Arctic Bulletin

No 4.05 • PUBLISHED BY THE WWF INTERNATIONAL ARCTIC PROGRAMME

Toxic killer whales p.9, p.19–20

Clean coast boost p. 6

Northern youth p. 11–12

Arctic melt p. 14–15

Bering focus p. 16–17 2 WWF ARCTIC BULLETIN • No.4.05 Contents

G Gold of Yakutia Republic p. 10

GClimate stories from the Russian Arctic p. 12–13 Conference aims to safeguard Barents p. 6 G G Clean coast boost p. 7 Killer whales most toxic p. 9 G Safer shipping in Bering Sea p. 16–17 G Killer whales’ toxic load p. 19–20 G A remote refuge in the Bering Sea p. 16–17 G Auk clue to climate impact p. 14–15 G Bear legislation p. 8 G Prince Albert II of Monaco to visit North Pole p. 4–5

G Montreal progress p. 4–5 G The future of oil and gas in the Arctic p. 6–7 G Satellite decision pending p. 9 G Mackenzie update p. 8 G Northern youth take a stand p. 11–12 G Arctic melt accelerating p. 14–15 G Polar bear – a toxic indicator? p. 18 G Linking Mesopotamia to the Arctic p. 21–22 G Caribou numbers decline p. 10 G Book reviews p. 22–23 G Forthcoming arctic meetings & events p. 23 G Sea ice extent – 1979 to 2005 p. 24

The Arctic Bulletin Publisher: Programme Design and production: Cover: Killer whales is published quarterly by the WWF WWF International Director: dEDBsign/Ketill Berger Photo: Hans Wolkers International Arctic Programme. Arctic Programme Samantha Smith [email protected] Reproduction and quotation with PO Box 6784 [email protected] Printed at Merkur-Trykk AS appropriate credit are encouraged. St Olavs plass Date of publication: on 100% recycled paper. Articles by non-affiliated sources do not N-0130 Oslo, Norway Editor: December, 2005 necessarily reflect the views or policies Ph: +47 22 03 65 00 Julian Woolford ISSN 1023-9081 of WWF. Send change of address and Fax: +47 22 20 06 66 [email protected] subscription queries to the address on Internet: www.panda.org/arctic the right. We reserve the right to edit Assistant editor: letters for publication, and assume no Nigel Allan responsibility for unsolicited material. [email protected] Please include name, title and address with all correspondence. WWF ARCTIC BULLETIN • No.4.05 3

Editorial

A new sea

limate change is creating a new sea in the and the people who depend on it? Some arctic fish- North, melting away the ice that has eries are already threatened by overfishing and illegal C protected arctic waters for thousands of fishing. More shipping traffic will increase the risk to years. The last four years have seen end-of-summer vulnerable coastlines and wildlife populations. And sea ice whose extent was 20 percent less than the oil development will bring not only more CO emis- average for the previous 22 years. That is equivalent sions, but also huge risks in what will always be a to 1.3 million square kilometers, or 500,000 square harsh environment. miles. Researchers now believe that the Arctic Ocean A lot can be done nationally and will be ice-free during the summer well before the bilaterally, and by the private sector. end of this century. This will create a sea of opportu- This includes better fisheries manage- nities, but also huge environmental and social chal- ment and monitoring; marine lenges. management zones that keep risky Major changes are taking place beneath the ocean’s activities out of sensitive areas; and surface as well. Fish stocks in the North Sea are improved ship routing, quality and already moving north as the oceans warm up, and monitoring. In the end, however, SAMANTHA SMITH southern species, such as blue mussels, are already these measures won’t be enough. Director, appearing near Spitsbergen, in the northern Barents Issues such as High Seas protected WWF International Sea. In the Bering Sea, warmer waters and fishing areas, large-scale illegal fishing with Arctic Programme [email protected] pressure have caused a dramatic shift in the ecosystem, sales of illegally caught fish outside with crashes of some marine mammal, crab and the region, harvesting from fish seabird populations, of pollock and salmon. Over stocks that migrate between national waters, ships time, scientists predict that existing fisheries will sailing under flags of convenience, international disappear and new ones emerge in new locations in transport of hazardous materials through sensitive the Arctic. areas and accident response, can only be solved In the face of these changes, our first priority must multilaterally. be to cut CO emissions as deeply and quickly as Arctic seas are worth conserving. They have incred- possible. Rapid climate change in the Arctic threatens ible natural, cultural and economic values, including not only polar bears, but also people in the Arctic some of the world’s most productive fisheries, the and in the rest of the world. By cutting CO emis- biggest seabird colonies, cold-water coral reefs and sions, scientists believe that we can avoid some of the marine mammal ranging from polar bears to fur worst changes in the future. But some of the seals. Resources from the sea have provided food, processes now in motion in the Arctic will continue wealth and the basis for culture to people along the during our lifetimes and perhaps beyond. arctic’s coasts for hundreds and thousands of years. Governments and industry seem poised to seize A year and a half ago, WWF called for arctic the economic opportunities of melting sea ice and a governments to consider a regional marine agree- new sea. In Alaska, Norway and Russia, governments ment to conserve these marine values, and manage are pushing arctic offshore oil and gas development. any development. The conventional wisdom is that a Shipping companies are investing in ice-going new convention is a political impossibility. But busi- vessels. And disputes over arctic marine territory, and ness as usual is clearly not a possibility either. Which fish resources, are heating up. leaders will have the vision to conserve, as well as But who’s ready to protect the arctic environment exploit? 4 News WWF ARCTIC BULLETIN • No.4.05

TOURISM ASSOCIATION A new Sustainable Arctic Tourism Association will continue the ground- breaking work of a three-year project to look at sustainable tourism in the Arctic. Montreal progress The SMART project, which ended in December, set out to empower the arctic eal progress was made at the when a broad coalition including tourism sector to more sustainable Montreal climate talks in major developing countries, Japan, practices through capacity building and R December as governments Canada and the EU rebuffed it. certification.A final SMART workshop for finalised the ground rules for the In Montreal, representatives entrepreneurs, authorities, educational first phase of the Kyoto Protocol from the Inuit announced that they institutions and WWF took place in Finland and set the stage for discussions to had filed a petition against the in October.The WWF International Arctic further cut carbon emissions after United States in the Washington Programme was the only environmental 2012, says WWF. offices of the Inter-American NGO involved in the project. Miriam Geitz, Ministers agreed to start talks Commission on Human Rights, a its tourism officer, will be a member of the that will deliver deeper reductions body examining claims of rights Sustainable Arctic Tourism Association. in carbon emissions. The deal also abuses in the Americas. opened the door to broader partic- The Inuit Circumpolar BEAR LAW SUIT ipation from developing countries Conference (ICC) petition asserts Representatives of three environmental in the future. that unabated US emissions of groups have claimed that the US The Montreal conference heat-trapping greenhouse gases are Government is failing to curb the global displayed the groundswell of threatening Inuit traditions and warming that is slowly destroying polar Jennifer support for real climate action. urges the Commission to press the bears’ habitat, possibly leading to their Morgan, This was especially visible US to curb the gases. extinction.The groups filed a petition last director of through the participation of an Temperatures in the Arctic are February to have the polar bear formally the WWF unparalleled number of mayors, rising at about twice the global declared a threatened species – a step they International youth, business leaders and elected average. said would require the Government to try Climate representatives. The petition was filed by Sheila and cut down the toxic industrial by- Change The attempt by the US, and later Watt-Cloutier on behalf of the ICC, products that are causing global warming, Programme. Russia, to scupper the talks failed of which Watt-Cloutier is the and the polar meltdown. elected Chair. Under the federal Endangered Species If the Commission rules in Act, the Department of the Interior must favour of the ICC, it could refer the respond, but the petition has yet to be US to the Inter-American Court of processed. Greenpeace, the Arizona-based Human Rights for a legal judge- Center for Biological Diversity and the ment. Both the Commission and New York-based Natural Resources the Court work within the frame- Defense Council in late October sent a work of the American Convention notice of intent to sue to the Department on Human Rights. of the Interior.The government has 60 The US has not ratified the days to respond before a suit is filed in Convention, but a ruling would still federal court. be symbolic, according to the ICC. To read more about the petition, BIG OIL PURSUES DRILLING ON go to: www.earthjustice.org ALASKA’S COAST Photo: IISD/ENB-Leila Mead The US Mineral Management Services (MMS) is developing a new five-year plan for pursuing offshore oil and gas leases along the US coast.While no decisions Prince Albert II have yet been made, the Bush Administration has been indicating that it may lift the ban on drilling in coastal areas, of Monaco to visit like Bristol Bay and the Chukchi Sea coast, that have been withdrawn from North Pole consideration for offshore oil and gas His Serene Highness Prince the Arctic and the huge development since 1995.WWF and other Albert II of Monaco will threats that it faces, particu- environmental organizations have embark on an expedition to larly from climate change. presented the MMS with formal comments the North Pole in April 2006. In 1905, Prince Albert I of expressing great concern about this He hopes to reach the Monaco, a pioneer of potential change to the area’s exempt North Pole by dogsled from oceanography and the great- status.WWF will continue to monitor the the Russian base of Borneo, great-grandfather of Prince situation and hopes many other around 100 kilometres away. Albert II, was among the first conservation groups, fisheries interests, The hope is that the to explore regions of and communities will also join in taking a expedition will draw much Svalbard in the Arctic. strong stance to protect Bristol Bay and needed global attention to Photos taken in 1905 and other sensitive sites adjacent to the Bering Sea. WWF ARCTIC BULLETIN • No.4.05 News 5

