Show full text]
  • Download Itinerary
    SHOKALSKIY | WRANGEL ISLAND: ACROSS THE TOP OF THE WORLD TRIP CODE ACHEATW DEPARTURE 02/08/2021 DURATION 15 Days LOCATIONS Not Available INTRODUCTION Undertake this incredible expedition across the Arctic Circle. Experience the beauty of the pristine Wrangel and Herald islands, a magnificent section of the North-East Siberian Coastline that few witness. Explore the incredible wilderness opportunities of the Bering Strait where a treasure trove of Arctic biodiversity and Eskimo history await. ITINERARY DAY 1: Anadyr All expedition members will arrive in Anadyr; depending on your time of arrival you may have the opportunity to explore Anadyr, before getting to know your fellow voyagers and expedition team on board the Spirit of Enderby. We will depart when everybody is on board. DAY 2: Anadyrskiy Bay At sea today, there will be some briefings and lectures it is also a chance for some ‘birding’ cetacean watching and settling into ship life. Late this afternoon we plan to Zodiac cruise some spectacular bird cliffs in Preobrazheniya Bay. Copyright Chimu Adventures. All rights reserved 2020. Chimu Adventures PTY LTD SHOKALSKIY | WRANGEL ISLAND: ACROSS THE TOP OF THE WORLD TRIP CODE ACHEATW DAY 3: Yttygran and Gilmimyl Hot Springs DEPARTURE Yttygran Island is home to the monumental ancient aboriginal site known as Whale Bone Alley, where whale bones stretch along the beach for 02/08/2021 nearly half a kilometre. There are many meat pits used for storage and other remains of a busy DURATION whaling camp that united several aboriginal villages at a time. In one location, immense Bowhead Whale jawbones and ribs are placed 15 Days together in a stunning arch formation.
    [Show full text]
  • THE PACIFIC WALRUS by KARL W
    332 Oryx THE PACIFIC WALRUS By KARL W. KENYON During recent years there have been repeated reports of extravagant exploitation of the walrus by Eskimos and these have been strengthened by aerial observation of many headless carcasses on beaches of the Bering Sea. So in 1958 the United States Fish and Wildlife Service decided upon an inquiry into the Pacific Walrus, and its hunting and utilization by Eskimo in the Bering Sea region. Biologists from the Department of Health, Education and Welfare, and the Alaska Department of Fish and Game co- operated in the work. Studies were conducted on St. Lawrence Island by Dr. Francis H. Fay and Mr. Averill Thayer, on Little Diomede Island by the late Mr. Stanley S. Fredericksen and the author, and on Round Island of the Walrus Islands in Bristol Bay, by Dr. Fay, Mr. James W. Brooks and the author. Dr. John L. Buckley of the Fish and Wildlife Service counted walruses on the ice of the northern Bering Sea from the air. The Eskimo hunters freely gave us their co-operation and good will, and this alone made the study possible. The economic incentive to exploit pinnipeds for oil and hides decreased after the chaotic slaughter of the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries when many species were seriously depleted. During the present century those which have continued to yield valuable products, such as elephant seals (Mirounga) and fur seals (Callorhinus and Arctocephalus), have been conserved. The Pacific walrus occupies a unique position in that the demand for its ivory, both carved and unworked, or raw, has increased in recent years, whereas measures introduced for conservation of the walrus have not yet been effective.
    [Show full text]
  • Redacted for Privacy Abstract Approved: John V
    AN ABSTRACT OF THE THESIS OF MIAH ALLAN BEAL for the Doctor of Philosophy (Name) (Degree) in Oceanography presented on August 12.1968 (Major) (Date) Title:Batymety and_Strictuof_thp..4rctic_Ocean Redacted for Privacy Abstract approved: John V. The history of the explordtion of the Central Arctic Ocean is reviewed.It has been only within the last 15 years that any signifi- cant number of depth-sounding data have been collected.The present study uses seven million echo soundings collected by U. S. Navy nuclear submarines along nearly 40, 000 km of track to construct, for the first time, a reasonably complete picture of the physiography of the basin of the Arctic Ocean.The use of nuclear submarines as under-ice survey ships is discussed. The physiography of the entire Arctic basin and of each of the major features in the basin are described, illustrated and named. The dominant ocean floor features are three mountain ranges, generally paralleling each other and the 40°E. 140°W. meridian. From the Pacific- side of the Arctic basin toward the Atlantic, they are: The Alpha Cordillera; The Lomonosov Ridge; andThe Nansen Cordillera. The Alpha Cordillera is the widest of the three mountain ranges. It abuts the continental slopes off the Canadian Archipelago and off Asia across more than550of longitude on each slope.Its minimum width of about 300 km is located midway between North America and Asia.In cross section, the Alpha Cordillera is a broad arch rising about two km, above the floor of the basin.The arch is marked by volcanoes and regions of "high fractured plateau, and by scarps500to 1000 meters high.The small number of data from seismology, heat flow, magnetics and gravity studies are reviewed.The Alpha Cordillera is interpreted to be an inactive mid-ocean ridge which has undergone some subsidence.
