ANATOLY KOCHNEV EDUARD ZDOR HARVEST AND USE OF POLAR BEARS IN CHUKOTKA: RESULTS OF 1999-2012 STUDIES Moscow 2016 CONTENTS List of figures and tables 3 Introduction 8 Data and methods 12 Distribution of the respondents in Chukotka’s administrative districts 15 Age of the respondents 17 Length of stay in Chukotka and ethnic composition of the respondents 18 Gender of the respondents 19 Professional background of the respondents 21 Geographical zoning 24 Polar bear in settlements 28 Encounters with polar bears in settlements 28 Ways of protecting local communities 31 Who shoots problem polar bears? 42 Goals and features of polar bear hunting 44 Social characteristics of hunters and goals of hunting 44 Den hunting 51 Hunting for females with cubs 54 Use of polar bear harvest products 58 Principles of the distribution of harvest products in the communities based on interviews conducted in 1999-2005 58 Principles of the distribution of harvest products in the communities based on questionnaire surveys conducted in 2011-2012 73 Use of polar bear in traditional diet 75 Use of polar bear skins in everyday life 82 Trade of polar bear skins 86 Polar bear harvest size in Chukotka 92 Conclusion 104 Acknowledgements 109 Appendices 112 Bibliography 134 2 LIST OF FIGURES AND TABLES Figures Fig.1 Distribution of the respondents across settlements in different time periods of data collection in 1999-2012. Size of symbols corresponds to relative number of the respondents 15 Fig. 2 Distribution of the respondents in Chukotka’s administrative districts 16 Fig. 3 Age of the respondents 17 Fig. 4 Ethnic composition of the respondents in 1999-2005 (%) 18 Fig. 5 Gender of the respondents in 1999-2005 (%) 19 Fig. 6 Gender of the respondents in 2011-2012 (%) 20 Fig. 7 Professional background of the respondents in 1999-2012 22 Fig. 8 Zoning of northern Chukotka by polar bear habitats and intensity of polar bear use: I — “East Siberian”; II — “Long Strait”; III — “Chukchi Sea”; IV — “Bering Strait”; V — “Gulf of Anadyr”; VI — “Tundra” 24 Fig. 9 Respondents’ estimations of number of encounters with polar bears in Chukotka settlements by zones in 1999-2005 and 2012 30 Fig. 10 Reaction of local communities to polar bears approaching human habitation and settlements in Chukotka in 1957-1991 and 1992-2005 (based on interview surveys conducted in 1999-2005) 33 Fig. 11 Responses of “hunters” on how to deal with polar bears approaching Chukotka settlements; surveys in 8 villages (zones 3-4) in 2011 and 22 villages and larger settlements (zones 1-6) in 2012 37 Fig. 12 Responses of “other locals” on how to deal with polar bears approaching Chukotka settlements; surveys in 8 villages (zones 3-4) in 2011 and 24 villages, larger settlements and towns (zones 1-6) in 2012 38 List of figures and tables 3 Fig. 13 Cases in which polar bears approaching Chukotka settlements are killed; surveys of “other locals” in 8 villages (zones 3-4) in 2011 and in 24 villages, larger settlements and towns (zones 1-6) in 2012 39 Fig. 14 Cases in which polar bears approaching Chukotka settlements are killed; surveys of “hunters” in 8 villages (zones 3-4) in 2011 and 22 villages and larger settlements (zones 1-6) in 2012, as well as “other locals” from 24 villages, larger settlements and towns (zones 1-6) in 2012 41 Fig. 15 Who shoots polar bears approaching Chukotka settlements; survey of “other locals” from 8 villages (zones 3-4) in 2011 and 24 villages, larger settlements and towns (zones 1-6) in 2012 42 Fig. 16 Goals of polar bear hunting; results of interviews conducted in 1999-2005 (105 respondents from 21 settlements) 45 Fig. 17 Goals of polar bear hunting, according to responses of “other locals” from 8 villages (zones 3-4) in 2011 48 Fig. 18 Goals of polar bear hunting, according to responses of “other locals” from 24 villages, larger settlements and towns (zones 1-6) in 2012 50 Fig. 19 Goals of polar bear hunting, according to responses of “hunters” from 8 villages (zones 3-4) in 2011 and 24 villages, larger settlements and towns (zones 1-6) in 2012 50 Fig. 20 Ownership of the polar bear 59 Fig. 21 Ownership of polar bear skins 65 Fig. 22 Priority groups for polar bear meat distribution 68 Fig. 23 Distribution of polar bear derivatives, according to responses of “other locals” from 8 villages (zones 3-4) in 2011 73 Fig. 24 Butchering of a polar bear, 2003. 