A LANGUAGE FOR CLIMATE CHANGE Inuit translators and elders from across the

Photo:Tonje Folkestad Photo:Tonje Arctic met recently to develop standard language to allow speakers of northern aboriginal languages to talk about the accelerating global warming of their homeland. David Akeeagok, of Nunavut’s Department of Culture, Language, Elders and Youth,said:“We don’t have any terminologies per se in Inuktitut right now when we focus on climate change.What we want to do is ensure that there are standard words in English and Inuktitut, for climate change especially.That way the hunters can talk to the scientists on the same wavelength, where both of them have very valuable information that they’d like to share”

NWT PARK EXPANDS The Canadian Government recently expanded the Tuktut Nogait National Park in Canada’s Northwest Territories.Tuktut Nogait, means “caribou calves” in the Siglik dialect of Inuvialuktun, the western Arctic Inuit language.The park is home to the Blue Nose caribou herd, musk oxen, grizzly bears, wolves and wolverines. It is also the location of 360 archaeological sites, important to Sahtu Dene people. Raymond Taniton, representing the Sahtu Dene and Métis of At the the Sahtu Settlement Area, said:“We have conference, ensured that the calving grounds of the WWF high- Bluenose caribou herd, which have played an lighted the important role in the lives of our people for need to save thousands of years, will be protected.” The the Arctic park is 170 kilometres north of the Arctic from climate Circle and, with the latest expansion of change. 1850 square kilometres, now totals 16,340 square kilometres. A special Arctic Day in Montreal Government, the Day included helped build awareness of how speeches, discussions, traditional NEW ARCTIC PORT climate is impacting the Arctic. food and cultural performances. Iqaluit, on Canada’s Baffin Island, wants to Hosted by the Canadian Julian Woolford, [email protected] build Canada’s first deep-water arctic seaport, a facility that proponents say would boost both economic development and efforts to enforce northern sovereignty.The city plans to present its proposal to both more recently show a drastic the territorial and federal governments this Monaco Glacier. decline in the size of the winter when initial engineering plans are to Liefdefjorden. Lilljehook Glacier.Around 40 begin. If funding is secured, construction Spitsbergen percent of the glacier has would begin in 2008. melted in the last one 100 The $49-million port could be operating years. as early as 2009.As climate change gradually WWF is supporting the reduces the amount of ice in northern expedition in an advisory role waters, many observers have pointed to the on arctic conservation issues. likelihood of greatly increased ship traffic For more information, visit the through arctic sea lanes. But Canada is the Monaco Arctic Expedition only arctic country that doesn’t have a website: deep-water port along its northern coast- www.monaco.arctic- line. Iqaluit’s proposed port would operate expedition.mc. from the end of June through the end of November. It would offer a single berth big Julian Woolford, enough to accommodate oil tankers, cargo [email protected] and cruise ships and would also serve as a Photo: / www.arcticphoto.co.uk Alexander Photography Bryan & Cherry small-craft harbour. 6 Oil and gas WWF ARCTIC BULLETIN • No.4.05 Conference aims to safeguard Barents

lans to reduce the impact of oil Government and Duma to study and gas development in the the organisational and practical P Barents region were at the experience of this Alaskan council. centre of an international confer- Russian authorities were also ence in Murmansk in November. urged to study experiences from The conference, “Oil and Gas their own country, such as the Industry and Sustainable interactions between the Sakhalin Development of the Barents emergency departments and the Region”, was organised by WWF petroleum companies involved in with the Northern Alliance, Gaia, activities on the far-eastern Russian the Kola Biodiversity Centre, island. Bellona, Nature and Youth, and The WWF and Nature and Svanhovd Environmental Center. Youth proposal to establish petro- Its aim was to map out how to leum-free areas in the Barents Sea minimise environmental and to protect the most valuable and economic damage, and maximise vulnerable biological resources was benefits to the communities as also given serious attention. petroleum development goes Delegates agreed that it is neces- ahead. sary to discuss and create a system Delegates from the Valdez to control economic activity in the community in Alaska shared their western part of the Russian Arctic, experiences about how to set up a and to assess the ecological impacts public trust fund to develop of planned activities in the region. improved safety systems at oil Delegates came from a wide companies’ installations, to the range of institutions, including the benefit of surrounding communi- Murmansk Oblast Duma, the ties. After the disastrous Exxon Murmansk City Council, local Valdez oil spill in 1989, the so-called authorities in Russia, Norway and Prince William Sound Regional the US, petroleum companies, Citizens’Advisory Council was set up experts in public participation to this end, with funding from the oil issues, and NGO leaders. companies and oil transporters. Participants at the seminar Tonje Folkestad, urged the Murmansk Oblast [email protected] Photo: Hyde John EVOSTC/ The future of oil and gas in the Arctic apidly changing economic interests of arctic populations. the scope of the OGA has been circumstances associated Against this background, the considerably expanded to address R with the increased global Arctic Council’s Assessment of Oil other issues, including the socio- demand for oil and gas, technolog- and Gas Activities in the Arctic economic effects of arctic oil and gas ical advances, and not least the (OGA) will be a major focus of development. possibility of improved access to attention during the Arctic Council A group of experts established to arctic resources as a result of Ministerial meeting that is set to produce the OGA is currently climate change, mean that the take place in Russia at the end of working to meet the challenges prospect of increased oil and gas October 2006. involved in obtaining necessary development in the Arctic is a Originally conceived as an update data and information from several reality. Such development can be to the 1997 Arctic Monitoring and countries. undertaken in a responsible Assessment Programme (AMAP) As part of the OGA process, manner to both minimise impacts assessment of pollution effects of oil stakeholders, including industry, on the environment and respect the and gas development in the Arctic, NGOs, and indigenous peoples WWF ARCTIC BULLETIN • No.4.05 Oil and gas 7 Clean coast boost he likelihood of protecting increases the potential risk of oil the vulnerable Norwegian spills. TBarents Sea coast from the When an oil spill reaches the worst ravages of an oil spill were shore, manpower is normally the increased in November when WWF main limiting factor for effective trained the first group of oil spill clean-up operations. It is estimated clean-up volunteers in northern that volunteers and fishermen Norway. handled about 70 percent of the oil The training programme, which clean up after the Prestige accident. has already been introduced by Nina Jensen, in charge of the WWF in Finland and Murmansk in ‘Clean Coast!’ project in Norway, Russia, aims to enhance the oil spill said: “Cleaning the shoreline is a contingency plans in the Barents very time- and resource-consuming region by establishing voluntary activity, and it requires competent oil-spill response groups that can personnel and basic safety equip- assist in the clean-up operations ment. There is a great need for after oil spills. more trained personnel who can be The transport of oil and other mobilised on short notice, and for petroleum products in the Barents proper equipment that can ensure Sea region is growing rapidly. In safe and efficient operations in the 2004 the amount of oil exported region.” from north-west Russia, and WWF’s Clean Coast! shipped through the Barents Sea programme offers a professional, and the White Sea, amounted to practical and cost-free training 12.6 million tons. course for volunteers. The course The transport could increase to runs for three days, and gives a 22.75 million tons in 2006 and broad insight into oil-spill clean-up could reach as much as 150 million strategies, including organisation, tons by 2012.This dramatically execution and general knowledge about the most common strategies for handling oil-spills in the open ocean, coastal areas and shorelines. The participants also get prac- A new WWF programme will tical experience through testing establish voluntary oil-spill several types of equipment and response groups that can through participating in simulated assist in the clean-up opera- oil-spill situations. The courses are tions after oil spills. carried out in cooperation with several organisations, including fishermen’s associations, the organisations, have been invited to event was well attended, reflecting Norwegian Coastal Administration, contribute to the OGA. To facilitate the strong interest of the arctic Russian oil spill authorities, the this, AMAP arranged an indigenous communities in an Barents Secretariat and International Symposium on Oil issue that has considerable poten- NORLENSE. The aim is to train and Gas Activities in the Arctic in St tial to affect their lives in positive between 200 to 300 Russian and Petersburg, Russia, as part of the and negative ways. Norwegian volunteers per year. Seventh International Conference The OGA will be an important and Exhibition of Offshore Oil and first step in establishing a circum- Nina Jensen Gas Development, a large industry- polar political context for the future Project manager, Clean Coast! sponsored event. of oil and gas development in the [email protected] The Symposium sessions Arctic. reflected the content of the OGA For more information visit Anne-Beth Skrede, and were intended to both www.amap.no Advisor Petroleum and Shipping communicate information about [email protected] the OGA and also encourage rele- Simon Wilson vant stakeholders to provide their Arctic Monitoring and Assessment Dag Nagoda, information. Programme Co-ordinator Barents Sea programme An indigenous people’s side [email protected] [email protected] 8 News WWF ARCTIC BULLETIN • No.4.05