    [Show full text]
  • EDB Eurasian Integration Yearbook 2011
    Munich Personal RePEc Archive EDB Eurasian Integration Yearbook 2011 Vinokurov, Evgeny Euirasian Development Bank 2011 Online at https://mpra.ub.uni-muenchen.de/49178/ MPRA Paper No. 49178, posted 22 Aug 2013 07:48 UTC EDB EURASIAN I N T E G R A T I O N YEARBOOK 2011 Eurasian Integration Yearbook 2011 Annual publication of the Eurasian Development Bank УДК 339.7 ББК 65.012.3 Е 91 Eurasian Integration Yearbook 2011. – Almaty, 2011. – p. 352 ISBN 978–601–7151–21–8 Annual publication of the Eurasian Development Bank Edited by Evgeny Vinokurov The Eurasian Development Bank is an international financial institution established to promote economic growth and integration processes in Eurasia. The Bank was founded by the intergovernmental agreement signed in January 2006 by the Russian Federation and the Republic of Kazakhstan. In 2009–2010 Armenia, Tajikistan, Belarus became full members of the Bank. Electric power, water and energy, transportation infrastructure and high-tech and innovative industries are the key areas for Bank’s financing activity. As part of its mission the Bank carries out extensive research and analysis of contemporary development issues and trends in the region, with particular focus on Eurasian integration. The Bank also hosts regular conferences and round tables addressing various aspects of integration. In 2008, the Bank launched an annual EDB Eurasian Integration Yearbook (in English) and quarterly Journal of Eurasian Economic Integration (in Russian). Both publications are available online at: www.eabr.org. The Bank’s Strategy and Research Department publishes detailed Industry and Country Analytical Reports and plans to undertake a number of research projects.
    [Show full text]
  • December 2018 Trends
    FROM THE COMMISSIONER Wrapping up four years of putting Alaska workers fi rst It has been the privilege of my • Merged two divisions and aggressively pursued life to serve as the commis- administrative effi ciencies that led to more grants sioner of Labor and Workforce for training Alaskans Development for the last four years in Gov. Bill Walker’s ad- • Contributed to the biggest year-to-year decrease ministration. I was honored to in proposed workers’ compensation rates in 40 do a job every day that aligns years through tireless efforts to increase effi ciency with my core values: ensure and lower medical costs in our workers’ compen- safety and health protections sation system for workers, advocate livable • Delivered major plans, including the Alaska LNG wages for families, and pro- Project Gasline Workforce Plan, the Alaska Ap- vide training opportunities that HEIDI DRYGAS prenticeship Plan, and the addendum to the equip Alaskans for jobs right Commissioner Alaska CTE Plan here in Alaska. • Passed AO 286 to ensure law-abiding state con- I cannot thank our department tractors are not outbid by unscrupulous bidders staff enough for their dedication to our mission and for who cut costs by deliberately or repeatedly depriv- their hard work these past four years despite challeng- ing employees of basic rights ing fi scal conditions. From division directors to frontline staff, I could not be prouder of what we’ve achieved • Eliminated subminimum wage for workers with together. disabilities These past few weeks, I’ve paused to refl ect and ap- These are just a few of our many accomplishments preciate the remarkable change for good the depart- since we took offi ce, and we made this signifi cant ment has delivered on behalf of Alaska’s workers: progress despite a 38 percent cut to our unrestricted general fund budget.
    [Show full text]
  • Siberian Coast & Polar Bears of Wrangel Island, Russia
    Siberian Coast & Polar Bears of Wrangel Island, Russia Aboard the Spirit of Enderby July 24–August 6, 2013 Tuesday / Wednesday July 23 / July 24 – Anadyr, Russia Arrival Over several days, North American trip participants slowly began to arrive in Nome, Alaska for our charter flights to Anadyr, Russia. Participants from other parts of the world made their way to Anadyr through Moscow. Altogether, passengers included passport holders from 11 countries. Many people had flown into Nome several days early, rented cars, and driven the local roads in search of accessible musk oxen in the meadows near town, Pacific and red-throated loons in small tundra ponds, and gulls, ducks and shorebirds along the coast. On July 23, most of our group consolidated their luggage in our Nome hotel lobby and had it loaded on a truck to be taken to our charter airline hangar, while we followed in a bus with our camera gear. Thick fog was drifting along the coast and, when we reached the hanger, we were informed the Nome Airport was closed to inbound air traffic. That posed no real problem for us because our small airplanes were already at the hangar in Nome, on stand-by and readily available, and, since the fog was intermittent, it seemed certain we would have almost no problem departing to Russia. A breakfast buffet was arranged in the hangar and we were regaled by local Nome personality Richard Beneville—who also organized our land-based transportation—with his tales of moving to Nome following his life as a theater actor in New York City and anecdotes of his decades-long life in hardscrabble Nome.