74 Fig. 25 Consumption of polar bear meat by indigenous people of Chukotka (according to interview surveys conducted in 1999-2005) 76 4 Harvest and use of polar bears in Chukotka: Results of 1999-2012 studies Fig. 26 Proportion (%) of various harvest products used for consumption in 2010 and prepared and stored in winter 2011 by hunters’ families in Chukotka (average per family), based on responses of “hunters” from 8 villages (zones 3-4 in 2011) 81 Fig. 27 Proportion (%) of various harvest products used for consumption in 2011 and prepared and stored in winter 2012 by hunters’ families in Chukotka (average per family), based on responses of “hunters” from 24 villages, larger settlements and towns (zones 1-6) in 2012 81 Fig. 28 “Torbaza”, traditional tall boots with soles made from polar bear skin, for hunting on ice, 2002 84 Fig. 29 A mat from polar bear skin on a dog sled, 2002. A piece of polar bear fur hanging on the handle bar was used to cover the runners of the sled with water, to create a thin layer of ice for more speed 84 Fig. 30 Proportion (%) of different harvest products used in everyday life in 2010 and prepared and stored for everyday use in winter 2011 in hunters’ families in Chukotka (average per family), based on responses of “hunters” from 8 villages (zones 3-4) in 2011 86 Fig. 31 Proportion (%) of different harvest products used in everyday life in 2011 and prepared and stored for everyday use in winter 2012 in hunters’ families in Chukotka (average per family), based on responses of “hunters” from 24 villages, larger settlements and towns (zones 1-6) in 2012. 86 Fig. 32 Airing and drying of polar bear skins before loading them on a trade ship. Chukotka, 1920s. 87 Fig. 33 Proportion (%) of different harvest products prepared for trade and sold in 2010 by hunters in Chukotka (average per family), based on responses of “hunters” from 8 villages (zones 3-4) in 2011 90 Fig. 34 Proportion (%) of various harvest products prepared for trade and sold in 2011 by hunters in Chukotka (average per family), based on responses of “hunters” from 24 villages, larger settlements and towns (zones 1-6) in 2012 91 List of figures and tables 5 Tables Table. 1 Distribution of the respondents across Chukotka settlements in 1999-2012 14 Table. 2 Length of stay in Chukotka of the respondents participating in surveys of 2011-2012 19 Table. 3 Preparation and consumption of harvest products for meals in hunters’ families in Chukotka in 2010 — 2012, based on questionnaires (kilograms, average per family) 80 Table. 4 Preparation and consumption of harvest products for everyday use in hunters’ families in Chukotka in 2010-2012, based on questionnaires (number of pieces, average per family) 85 Table. 5 Preparation of harvest products for trade by hunters’ families in Chukotka in 2010-2011, based on questionnaires (kilograms and number of pieces, average per family) 89 Table. 6 Estimates of annual polar bear harvest size in Chukotka in 1957-1990 (based on data from 30 respondents from 17 villages) 95 Table. 7 Estimates of annual polar bear harvest size in Chukotka in 1994-2003 (based on data from 56 respondents from 19 villages) 95 Table. 8 Estimates of annual polar bear harvest size in Chukotka in 2004-2005 (based on data from 23 respondents from 11 villages) 96 Table. 9 Estimates of annual polar bear harvest size in Chukotka in 2010-2012 based on all questionnaire responses of “other locals” 97 Table. 10 Estimates of annual polar bear harvest size in Chukotka in 2010-2012 based on questionnaire responses of “other locals” excluding obviously unreliable data 98 Table. 11 Estimates of annual polar bear harvest size in Chukotka in 2010-2012 based on the extrapolation of the average number of polar bears harvested per village where the surveys took place to 24 settlements 99 6 Harvest and use of polar bears in Chukotka: Results of 1999-2012 studies Table. 12 Estimates of annual polar bear harvest size in Chukotka in 2010-2012 based on the sum of average harvest amounts calculated per each settlements (the numbers are rounded) 100 Table. 13 Estimates of annual polar bear harvest size in Chukotka in 2010-2012 based on the most reliable data from two villages in the Chukchi Sea zone (the estimates made in proportion with harvest size ratio between the settlements in 1994-2003, the numbers are rounded) 101 L. Vartanian © S. List of figures and tables 7 INTRODUCTION © А.А. Kochnev In 1956, the Council of Ministers of the Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic issued an order “On measures of wildlife protection in the Arctic”, which introduced a full ban on polar bear harvest in the Russian Federation starting from 19571 (with the exception of catching them for zoos under licenses). The reason for such drastic measures was long-term gradual extermination of the animal, which became a whole industry during the large-scale reclamation of the Soviet Arctic territories. During more than half a century this legislative decision was considered to be a progressive step in nature conservation, which allowed to restore the polar bear population in the Russian Arctic, and was a source of pride for the Soviet Union and Russia.