Chukotka. These numbers are unsustainable. The enactment of the Agreement is critical for the long- term survival and conservation of our population of polar bears.” According to the US Fish and Wildlife Service, the legislation will establish a common legal, scientific and administrative framework. The Agreement calls for the development of binding harvest limits and places restrictions on hunting. Current law allows for Alaska native subsistence harvests. Illegal harvesting also occurs in Chukotka. Unless changes are made on both sides, there could be a decline in the population. Marshall Jones, deputy director Photo: Steve Amstrup/US Fish & Wildlife ServiceWildlife Photo:Amstrup/US Fish & Steve Polar bear mother and cubs on the pack ice in the Beaufort Sea. of US Fish and Wildlife Service, said: “The Agreement addresses a particular concern, which is the widely different harvest provisions and practices on the US side and Bear legislation the Russian side of the population. “The bottom line is that both the egislation to protect polar bears bear population. This new legisla- United States and Russian in Alaska and Chukotka in tion is seen as the next stage in this Governments appear to want to Lnorth-east Russia is being process. protect the polar bear population, crafted by Republican Alaska Conservationists hope it will but the US Congress needs to give Senator Ted Stevens, chairman of prompt Russian authorities to approval first.” the US Senate Commerce implement their part of the The Polar Bear Agreement also Committee. Agreement. prohibits the harvest of denning The US and Russia first agreed to Charles Johnson of the Alaska bears and females with cubs. a conservation plan, the US-Russia Nanuuq Commission, said: “We Polar Bear Agreement, in October know that polar bears are being Nigel Allan, 2000 to protect the shared polar harvested at alarming numbers in [email protected] Mackenzie update

mperial Oil executives recently a pretty serious problem, just so that erate further arctic oil and gas announced that the company we could cater to a multinational development.” Iand its partners in the corporation.” “In the Canadian North there is Mackenzie Gas Pipeline are ready to This next step in the regulatory an opportunity to do it right and move to public hearings, content process has also prompted many conserve important cultural and that sufficient progress has been other energy companies, not ecological areas first. The made in negotiations with northern involved with the pipeline, to move Mackenzie Gas Development and aboriginal groups over financial forward with their own projects. related projects amount to a grab rewards, rights to jobs and business This could escalate development in for land and resources that neglect opportunities. the North beyond the impact of the people and wildlife.We must first But the Deh Cho First Nations pipeline. implement the NWT Protected and many socio-cultural and envi- Pete Ewins, of WWF-Canada, Areas Strategy (PAS) effectively,” ronmental groups are still not on said: “It seems ironic that without said Ewins board with the project. completed land use plans for the WWF and its partners will In an interview with the region, with rapid climate change maintain pressure on the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation having such huge impacts on this Government and project propo- (CBC), Herb Norwegian, Deh Cho region of great concern to aborig- nents to abide by the PAS and Grand Chief, said his people won’t inal people, and with Canada complete proper land use planning. give in to pressure from govern- having significantly increased its Public hearings could begin in late ment, industry or fellow aboriginals. greenhouse gas emissions, Canada January 2006, and be completed by Norwegian said: “If it means one should be considering such a huge, October 2006. group is going to destroy the way of $7.5 billion hydrocarbon energy Nigel Allan life of another group, I think we have project. It will undoubtedly accel- [email protected] WWF ARCTIC BULLETIN • No.4.05 News 9 Killer whales most toxic nitial scientific results show Helen Bjørnøy, the Norwegian becomes a tool to stop using the Norwegian killer whales are the Minister of Environment, said: most dangerous chemicals.” I most toxic mammals in the “The toxic contamination of killer Killer whales are found Arctic. whales clearly shows the result of an throughout arctic Norway, Previous research awarded this unsustainable use of chemicals including Svalbard and the Barents dubious honour to the polar bear, internationally. This is one of the Sea, but congregate in the Tysfjord but a new study shows that killer greatest global environmental area to feed on spawning herring whales have even higher levels of threats. The EU ministers now have during the winter. This offers an PCBs, pesticides and a brominated the possibility to strengthen the excellent opportunity to sample flame retardant. chemicals legislation in Europe, and them in an efficient way. See feature The results are based on blubber I urge them to use it. It is impera- page 19–20. samples taken from killer whales in tive that the REACH regulation Julian Woolford, [email protected] Tysfjord, a fjord in arctic Norway. This is the first time the findings of the research, carried out by the Norwegian Polar Institute (NPI), and partly funded by the Norwegian Research Council, have been revealed. Dr Hans Wolkers, a researcher Satellite with NPI, said:“Killer whales can be regarded as indicators of the health decision of our marine environment. The high levels of contaminants are very alarming. They clearly show that pending the arctic seas are not as clean as they should be, which, in particular, decision about whether the affects animals at the top of the European Space Agency (ESA) food chain.” A will launch a second satellite to WWF funded Dr Wolkers to monitor arctic ice is set to take place in carry out new research from this early 2006. November to further monitor the ESA’s first CryoSat Mission, designed to levels of dangerous contaminants gather and analyse data on sea ice thick- in the killer whales, including ness in the Arctic, ended in failure in another brominated flame retar- October due to technical problems. dant called deca-BDE, used in elec- CryoSat was set to make a significant tronic goods and coatings for contribution to the understanding of household products such as climate change and its effects on the carpets. The findings of this Arctic. research are expected next year. From an altitude of just over 700 km The appearance of a potentially and reaching latitudes of 88 degrees, dangerous brominated flame retar- CryoSat was designed to monitor precise dant in the killer whales is of partic- changes in the thickness of the polar ice ular concern, because – unlike sheets and floating sea ice. PCBs and the most harmful pesti- It would have made observations over cides – most hazardous brominated a three-year lifetime and should have flame retardants are not currently provided further evidence of rates at banned. Brominated flame retar- which ice cover may be diminishing. dants can affect animals’ neurolog- The Khrunichev Space Centre in Russia ical function, behaviour and repro- launched the CryoSat satellite. It was the duction. first time the ESA had used a Russian Brettania Walker, toxics officer space centre. The Russian State authorities with the WWF International Arctic have established an investigating commis- Programme, said: “This new killer sion to further analyse the reasons for the whale research re-confirms that the failure. Arctic is now a toxic-sink. According to Dr Franco Bonacina from Chemicals in everyday products are ESA, a decision about whether to launch contaminating arctic wildlife. We The short-lived Russian a second CryoSat mission will be made must replace hazardous chemicals rocket carrying the Cryosat early in 2006. with safer alternatives whenever satellite disappears into the these are available.” clouds.The failed Cryosat Nigel Allan Mission was designed to [email protected] measure the sea ice thick- ness in the Arctic. Photo:Agency Space European 10 News WWF ARCTIC BULLETIN • No.4.05 Caribou numbers decline

Surveys of caribou in the Northwest Territories, Canada, has revealed a drastic drop in the numbers of some herds. Photo:Anne Gunn, GNWT

population survey by the originally sceptical about the repeat itself, as based on what Department of Environment results. Since then we have had climate scientists have been saying, Aand Natural Resources in discussions with them and they changes in climate appear to be Canada’s Northwest Territories agree that in all likelihood caribou different than in the past.” (NWT) has revealed an 80 percent are in a period of decline. Case and colleagues’ key message decline in the Bluenose West “The Inuvialuit, Gwich’in and is that caribou cycles are natural caribou herd. Sahtu co-management boards have and expected, but what humans do The survey found the number of recommended that we re-survey when caribou decline is very animals in the Bluenose West herd the herds. It is not that they doubt important and can effect how their had dropped to 20,800 from just the numbers, but they want to numbers increase when conditions under 99,000 animals in 1987. The ensure that we are monitoring the improve. Government also estimates the situation very closely, as they are In an interview with the Cape Bathurst herd has declined to extremely concerned.” Canadian Broadcasting 2,400 from an estimate of 17,500 in This decline also appears to be Corporation, NWT Environment 1992. The Bluenose East herd has affecting other caribou herds across Minister Michael Miltenberger said declined to 66,600 in 2005 from an North America, including the that he hopes the new study will estimate of 104,000 in 2000. Beverly herd and the Porcupine prove that regulations are needed to Dr Ray Case, biologist with the herd, suggesting that there are protect the caribou. Department of Environment and factors working at a subcontinental Miltenberger said that his Natural Resources, said: “We are level. department would take measures to very confident in the results. There Case said: “The information we protect the Bluenose and Cape was an extensive effort to make sure have indicates that climate factors Bathurst herds within the next we located all of the groups and are major drivers of the caribou month. counted the caribou. population cycle. However, we may Nigel Allan “Some aboriginal hunters were not be able to infer that history will [email protected]

WWF presented the first Gift to the Earth Gold of Yakutia Republic to Yakutia in 1996,as part of the Living Planet Campaign.The Gift was given in recognition of Lars Kristofersen, CEO of WWF-Sweden, has critically endangered Siberian the Republic’s protection of an area of virgin been awarded the Golden Medal of the white crane.The largest Siberian forest and tundra twice the size of Ministry of Nature Conservation of the biological station in the Germany. Yakutia Republic in Russia for his conservation Russian Arctic, the “Lena Ola Jennersten, programme director of work in the region. Nordenskiöld”, lies near the WWF-Sweden, was awarded the Silver Medal For the past ten years,WWF-Sweden has Indigirka River in Yakutia. of the Ministry of Nature Conservation of collaborated with the Ministry to help create a Half of the Republic is Yakutia. network of protected areas that now north of the Arctic Circle and mostly inacces- Viktor Nikiforov comprise 30 percent of Yakutia. sible.The coastal areas of this region are some Director “The Global 200 “ Programme Yakutia is the largest republic in Russia and of the least explored and mapped areas of the WWF-Russia home to grizzly bears, polar bears and the world. [email protected] Photo: Bryan & Cherry Alexander Photography / www.arcticphoto.co.uk Inuit children from the seventh grade at the Ataguttaluk Northern youth take a stand school in Igloolik. The young of the Arctic are speaking out on issues that will affect their Nunavut, future. Jenn Sharman of the Arctic Indigenous Youth Alliance (AIYA) in Canada, Canada and Verner Wilson of Alaska Youth for Environmental Action (AYEA) in Alaska, report on the growing youth movement to build a sustainable future in the Arctic.