    [Show full text]
  • Social Transition in the North, Vol. 1, No. 4, May 1993
    \ / ' . I, , Social Transition.in thb North ' \ / 1 \i 1 I '\ \ I /? ,- - \ I 1 . Volume 1, Number 4 \ I 1 1 I Ethnographic l$ummary: The Chuko tka Region J I / 1 , , ~lexdderI. Pika, Lydia P. Terentyeva and Dmitry D. ~dgo~avlensly Ethnographic Summary: The Chukotka Region Alexander I. Pika, Lydia P. Terentyeva and Dmitry D. Bogoyavlensky May, 1993 National Economic Forecasting Institute Russian Academy of Sciences Demography & Human Ecology Center Ethnic Demography Laboratory This material is based upon work supported by the National Science Foundation under Grant No. DPP-9213l37. Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recammendations expressed in this material are those of the author@) and do not ncccssarily reflect the vim of the National Science Foundation. THE CHUKOTKA REGION Table of Contents Page: I . Geography. History and Ethnography of Southeastern Chukotka ............... 1 I.A. Natural and Geographic Conditions ............................. 1 I.A.1.Climate ............................................ 1 I.A.2. Vegetation .........................................3 I.A.3.Fauna ............................................. 3 I1. Ethnohistorical Overview of the Region ................................ 4 IIA Chukchi-Russian Relations in the 17th Century .................... 9 1I.B. The Whaling Period and Increased American Influence in Chukotka ... 13 II.C. Soviets and Socialism in Chukotka ............................ 21 I11 . Traditional Culture and Social Organization of the Chukchis and Eskimos ..... 29 1II.A. Dwelling ..............................................
    [Show full text]
  • Report of Survey and Inventory Activities, Walrus Studies
    ll'tl-LKl"l'-'llul'\ L.r-rt1,..Lr-. I <; E SECTILI'• Al.if <; G JlJM:AlJ ALASKA DEPARTMENT OF FISH AND GAME J UN E A U, AL AS KA STATE OF ALASKA William A. Egan, Governor DEPARTMENT OF FISH AND GAME James W. Brooks, Commissioner DIVISION OF GAME Frank Jones, Director RE P 0 RT 0 F S uRV E Y & I NV E NT 0 RY AC T I VI T I ES WALRUS STUDIES by John J. Burns Volume I Federal Aid in Wildlife Restoration Project W-17-3, Job 8.0 and Project W-17-4, Job 8.0 (1st half) Persons are free to use material in these reports for educational or informational purposes. However, since most reports treat only part of continuing studies, persons intending to use this material in scientific publications should obtain prior permission from the Department of Fish and Game. In all cases tentative conclusions should be identified as such in quotation, and due credit would be appreciated. (Printed January, 197J) SURVEY-INVENTORY PROGRESS REPORT State: Alaska Cooperators: Alexander Akeya, Savoonga; Rae Baxter, Alaska Department of Fish and Game; Carl Grauvogel, Alaska Department of Fish and Game; Edward Muktoyuk, Alaska Department of Fish and Game; Robert Pegau, Alaska Department of Fish and Game; and Vernon Slwooko, Gambell Project Nos • : W-17-3 & Project Title: Marine Mammal S&I W-17-4 Job No.: Job Title: Walrus Studies Period Covered: July l, 1970 to December 31, 1971. SUMMARY The 1971 harvest of walruses in Alaska was 1915 animals. Of these, 1592 (83%) were bulls, 254 (13%) cows and 69 (4%) calves of either sex.
    [Show full text]
  • ARCTIC GOVERNANCE: Understanding the Geopolitics Of
    ARCTIC GOVERNANCE: Understanding the geopolitics of commercial shipping via the Northern Sea Route By HANS-PETTER BJØRKLI Master Thesis Department of Comparative Politics June 2015 Abstract The purpose of this study is to examine the implications of the development of the Northern Sea Route (NSR) with regard to governance in the Arctic. This topic is of importance as Arctic waters are getting bluer, more accessible, exploitable and attractive to investors, both public and private. Thus, numerous states and the international shipping industry are increasingly eyeing the NSR as an alternative trade route between Asia and Europe. However, the Arctic region and the NSR waters’ sovereignty remain unclear. Moreover, an increased density of international merchant vessels in the Arctic Ocean, a military reasserted Russia and the growing influence of China in international politics and trade suggest that the geopolitics of the Arctic may be challenged by the NSR. In this thesis, I have analysed the NSR’s effect on Arctic governance by applying classic theories of International Relations and illuminating the research question with data from expert interviews and a comprehensive document base. The findings indicate that liberalist values triumph realism, and that the NSR therefore does not have the potential to interrupt the current institutionalised and peaceful international political environment of the Arctic. Conversely, there is a possibility that conflicts in other parts of the world may disrupt the prosperity of international shipping via the NSR due to spillover effects. I Acknowledgements I owe my thanks to several people whom have provided me with guidance and motivation in the process of writing this thesis.
    [Show full text]