Christine Cuyler PhD

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West Greenland Wildlife
Recent caribou muskox observations

Future plans
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Greenland caribou muskox
Their future...?

• under
• climate change

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West Greenland Wildlife

• Greenland background
• Caribou
• Muskox
• Changes
• Expected / Observed
• Future plans

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Greenland
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Greenland Institute for Natural Resources
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GREENLANDWhats it like?
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Rugged fringe of land around edge
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Ice Cap At its Centre
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Modern Greenland
Nuuk
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Greenland Today
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Greenland Today
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Nuuk
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Nuuk
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Sisimiut
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Aasiaat
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Typical hamlet scenes
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Traditional activities avidly preserved
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Kayak making use kept alive
Skin preparation Sewing
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Geographically Isolated
Mammal species diversity
West Greenland

• Caribou
• Arctic Fox
• Arctic Hare
• Feral Reindeer
• Muskox

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Caribou populations
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10 Caribou populations
LARGE
SMALL

• Inglefield Land
• Olrik Fjord
• Nuussuaq Halvø
• Naternaq
• Qeqertarsuatsiaat
• Qassit
• Neria

• Kangerlussuaq-Sisimiut
• Akia-Maniitsoq
• Ameralik

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Inglefield Land
Olrik Fjord
Nuussuaq Halvø
Naternaq
Kangerlussuaq- Sisimiut
Akia-Maniitsoq
Ameralik
Populations Caribou / Reindeer
Qeqertarsuatsiaat
Qassit
Neria
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Muskoxen populations
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10 Muskoxen populations
LARGE
SMALL

• Kangerlussuaq
• Jamesonland
• Northeast Greenland

• Inglefield Land
• Kap Atholl
• Svartenhuk Halvø
• Naternaq
• Kangerlussuaq North
• Ivittuut
• Indre Kangertittivaq Fjord

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Inglefield Land
NE Greenland
Kap Atholl
Svartenhuk Halvø
Jameson Land
Inner Kangertittivaq Fjord
Naternaq
Kangerlussuaq North
Kangerlussuaq
Populations Muskoxen
Ivittuut
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By 2100
6-8?C
General Precipitation 20-30
? ?
More in South West Greenland
2-5?C
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Observed effects? Caribou Muskox
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Winter Thaw-Freeze Event2001-2002
NaturalMortality
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Thaw-Freeze Event 2001-2002
Thin where are last years calves ???
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Surface WaterHow much When?
Kangerlussuaq
Akia-Maniitsoq
Ameralik
Qeqertarsuatsiaat
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Expected winter snow cover
Kangerlussuaq Winter Hunt Muskox
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Kangerlussuaq 1997

• Snow cover
• once considered minimal

until...
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Access to winter hunt, NOT !
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Kangerlussuaq-Sisimiut

• Inland March 2005

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January-February 2006
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Kangerlussuaq-Sisimiut

• Inland Feb 2007

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Akia-ManiitsoqInlandMarch 2005

• Abnormally poor snow cover

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Ameralik InlandMarch 2006

• Abnormal lack of snow

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Qeqertarsuatsiaat Inland

• Usually deep snow but not March
• 2006

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West Greenland 1982 - 1999
Snow cover began by

• 1 September
• Typically 1 October
• Full cover by 1 November

• Snow cover full until

• 6 May (/- 15 days)
• Persist until 1 July (/- 16 days)

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West Greenland - Nuuk Region
1983-96 Full snow cover Nov May
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2005
October

• Daily Satellite images
• 250-1000 m resolution

2006
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February 2006
Winter
March 2006
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• 10March2007

Winter
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Observed effects? Caribou

• Autumn distribution
• Winter Survival

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Increased parasite infestation
Warbles Bots
Oestridae
Warble fly larvae
Bot fly larvae
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Observed effects? on hunters
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Increased insect harassment
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Snow Cold
Not any more!
Dry Warm

• Animals inaccessible in high elevations

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Fjord Ice Icebergs
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Fjord Ice 1996-97
Winter ice once solid safe
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Fjords Coast, March 2006

• Abnormal
• open water
• minimal
• snow cover

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Nuuk Fjord February 2007

• Mild winter temperatures
• Icebergs calving from Ice Cap in winter

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Rotten Ice !
Lakes / Rivers
Muskox catch lost

• Track vehicle went through ice
• 28 Feb 2007

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Hunters No ice difficult access to winter
hunting areas
Nukaroq Hans
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Nuuk Basic Project
Capitol City Nuuk
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4 Research Programs

• Marine Basic
• BioBasic
• GeoBasic
• ClimaBasic

Document changes
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NuukBioBasicstartssummer2007

• Zackenberg

Coordinated With Zackenberg
NuukBasic
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BioBasic
Akia-Nordlandet

• Kobbefjord

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Terrestrial components

• Vegetation
• Soil fauna
• Birds
• Lake ecology
• Plant gas-flux
• Herbivores

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Climate ChangeLocal / Regional / Global

• Raise understanding of the connection between
  human use of the animals and how climate change
• influences the animals and their environment

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What awaits them?
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Thank You