Drilling in protected areas, new oil be a bit more concerned about Canada and in Alaska northern and gas pipelines, and the lack of these issues, because I will be youth groups are expressing similar action on climate change are some around to witness and live with concerns about the effects of devel- of the major issues that young some of the more devastating opment. Indigenous youth in people around the Arctic are effects of global warming.” Canada’s Northwest Territories concerned about. Cason encourages Alaskans to formed the Arctic Indigenous Youth Today’s decision-makers will not support alternative energy initia- Alliance (AIYA), an organisation be around to see the eventual tives and to urge the Alaskan that seeks to connect the vision of outcomes of their actions. Instead Government to follow the lead set the youth with the wisdom of the it will be today’s youth, a group by California and Oregon in passing elders, and to relate traditional traditionally excluded from the laws to reduce carbon emissions. knowledge and values to issues of decision-making process, who have Cason is one of many northern development and globalisation. to cope with the ramifications of youth who are coming together to AIYA has worked hard to raise those actions. advocate a sustainable future that awareness about the potential In August 2005, Drew Cason, a also includes the traditional beliefs impacts of the proposed Mackenzie senior at West High School in of northern indigenous people. Gas Project (see p. 8), and has heard Anchorage, Alaska took part in the In Russia, at the 2001 widespread concern from youth International Youth Eco-Forum on International Youth Conference on and elders across the Northwest climate change in Iceland. In an the Indigenous Peoples and The Territories about the proposed article he wrote for the Anchorage Environment of the North, Siberia project. Many youth are concerned Daily News, Cason says: “I learned and the Far East, young people that the project is part of a larger a lot about the effects of global urged the Russian Government to process, which is seeing indigenous warming around the Arctic, espe- protect their traditional environ- culture overwhelmed by an indus- cially in Alaska. As a teenager, I may ment and traditional way of life. In trialised culture. They worry about ➤ 12 Climate change WWF ARCTIC BULLETIN • No.4.05

➤ the implications for their traditional languages and cultures. In June 2005, four members of AIYA travelled to the Beaufort Delta to hold community meetings about the proposed Mackenzie Gas Project. In the communities of Inuvik, Tuktoyaktuk, Paulatuk and Aklavik, many youth had never heard about the pipeline. Erin Freeland, a Youth Indigenous communities in one of Alliance member, says:“This is perhaps the most remote regions in Russia one of the most frustrating things are witnessing climate change. In about the present system: those who will live with the consequences are not the spring of 2005, Tero Mustonen consulted, not informed.” and a team from Snowchange, Brent Wolki, AIYA board member visited Nizhnikolymsky in the from Tuktoyaktuk, says: “I spoke with my great-grandmother in Paulatuk Russian Arctic to learn more. about the development. She said: ‘I don’t want the pipeline to go through because it will affect our way of living and life for the future of our children, also it will affect my favorite caribou.’” Climate stories In Alaska, six teenagers founded Alaska Youth for Environmental Action (AYEA) in 1998. The programme has blossomed into a network of more than 1,000 youth in 23 communities from the throughout the state, and has worked on a number of environmental issues, including the struggle to stop drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. Russian Arctic AYEA is a program of the National Wildlife Federation. AYEA believes it is unfortunate that he Nizhnikolymsky region lies reindeer herders and other people who American and Alaskan corporate inter- in the Russia Arctic in the far have migrated to live in urban settle- ests and politicians are close to T north-east of the Sakha ments. succeeding in their plans to drill in the Republic. Splintered by the great Alexei Gavrilovich Tretjakov, an Arctic Refuge. It is unfortunate not Kolyma River and its tributaries, it Even reindeer herder, believes the only for the indigenous Gwich’in covers 87,100 square kilometers, but its climate is getting warmer. Ground is Indians, who view it as their sacred population is only around 5,600. It is, ‘sinking’, he says, because it is wetter land, but also unfortunate for today’s in fact, one of the most remote regions than before. There are more floods in children and future generations. on earth. the region and lakes have disappeared Verner Wilson, of AYEA, says: Most roads in the area are made of as the ground becomes water-logged, “Drilling in the Arctic Refuge will ice, and supplies are transported by he says. He has also seen the arrival of create a precedent, which may call for river and air. Outside the main settle- sable in the area. Sable is traditionally drilling in other national lands. In our ments, the region is tundra and wood- a species of taiga habitats, but has now generation we may see drilling in other land, and home to an abundance of spread northwards to the tundra national parks or areas critical for wildlife. It’s also home to many regions. It has replaced squirrel in the habitat and wildlife if we do not change different indigenous peoples, including border areas between taiga and tundra. America’s oil dependent energy policy. Dolgans, Evenk, Even, Yukagir, In Andrejuskino, local community “We would rather benefit by looking Chukchi, Yakut and Nenets. The main leaders voiced their concern about the to the future and move forward to an economies are traditional reindeer flooding that has impacted their environmentally conscious energy herding, hunting and fishing. community. Andrejuskino depends on independence through avenues such as In the spring of 2005, the ice roads for medical services, supplies renewable energy. We hope the youth Snowchange team visited local and other crucial humanitarian serv- in our generation will join us in this communities and indigenous peoples ices; it is 12 to18 hours away from vision.” to document oral histories, traditional Cherskiy by car. The thinner river and Jenn Sharman knowledge and conduct research on lake ice, as well as the unpredictable Arctic Indigenous Youth Alliance ecological and climate changes in the and swift changes in winter conditions, [email protected] region. are impacting community life, they say. We visited Cherskiy, the regional The Snowchange team focused on Verner Wilson capital, and smaller satellite communi- Nutendli, a Chukchi settlement along Alaska Youth for Environmental Action, National ties, such as Andrejuskino and the Kolyma River, close to the Arctic Wildlife Federation Kolymskaja along the Kolyma River. Ocean. The settlement is in the process To learn more about AYEA, go to: [email protected] Our team worked with elders, retired of ‘re-traditionalisation’. Nutendli has WWF ARCTIC BULLETIN • No.4.05 Climate change 13

Nomadic reindeer herders at camp in Halartsa. Local Indigenous people have reported increased flooding, severe weather varia- tions and melting permafrost in north-east Yakutia, Russia. Photos: Mustonen © Tero

bother the reindeer. We observe new streams and very little ice on the sea.We are observing lots of single polar bears wandering along the shore. We have had four cyclones in the fall and lots of snow. It is very difficult to ensure that there is enough food for the reindeer.” Nomadic reindeer herding is a traditional way of life in the Nizhnikolymsky region. Weather plays The Snowchange project organised a crucial role in daily life. The impacts community interviews and workshops of climate change, therefore, are This article was written in north-east Yakutia, Russia. Pictured crucial. by Tero Mustonen of here, elders and community represen- The Snowchange team visited Snowchange Indigenous children are the key to the tatives with the Snowchange team Halartsa, one of the nomadic winter (www.snowchange.org), long-term survival of the nomadic members, Embla Oddsdottir (middle), camps. We heard more stories about with contributions from indigenous cultures of north-east Johann Asmundsson (right) and Tero melting permafrost and sinking Snowchange members Yakutia, Russia. and Kaisu Mustonen (left). ground. Yet these stories contrasted Kaisu Mustonen, Jyrki with the powerful and resilient words Terva,Vyacheslav Shadrin, a nomadic school where local elders This means the impact of a changing of one of the traditional healers in Tamara Andreeva, Embla teach the younger generation, with climate has become a priority. Halartsa:“This has been going on since Oddsdottir, Johan help from a State-sponsored teacher. While the Snowchange team were time began – people in the towns may Asmundsson, and the The approach to learning in there, we worked with the community suffer and wither away eventually, but communities of the Nutendli is unique. Every child has his to document “star lore”, weather and our way of nomadic life will go on Nizhnikolymsky region. or her own reindeer, and their parents climate observations. And we organ- forever.” The research team help the children take care of them. ised joint ceremonies and exchanged Snowchange worked with three wishes to thank all of the During the summer, children take part stories. kinds of indigenous communities in participants in their in reindeer herding and other tradi- The dramatic changes that are being the Nizhnikolymsky Region on our workshops in Yakutia,and tional activities, such as fishing. This witnessed in Nutendli were summed visit: towns, settlements and reindeer the supporters of their practical approach enables them to up by Vyatcheslav at the recent camps. We hope that the work in 2005 work.The Snowchange learn about their own culture and Snowchange Conference in Alaska: is the start of a long-term collaboration project in Yakutia has language in action. “We watch the weather and notice with the people there. We hope that been expanded with help Vyatcheslav Kemlil, the leader of changes. Lakes are flooding the banks, our work has helped document impor- from the WWF Nutendli, says he wants to teach chil- small rivers are become larger. On tant and disturbing reports of climate International Arctic dren all aspects of reindeer herding, grazing grounds, I come across change impacts, such as permafrost Programme, and the and the Chukchi language. He says that unknown plants. There are many melting. And that it provided a strong Ministry of Foreign it is “easy” to become a herder, but that dwarf willows growing on the tundra. sense of communities ‘re-traditional- Affairs, Finland.The one must also learn about nature, and We use them for bonfires. When I was ising’,returning to the land, and being University of the Arctic, from other elders with more experi- a kid we had to search hard for the in control of their own destinies again. the University of ence. He wants his children’s genera- willows. Today, I don’t need to look Nutendli and other communities Akureyri, Iceland,Vladimir tion to be well educated and capable of hard at all. are planning an epic ski trip to Alaska Vasiliev in Yakutsk and the living the traditional way of life. “New fish species can be observed in in 2007 to highlight positive social Institute of the Problems Nutendli is an indigenous ‘service the Kolyma River. Marine species are change, including creating awareness of the Indigenous Peoples hub’ to the surrounding nomadic rein- showing up. We used to migrate north of problems associated with domestic of the North, based in deer camps. Weather plays a crucial slowly to reach the sea. Now we reach it abuse and alcoholism. At this time of Yakutsk,Yakutia,have also role in the daily life of the community. very fast because of the mosquitoes that change, the healing has already begun. provided support. 14 Climate change WWF ARCTIC BULLETIN • No.4.05 Arctic melt accelerating For the fourth consecutive year, scientists using satellite data have tracked a stunning reduction in arctic sea ice at the end of the northern summer. Stephanie Renfrow of the National Snow and Ice Data Centre, reports.

Scientists from the National Snow With four consecutive years of east of Severniya Zemvya, one of and Ice Data Centre (NSIDC), the low summer ice extent, confidence the most northern island chains of National Aeronautics and Space is strengthening that a long-term Russia. Agency (NASA) and the University decline is underway. Dr Walter Barry mused about the possible of Washington in Seattle, have Meier, NSIDC researcher, said: effects of the sea ice decline, concluded that based on the “Having four years in a row with including the impact on arctic persistence of near-record low sea such low ice extents has never been animals.“We saw several polar bears ice extents, arctic sea ice is likely on seen before in the satellite record. It quite close to the ship,” he said. an accelerating, long-term decline. clearly indicates a downward trend, “Polar bears must wait out the Dr Julienne Stroeve of NSIDC, not just a short-term anomaly.” summer melt season on land, using said: “Considering the record low In addition, however, this year their stored fat until they can return amounts of sea ice this year leading brings with it some new anomalies. to the ice. But if winter recovery and up to the month of September, The winter recovery of sea ice sea ice extent continue to decline, 2005 will almost certainly surpass extent in the 2004–2005 season was how will these beasts survive?” 2002 as the lowest amount of ice the smallest in the satellite record. Since 2002, satellite records have cover in more than a century.” Cooler winter temperatures allow also revealed that springtime If current rates of decline in sea the sea ice to “rebound” after melting is beginning unusually ice continue, the summertime summer melting. But with the early in the areas north of Alaska Arctic Ocean could be completely exception of May 2005, every and Siberia. The 2005 melt season ice-free well before the end of this month since December 2004 has set arrived even earlier, beating the century. a new record low ice extent for that mean melt onset date by approxi- This record covers the period month. mately 17 days, this time 1978 to the present. A recent assess- Professor Roger Barry, Director throughout the Arctic. ment of trends throughout the past of NSIDC, spent time in the Laptev In addition, arctic temperatures century indicates that the current Sea in mid-September, on an arctic have increased in recent decades. decline also exceeds past low ice icebreaker. The ship entered only Compared to the past 50 years, periods in the 1930s and 1940s. one area of continuous ice to the average surface air temperatures Auk clue to climate impact A study of little auks will marine ecosystem. In order to under- and white seabirds are highly social, provide a valuable insight stand how such ecosystem changes and their vast colonies are spectac- will affect top marine predators, we ular. Mass synchronised flights, into how climate change are studying the little auk (Alle alle), gathering several thousands of is impacting arctic a high arctic seabird that has a very individuals over the breeding species. Ann Harding and specialised zooplankton diet. colony, are a prominent feature of colleagues report. The little auk is the most abun- little auk breeding behavior. Birds dant seabird species in the Atlantic in flight are often extremely vocal, Photo: Carsten Egevang/ARC-PIC.COM Little auk (the total population is estimated at with somewhat hysterical ‘trilling’ ¨Numerous studies show that drastic 12 to 20 million pairs), with the calls that add to this intense spec- climate change is currently taking largest colonies located between 70 tacle of movement and activity. place in the Arctic, with melting sea to 80 degrees North on the arctic Little auks also play an important ice, shrinking glaciers, warmer air islands of Greenland and role in the arctic ecosystem by trans- temperatures, thawing permafrost, Spitsbergen. porting large amounts of nutrients longer growing seasons, and The little auk belongs to the auk from the sea to the land. It has been cascading effects on individual family, with its closest relatives estimated that birds at one colony in species. The rapidly melting arctic being the guillemots (Uria species) Spitsbergen add about 60 tons of sea ice is predicted to have a large and the razorbill (Alca torda). Little nutrient-rich excreta per square impact on the oceanographic circu- auks lay their single egg in enclosed kilometre of colony area. As a result, lation patterns in the Greenland Sea, rock crevices in talus slopes, and areas next to large little auk colonies with changes in the origin, strength colonies can be found on the coast support important concentrations and distribution of the different or on mountain slopes as far as 30 of vegetation and attract many water masses affecting the associated kilometer inland. These small black insects and herbivores. WWF ARCTIC BULLETIN • No.4.05 Climate change 15 from January through August, 2005, were two to three degrees Celsius (3.6 to 5.4 degrees Fahrenheit) warmer than average across most of the Arctic Ocean. Dr Mark Serreze of NSIDC, said: “The year 2005 puts an exclamation point on the pattern of arctic warming we’ve seen in recent years. “The sea ice cover seems to be rapidly changing and the best

explanation for this is rising Photo: / www.arcticphoto.co.uk Alexander Photography Bryan & Cherry temperatures.” The trend in sea ice decline, lack of winter recovery, early onset of 2005 has the spring melting, and warmer-than- lowest recorded average temperatures suggest a amount of system that is trapped in a loop of arctic sea ice positive feedbacks, in which cover in more responses to inputs into the system than a century. cause it to shift even further away from normal. Dr Ted Scambos, NSIDC lead Siberian Arctic in a layer 100 to 400 One of these positive feedbacks scientist, said: “Feedbacks in the meters, or 109 to 437 yards, below centres on increasingly warm system are starting to take hold. the surface.”Heat is probably trans- temperatures. Serreze explained Moreover, these feedbacks could ferring upward from this layer, that as sea ice declines because of change our estimate of the rate of helping to maintain open water warmer temperatures, the loss of decline of sea ice. Right now, our conditions. ice is likely to lead to still-further projections for the future use a Scientists point out that a longer ice losses. Sea ice reflects much of steady linear decline, but when record of data will continue to help the sun’s radiation back into space, feedbacks are involved the decline them better understand both the whereas dark ice-free ocean is not necessarily steady – it could influences and the remarkable absorbs more of the sun’s energy. pick up speed.” changes that they are now seeing. As sea ice melts, Earth’s overall On his arctic cruise, Barry saw albedo, the light reflected away another example of a factor that Stephanie Renfrow from the planet, decreases. The contributes to changes in the Arctic. Science Communications increased absorption of energy Barry said: “Warm water flowing National Snow and Ice Data Center further warms the planet. from the Atlantic is persisting in the [email protected]

Little auks feed almost entirely on energy demands are due to their Teams at each study colony also tiny zooplankton that are caught high wing loading (low wing collected information about how during wing-propelled dives. Parent surface area to body size) and long hard parent little auks were little auks carry these zooplankton foraging distances. These little birds working, how successfully they back to their chick at the colony in a may, therefore, have little ability to were breeding, how fast chicks were throat pouch which can hold over spend more energy on foraging if growing and what prey species 15,000 individual prey items. local food availability decreases. parents were feeding their chicks. Different zooplankton communities We are comparing the breeding These data will be used to quantify are associated with the different and feeding ecology of populations the physiological and behavioural water masses in the Greenland Sea. of little auks foraging in highly response of birds to different More importantly, the energy contrasted oceanographic condi- foraging conditions, and assess content of individual zooplankton tions. Projects funded by the their flexibility to changes in food differs among species, with larger Norwegian Research Council, availability. species generally providing more National Science Foundation and Information gathered from both energy to predators than smaller Norwegian Polar Institute are regions will ultimately allow us to ones. Changes in the species compo- studying little auk colonies on the model the response of little auk sition of zooplankton communities west coast of Spitsbergen, and the populations to predicted change in associated with changes in oceano- French Polar Institute (IPEV) and the arctic marine environment graphic conditions in the Greenland WWF is funding a study of little associated with climate change. Sea will, therefore, directly affect the auks in east Greenland. 2005 was energy flow to little auks, with the official start of this collaborative Ann Harding,Alaska Science Center, potential impact on their reproduc- effort, with teams conducting boat- USGS/BRD, USA tion and survival. based surveys to quantify local David Grémillet, Centre National de la The little auk’s small size and oceanographic conditions, Recherche Scientifique, France relatively high-energy expenditure zooplankton availability and the Nina Karnovsky, Pomona College, USA also make them particularly sensi- distribution of feeding birds on Geir Wing Gabrielsen, Norwegian Polar tive to local variability in prey. High both sides of the Greenland Sea. Institute, Norway. 16 Bering Sea WWF ARCTIC BULLETIN • No.4.05 A remote refuge in the Bering Sea Last summer, the WWF’s Margaret Williams visited St Matthew and Hall Islands, in the northern Bering Sea, two of the most remote outposts of the Alaska Maritime National Wildlife Refuge.This is her report.

One of the greatest challenges in gion is represented by one of the depend. Bering Sea conservation and protected areas established to This year I had the chance join resource management is the conserve the remarkable resources an expedition to St Matthew and tremendous scale of the area. The in Alaska’s waters: the Alaska Hall Islands, in the northern Bering ecoregion encompasses nearly one Maritime National Wildlife Refuge. Sea, two of the most remote million square miles of marine, Known as the most remote and far outposts of the Refuge. Sponsored coastal, and island ecosystems. A flung refuge in the US’ national by the Alaska Maritime National place of superlatives, it is home to system, Alaska Maritime is Wildlife Refuge, the expedition the world’s largest concentrations composed of 2,500 islands and team, led by refuge biologists Art of northern fur seals, some of the coastal units. Sowls and Heather Renner, was planet’s largest bird colonies and is It is home to thousands of composed of Refuge staff, univer- the location of the world’s longest marine mammals and approxi- sity scientists, representatives from salmon migration up the Yukon mately 40 million seabirds; 80 The Nature Conservancy and River. percent of Alaska’s seabird colonies WWF, and two representatives of Other remarkable migrations to are found there. Many of Alaska the Pribilof Islands, another very the area take place too; the arctic Maritime’s units are scattered important unit of the Refuge. tern’s 10,000-mile journey from around the Bering Sea ecoregion, To reach the islands, we boarded Antarctica each year; the albatross’ making the Refuge an important the Tiglax, the Refuge’s trusty circumnavigation of the Globe, partner in conservation. It is also an research vessel, on St Paul Island, transiting the Bering Sea; and the important part of the region’s and sailed north for nearly 24 great whales journey from Mexico, economy, attracting tourists and hours. At the helm was the jovial the south Pacific and elsewhere to protecting coastal and marine land- and highly knowledgeable Captain feed on the sea’s bounty. scapes on which many communi- Kevin Bell, who delivered one team Another superlative in the ecore- ties and commercial entities and their supplies to St Matthew, WWF partners for safer shipping in Be The risk of oil spills in the Bering Sea is a reality, so it is time to ensure adequate measures are in place to minimise the threat, argues Margaret Williams.

WWF, along with partners in the a series of demands draining the managers around the country Shipping Safety Partnership (SSP), fund, the $800 million in remaining wondering how the costs of clean up recently celebrated a major victory funds was projected to run out and restoration would be possible. when the US Congress agreed to completely in 2009, leaving coastal WWF-US convinced state and restore the federal fund that pays communities and resource congressional leaders of the need to for the clean up of oil spills, such as the one created by the grounding of the freighter Selendang Ayu in WWF’s priority actions for advancing shipping safety in the Bering Sea include December, 2004. advocating for: The Selendang Ayu, a Malaysian • Modification of the language of the Oil Spill Liability Trust Fund (OSLTF) to freighter, ran aground 1,300 kilo- allow use of funds for prevention, rather than just response; metres south-west of Anchorage in • Establishment of a new cargo fee by which cargo ship owners will contribute the Aleutian Islands, creating to the OSLTF,which is currently funded only by oil shippers; Alaska’s worst oil spill since the • A comprehensive vessel traffic risk assessment that would characterise vessel Exxon Valdez in 1989. traffic, identify areas of special conservation concern, and suggest risk-reduc- The OSLTF was established tion measures; following the 1989 Exxon Valdez oil • Establishment of round-the-clock vessel tracking system; spill and had been maintained by a • Stationing of high power rescue/ salvage tugs along the Aleutian traffic route; five-cent-per-barrel tax on oil. and However, that tax expired in 1994. • Routing agreements that will protect sensitive Bering Sea wildlife and habitats. With no further revenue source and WWF ARCTIC BULLETIN • No.4.05 Bering Sea 17

and another batch to Hall Island. several times, our group created a For two weeks, each group map of the islands. conducted a series of research proj- To spend two weeks on an island ects. The St Matthew crew as remote and untouched as Hall conducted a fox survey and assessed Island (which has never been the degree to which the tundra inhabited, built upon, bombed, ecosystem has rebounded in the 30 subjected to introduced species, or years since the death of the last overgrazed by reindeer) was a reindeer. On Hall Island, our group remarkable opportunity. Indeed, conducted a productivity and the Refuge and places like these are population assessment of several critical pieces in the dynamic and seabird species that serve as bell- difficult conservation arena. wethers for the status of forage fish However, this Refuge is threat- and plankton in the near shore and ened. In August, the National offshore environments. Wildlife Refuge Association We also recorded observations of published a report, listing Alaska other island life, such as the Maritime as one of six of the endemic singing vole (it really does nation’s 545 national wildlife sing) and the strangely shy arctic refuges that are threatened. The foxes that scouted our camp daily. disastrous shipwreck of the Evie Witten of the Nature Selendang Ayu contributed in large Conservancy discovered a sample part to this unfortunate recogni- of an endemic species of Artemesia tion. – a first for the records on Hall This year WWF has been Photo: Dean Kildaw/USFWS Island natural history. Our group working on some of those issues. community-based science Guillemot on also included two researchers from We have been actively engaged on programmes in several coastal sea cliffs, the University of Alaska – shipping issues, in Washington DC communities, to enable Bering Sea St.George Fairbanks, Sasha Kitaysky and Mike as well as Alaska. We initiated a new residents to monitor and record Island,Alaska. Shultz whose research on stress programme on climate change, change in this amazing and expan- hormones in birds required inge- Climate Witness, to gather commu- sive ecoregion. nuity and long days at the bird nity observations on climate Margaret D.Williams cliffs. Finally, using GPS and change and bring their stories to the Director,WWF Bering Sea Ecoregion walking around the small island public. And we are supporting Programme

The prevention of shipping acci- with the WWF International Arctic dents and associated oil spills must Program to assess the extent and be achieved to ensure a healthy type of cruise tourism activities in ring Sea Bering Sea ecosystem. This means the Bering Sea and to identify insisting on regulations that will potential areas where cruise prac- restore the Oil Spill Liability Trust truly improve the safety perform- tices can be improved, especially in Fund (OSLTF), the source of ance of the more than 3,000 vessels the most sensitive marine areas, for monies used in oil spill remediation that traverse the sea each year. example, by promoting best prac- throughout the United States. In striving for safer shipping in tice in fuel conservation, waste After a couple of months of the Bering Sea ecoregion, WWF is management systems, and wildlife active outreach, WWF was expanding beyond the impacts viewing practices. extremely pleased to see the intro- associated with vessel traffic in the Margaret D.Williams duction of legislation re-instating Aleutian Islands and Great Circle Director,WWF Bering Sea Ecoregion and raising the cap on the OSLTF. Route. This year, WWF’s Bering Sea Programme Although this particular bill (the Ecoregion team has joined forces [email protected] Oil Spill Liability Trust Fund Maintenance Act) was not passed the legislative language, for which The Shipping Safety Partnership WWF had advocated, was retained and the measure was included in The Shipping Safety Partnership commercial fishing 2004.The policy agenda of the the nation’s Energy Bill, passed in (SSP) is an informal partnership organisations, conservation SSP is focused on calling for August, 2005. of interest groups and groups, tribal, municipal and measures to reduce the risk of Restored funding aside, the threat individuals sharing the common village governments, state and groundings, collisions, and oil of another disastrous oil spill still goal of improving shipping federal agencies, academic and cargo spills from the lurks in the Bering Sea ecoregion. safety along the primary North institutions, and citizens of several thousand merchant The body of the Selendang Ayu still Pacific cargo shipping routes, in coastal communities, was vessels that transit the Bering rests where it ran aground and broke particular along the Great formed in response to the Sea each year. For more on nearby Unalaska Island, and Circle Route through the disastrous Selendang Ayu information, visit more than 20 percent of oiled beach Aleutian Islands and southern grounding and oil spill off www.alaskaoceans.net/sao/ssp.htm segments still have oil on them, Bering Sea.This coalition of Unalaska Island in December despite efforts to clean them. 18 Toxics WWF ARCTIC BULLETIN • No.4.05 Polar bear – a toxic indicator? Polar bears hold a key to understanding the health risk of environmental pollutants. Linda Homewood reports.

A University of Florida (UF) the effects of pollutants on humans methoxychlor, a compound used as researcher, who is aiming to better living in the Arctic, who share the a substitute for the pesticide DDT understand how industrial pollu- same staple diet as the bears. when it was banned, and which tants in arctic ecosystems might Because polar bears are mammals WWF recommended as an addition impact humans, has zeroed in on with a diet similar to the native to the Stockholm Convention; how effectively polar bears are able Inuit, they may serve as good surro- TCPM, an industrial compound to rid themselves of environmental gates for studying human popula- found in the Arctic, but of toxins consumed in the food they tions also exposed to the pollutants. unknown origin and toxicity; PCP, eat. Studying liver tissue samples used as a wood preservative; and Bears can completely eliminate obtained from the bears, James PCBs, industrial chemicals used for only one of five of the tested classes found that the animals were many years in electrical applica- of industrial contaminants they are surprisingly efficient at tions. All of these substances, with exposed to, a finding that’s bad metabolising one of the five types the exception of TCPM, are regu- news for the bears and other species of industrial chemicals studied – lated or banned, but they persist in who share their environment, those produced by a ‘burning the environment. according to Margaret James, PhD, process’, which are similar to the Polar bears break down these an environmental toxicologist at compounds that form when meat is fat-soluble chemicals in two steps, UF. cooked on a grill. The other four each of which makes the substances James says: “The polar bear has pollutants, she determined, could more water-soluble and therefore quite an efficient system for not be fully excreted. easier to excrete, said James. The metabolising these pollutants. If James says: “This suggests that first step, however, results in a A curious polar they can’t do it, then it’s unlikely other species will metabolise the compound that is more chemically bear stands up that other animals or persons can.” pollutants more slowly. When they reactive and therefore more for a better The UF study, published in the are not sufficiently excreted the harmful to living cells, with the look, Cape October issue of the journal Drug levels go up.” potential for reproductive or Churchill, Metabolism and Disposition, could James, chairwoman of the neurological damage. The second Canada help researchers learn more about department of medicinal chemistry phase, often slower than the first, at UF’s College of Pharmacy, determines how successfully the became interested in studying animals eliminate the toxins, she pollutants nearly 30 years ago. said. Around that time, researchers first In 2001, the world population of began to understand that industrial polar bears was estimated to be byproducts were carried to the between 21,500 and 25,000, of Arctic by trade winds and then which some 15,000 were in Canada. settled in the sub-zero tempera- There has been a decline in some tures, making them more likely to sub-populations, which some accumulate in the food chain. blame on environmental pollution. James faced one obstacle in her People throughout the world research: how could a Florida continue to be exposed to chemical researcher obtain a polar bear for pollutants long after they are scientific study? Her break came in created and released into the 2003, when Canadian colleagues atmosphere, James said. Her imme- Stelvio Bandiera, PhD, professor of diate research goal is to help scien- biomolecular and pharmaceutical tists gain a better understanding of chemistry at the University of exactly how these compounds are British Columbia in Vancouver, and eliminated from the body. Her Robert Letcher, PhD, at long-range goal is to provide Environment Canada in Ottawa, governments and regulatory agen- donated liver tissue samples from cies with scientific findings three adult male bears to UF. The regarding the safety or potential bears came from a legally risks of the environmental chemical controlled hunt in 1993 by the Inuit pollutants that will guide future native to the Canadian Arctic. decisions about the use and the In her research, James concen- disposal of these compounds. trated on five types of chemical contaminants known by the Linda Homewood acronym POPs, for persistent University of Florida organic pollutants. They include [email protected]fl.edu Photo: / www.arcticphoto.co.uk Alexander Photography Bryan & Cherry Surfacing orca or killer whale (Orcinus orca),Tysfjord, north-western Norway. Photo: Hans Wolkers Killer whales’toxic load Norwegian killer whales are some of the most toxic mammals in the Arctic according to new research. Hans Wolkers, a researcher with the Norwegian Polar Institute, carried out research in 2002 and in the early winter of 2005, in Tysfjord, Norway.

A crisp and clear autumn morning fjords of herring and there’s tine appearance is misleading. Deep welcomes us when we leave our another threat for the spawning in the green waters, toxic chemicals little cabin and walk a few hundred fish: killer whales. do their devastating work. Pollution, meters to the harbor where our Killer whales are skilled hunters originating from lower latitudes, is rubber boat, a ‘zodiac’,is parked for with a taste for the fatty fish. They transported by air and sea currents the night. This year is just like any follow the herring schools from the into the arctic marine environment. other year in the Tysfjord area of high Arctic, all the way into Consequently, killer whales’food has northern Norway: although not a Norway’s fjords. In a hunting become contaminated. In the single wrinkle disturbs the sea’s strategy called ‘carousel feeding’, coming weeks, we will analyse fat features, we know that just meters groups of collaborating killer tissue from killer whales and their below this pristine surface one of whales herd the herring in a tight prey species to asses the whales’ nature’s big displays is going on. school. The ball of panicking exposure to toxic contaminants. Millions of herring, heavy with roe herring is subsequently stunned It is still dark when we reach our and milt, have migrated into the with mighty slams of the whales’ zodiac and start loading our equip- fjords ready to spawn. Thanks to flukes and the fish are eaten one by ment. In the Arctic, days are short special conditions in the fjords, one. this time of year and only a tiny favoring eggs and juveniles, the The Arctic is one of the last light band on the horizon signals a herring have repeated this migra- remote wilderness areas of our new day. Cameras, sound recording tion for many decades. But, for the planet and mainly consists of clear equipment, and a biopsy gun are all herring, mating is a risky business. ocean surrounded by a frozen, essential tools for our team of three. Factory ships efficiently empty the mountainous landscape. But its pris- Without a stutter, our 115-horse➤ 20 Toxics WWF ARCTIC BULLETIN • No.4.05

➤ power engine starts and slowly we whales’ food for pollutants. high chemical concentrations, leave the harbor. While a subtle Norway has a history of marine possibly leading to adverse health pink colors the horizon, we scan the mammal hunting, and killer whales effects. fjord for any signs of killer whale were taken as well. Catch records of Although the most harmful activity. this species exist since the late contaminants, such as PCBs, have Suddenly we spot a large group 1930s; between 1938 and 1980 an been banned, they are still abun- of seagulls at a few hundred meters. average of 57 whales were killed. dantly present due to their persist- Slowly we move closer and then we The last big culls occurred in 1969, ence and pose a long-term threat to see the killer whales in action for 1970 and in 1979 when around 230 wildlife and humans. There is the first time. The sea is boiling as a animals were killed on average as a growing concern about the increase group of at least eight killer whales response by the Norwegian of new chemicals such as poly- frantically work for their meal. Government to a presumed compe- brominated flame retardants in With sharp turns and lots of tail tition of killer whales with the wildlife. Chemically, these splashing, a school of herring is herring fisheries. Unfortunately, in compounds are similar to PCBs, herded together and attacked. The spite of the wealth of samples, no but are still used and produced in green water shines with thousands published studies, including everyday household appliances. of floating scales; evidence of a contaminant studies, on these Recent studies have indicated that herring slaughter somewhere in the animals are available. these ‘PCBs of the 21st century’ green deep. On the surface, floating These days, the whales are a lot double their concentration in the herring are a welcome snack for safer, at least from hunters. A large environment every five years. screaming seagulls. whale watching industry now Chemical results of the samples Although our boat floats in the generates income for local commu- we have taken reveal a shocking middle of the activity, the killer nities, and the killer whales’ reality: the herring has five to ten whales are totally concentrated on amazing behaviour has been the times higher pollution levels than their hunt and completely ignore focus of several nature documen- polar cod from the high Arctic. For us. This is an excellent opportunity taries. the killer whales things are even to get some samples. Quickly, I load Today’s threat comes from a less worse. Massive amounts of pollu- the modified caliber .22 gun with a visible source: pollution. This is a tants have accumulated in their red hollow-pointed dart. Just when continuing threat to the health of blubber tissue, even more so than in I’m ready to aim a large male comes marine animals as well as humans polar bears. This gives killer whales up to take a quick breath, exposing harvesting food from the sea. Many the gloomy record as the most his large dorsal fin and back for a chemicals that end up in the Arctic polluted arctic predator. Compared couple of seconds. Just enough time are fat-soluble and degrade only to other animals from the Barents to get a shot. A modest ‘bang’ and slowly. The arctic marine environ- area, all contaminant levels meas- the dart flies out, hitting the grey ment is particularly vulnerable to ured are substantially higher. Even saddle patch right in the middle. these pollutants because it acts as a the notoriously polluted white The whale doesn’t even flinch when final contaminant sink and conse- whales from the Canadian Gulf of I pull the attached line to get the quently contains a major portion of St. Lawrence, thought to suffer dart out, and continues to work on these compounds. Due to bioaccu- heavily from contaminant expo- his meal. The first sample is taken. mulation processes, marine preda- sure, show substantially lower With a small net we also sample a tors, such as killer whales, are contaminant levels than the few dozen dead herring to test the accordingly exposed to relatively Norwegian killer whales. Particularly striking are the high toxaphene concentrations in the Killer whale facts killer whales, an indication that the whales and their prey species spend Killer whales are big dolphins locally available, from small fish different feeding strategies, quite some time in the eastern and can weigh more than six to large mammals. Even deer ‘residents’ and ‘transients’, have Svalbard area, notorious for tons.They inhabit most of the and moose have been reported been identified. Like the toxaphene pollution. Brominated world’s oceans including the to end their life in the jaws of Norwegian killer whales, flame retardants are also well repre- Atlantic, Pacific, and Indian killer whales.These adaptable residents stay mainly along the sented. Oceans and they are one of the creatures are famous for taking coast consuming fish as a major It is difficult to predict contami- few marine mammal species advantage of temporary large portion of their diet, while the nant-induced effects as a result of inhabiting both arctic and prey densities, such as during transient killer whales frequent this toxic exposure in the killer antarctic waters. Killer whales the seal pupping season in coastal waters as well as the whales, but with levels as high as seem to prefer colder areas, Patagonia or spawning herring open ocean with their diet those seen in these killer whales, the possibly because of the along the coast of Norway. It consisting almost exclusively of chances that their immune system abundance of food there. has been estimated that thou- marine mammals. is being compromised and their With their characteristic sands of killer whales might be Because of their position at reproduction impaired, are real- black and white patterns, killer present in Norwegian coastal the top of the food chain, the istic. Future monitoring and addi- whales are among the best waters when herring are health of killer whale popula- tional studies to assess possible known cetaceans and are true abundant. tions can be considered the effects will be of utmost impor- icons of the world’s oceans. Along the west coast of ultimate indicator of marine tance. They are amazingly adaptable, North America, two different ecosystem health. Hans Wolkers and specialise on food sources killer whale populations with Researcher, Norwegian Polar Institute [email protected] WWF ARCTIC BULLETIN • No.4.05 text 21 Linking Mesopotamia to the Arctic Satellite tracking helps plot the path of the lesser white-fronted goose. WWF’s Petteri Tolvanen reports.

Contrary to other arctic goose Connected to the Arctic Migration mapped species regularly occurring in In the summer of 2004, the Europe, the general migration Fennoscandian Lesser White- direction of the European and Fronted Goose Conservation Project western Siberian populations of the (a joint effort between WWF endangered lesser white-fronted Finland and BirdLife Norway), and goose, Anser erythropus, is south- the Goose, Swan and Duck Study east or south. The main staging and Group of Northern Eurasia, started wintering sites of the species are in a project to track, by satellite trans- the former Soviet Union, in the tions. This has become evident mitters, the migration route of the Caspian Region, and in the Middle based on ringing and satellite geese breeding in the polar Urals, East. tracking programmes. Spring Russia. Before this project, the flyway In these areas, the control of hunting of adult birds exerts partic- of the western main population was hunting, as well as the conservation ularly harmful effects on the popu- already relatively well known as far of wetlands, is less advanced than in lation. To fight off this threat, as south as to the autumn staging area western Europe. This is one of the well as the other threats, like loss in the Kostanay region in north- most important reasons for the and deterioration of habitats, the western Kazakstan. But the route globally threatened status of the first essential step is to reveal the further south of Kazakstan was very species, while most other arctic key staging and wintering sites. poorly known. goose populations, wintering in Satellite tracking is a powerful tool In July 2004, Vladimir V. ➤ Lesser white- western Europe, are thriving. The in this work. Morozov and his colleagues fronted goose. historical range of the goose covers whole sub-arctic Eurasia, but nowadays the distribution is patchy, and all the populations show a declining trend. The world population of the lesser white-fronted goose (around 25,000 individuals at mid-winter) is divided genetically into two parts of roughly equal size, a western and an eastern flyway population, with a geographic divide on the Taimyr Peninsula, Russia. The western flyway population migrates from the breeding grounds in Russia, via north-western Kazakstan, to the still very poorly known wintering areas in the Caspian region and Middle East. The eastern flyway population winters mainly in China. In addition to the major divide between the western and eastern flyway populations, the critically endangered Fennoscandian popu- lation, presently numbering only 20–30 pairs, breeds both in the Nordic countries and on the Kola Peninsula in Russia, although in the latter case, the total numbers of pairs are unknown. High mortality rate due to hunting and poaching is assessed to be the most important single threat for the species, and it is alone suffi- cient to explain the present contin- uous decline of the goose popula- Photo: Øien Ingar Jostein 22 Connected to the Arctic • Bookreview WWF ARCTIC BULLETIN • No.4.05

➤ from the Goose, Swan and Duck The LIFE project is run by WWF population migrates to the Study Group of Northern Eurasia, Finland, with nine more partners in Netherlands for winter. caught three geese and equipped Finland, Norway, Estonia, Hungary The reintroduced population is them with transmitters. One of the and Greece. In addition to the regarded as a potential genetic transmitters worked throughout financial contribution of the EU threat to the wild population, the migratory journey, and revealed and the project partners, the project because hybridisation with the a number of formerly unknown is co-financed by the Finnish and white-fronted goose Anser albifrons staging and wintering sites. The Estonian Ministries of and greylag Goose Anser anser has most important and most Environment. occurred during the captive history surprising finding was that the bird In the potential breeding of the Swedish and Finnish captive spent the whole mid-winter as far grounds in the Fennoscandian lesser white-fronted goose stocks south as the Mesopotamian tundra, the LIFE project aims to used or planned to be used in the Marshes in eastern Iraq. The next locate the most important breeding reintroduction. They also form a very challenging step, which is areas, and to secure favourable threat because the small non-pedi- crucial for the conservation of the conservation status of these areas. gree and ill-managed captive popu- species, is to start goose inventories At the staging and wintering sites, lations might have accumulated in the area. The transmitter still the project aims to eliminate the deleterious mutations with worked during the whole spring most important threats for the untested effects in the wild. When migration, and in the end of May species, such as high mortality due introduced into small wild popula- 2005 the bird safely returned to the to hunting and poaching, loss of tion, these alleles might become breeding area. For the first time original feeding and roosting habi- quickly fixed by genetic drift and ever, the whole migration route and tats, and human disturbance. The accelerate the extinction of the wild all major stopover and wintering project also aims to fill in the gaps Fennoscandian population. sites of a single lesser white-fronted in knowledge for example by satel- goose were mapped. lite tracking, and to identify further Petteri Tolvanen needs for lesser white-fronted goose WWF Finland New international LIFE project conservation measures along the for the conservation of lesser flyway. Further information white-fronted geese on the The Fennoscandian lesser white- is available at: European flyway fronted goose population is so An international EU LIFE Nature small that it is already on the verge Portal for the lesser white-fronted project, titled ‘Conservation of the of extinction, and so there is an goose, including day-to-day satellite Lesser White-fronted Goose on urgent need to protect the popula- follow up results of the Iraq lesser European migration route’ started tion more effectively. As a whole, white-fronted goose: in April 2005. The project aims to the European flyway is insecure for www.piskulka.net improve and monitor the conser- the species; the annual monitoring Conservation of the lesser white- vation status of the critically endan- of the spring staging areas shows a fronted goose on European gered Fennoscandian lesser white- continuous decline in the numbers migration route LIFE project: fronted goose population, and to of individuals. www.wwf.fi/lwfg put in to practice the international The LIFE project targets the wild WWF Newsroom,WWF tracks action plan for the lesser white- Fennoscandian breeding popula- lesser white-fronted goose to Iraq: fronted goose, published by tion. In Sweden, a re-introduced http://www.panda.org/news_facts/ne European Commission in 1996. population is breeding, and this wsroom/news.cfm?uNewsID=17052

Snow Amazing: Cool Facts and Warm Tales tion and story. I particularly liked Ann Love, Jane Drake, Mark Thurman the old Russian folktale The Little (illustrations) Snow Girl, and the section on four Tundra Books experts who have made amazing 80 pp research discoveries of ecology ISBN 0-88776-670-6 under the snow. After all that marvel and awe, I This delightful book is packed with got to the final two pages and was a rich array of facts, stories, images brought back wisely by the authors and questions from around the to the realities of what our species Arctic. It’s a ‘must’ for any parent is doing to snow and the Arctic – interested in their children’s appre- melting it quickly via global ciation of the beauty and diversity warming. of countries with snow, but also a I read at bedtime to my young very good tapestry of ‘snow-things’ daughters and found it to be a very for any grown-up who doesn’t exciting and well-balanced book already know it all. adapt to them. Each topic is given that led to good conversations and The book is set up as a series of two to four pages, making a lovely, dreams. short profiles of the many facets of short but very informative and Pete Ewins snow and how nature and people well-illustrated burst of informa- [email protected] WWF ARCTIC BULLETIN • No.4.05 Calendar • Bookreview 23

Forthcoming arctic meetings & events

Arctic Council events CAFF Management Board Meeting WHERE: Helsinki, Finland • WHEN: 13 – 15 February • CONTACT: email: [email protected] Arctic Council Senior Arctic Officials meeting WHERE: Syktyvkar-Komi Republic, Russia • WHEN: 26 – 27 April • CONTACT: email: [email protected] CAFF XI Biennial Meeting WHERE: Northern Finland • WHEN: 6 – 8 June • CONTACT: [email protected] www.yllassaaga.con/en

Conferences and workshops Alaska Forum on the Environment WHERE: Anchorage, Alaska • WHEN: 6 – 10 February • CONTACT: www.akforum.com/ 13th Ocean Sciences Meeting – A Joint Meeting of ASLO, TOS, and AGU WHERE: Honolulu, Hawaii • WHEN: 20 – 24 February • CONTACT: www.agu.org/meetings/os06/ Symposium "The Greenlandic Environment: Pollution and Solutions" WHERE: Arctic Technology Centre, Sisimiut, Greenland • WHEN: 21 – 23 February CONTACT: www.arktiskcenter.gl/UK/ARTEK-feb06-UK.pdf Images of the North Conference WHERE: Reykjavik, Iceland • WHEN: 24 – 26 February CONTACT: www.akademia.is/imagesofthenorth/NORTHWORKSHOP Community Workshop: "Arctic Navigation and Communications for High-Latitude Ocean Research" WHERE: Seattle,Washington • WHEN: 27 February – 1 March • CONTACT: email: [email protected] 36th Annual International Arctic Workshop WHERE: Boulder, Colorado • WHEN: 16 – 18 March • CONTACT: instaar.colorado.edu/meetings/AW2006 Convention on Biological Diversity COP8 WHERE: Curitiba, Brazil • WHEN: 20 – 31 March • CONTACT: www.biodiv.org/doc/meeting.aspx?mtg=COP-08&tab=0 Arctic Science Summit Week 2006 WHERE: Potsdam, Germany • WHEN: 22 – 29 March • CONTACT: www.assw2006.de/ International Conference on Alpine and Polar Microbiology WHERE: Innsbruck, Austria • WHEN: 27 – 30 March • CONTACT: www.alpine-polar-microbiology2006.at/ 7th Nordic-Baltic Conference on Environmental Health WHERE: Copenhagen, Denmark • WHEN: 24 – 25 April • CONTACT: www.smf.dk/nordic.html For more on these events and other meetings, please visit: http://www.arcus.org/Calendar/upcomingEvents.shtml • http://www.iasc.no/SAM/samtext.htm

Kids Book of the Far North Inuit, Saami, Nenets, Inupiat, and Ann Love, Jane Drake, Jocelyne Bouchard Yupik cultures as well as stories (Illustrator) from elders. Kids Can Press As Kids Book of the Far North pp 48 shows, the northern environment is ISBN: 1550745638 not a ‘wasteland’ but a thriving Ages 9–12 ecosystem and home to many people. Living in the North also There are many mysterious and offers its own unique set of chal- unknown places in the world. For lenges. It would not normally occur me the North, and particularly the to most people, young or old, from Russian North, held this mystery. a warmer climate that a northern What we know of these places as community that is built on children, and even as adults, is often permafrost cannot simply pipe vague and informed by clichés and their water and waste underground. stereotypes. Full-colour illustrations, maps, The Kids Book of the Far North is issues and small sidebars entitled timelines and photographs nicely an excellent way to introduce young ‘Eco Watch’ pose great questions supplement the facts about wildlife people to the reality of the arctic that encourage young people to and arctic living. For a young world and arctic life. It takes a think about conservation issues and person, the Kids Book of the Far contemporary and thoughtful look the way that humans interact with North is an excellent overview of at life in the Arctic and includes an their environment. There are ‘day- the arctic environment and abundance of well-researched in-the-life’ stories that give an northern culture and lifestyle. information that is appropriately account of what daily life is like for written for a younger audience. a young person in the North, and Nigel Allan The book looks at conservation there is detailed information about [email protected] Retur WWF-Norge PO Box 6784 St Olavs plass, N-0130 Oslo, Norway

Sea ice extent – 1979 to 2005

Minimum sea ice concentration anomalies (five-day mean) Maps:Walt Meier,Maps:Walt and Ice Data Center, National Snow of Colorado, University Boulder. 1980 2005

1979–2000 mean minimum Daily ice extent in the summers of sea ice edge 2002–2005.All four years are well below the 1979–2000 average, which >50% is shown in black. The colour bands show differing levels of sea ice concentration. Blue indicates areas where concentration is more than the long-term mean; red shows areas where concentration is less than the long-term mean.

Sea ice concentration Graph: and Ice Data Center, National Snow of Colorado, University Boulder <-50% anomalies

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