Using hair samples and photos to study polar bears with Cree communities in the Eeyou Marine Region of James Bay
In 2020, a group of Cree land stewards, wildlife biologists and researchers came together to study polar bear ecology in James Bay, the southernmost edge of global polar bear habitat and a region where environmental conditions are rapidly changing. Understanding the population dynamics, habitat use, and interactions of polar bears with their environment is crucial for effective conservation and management. However, gathering this information can be challenging, especially in remote areas and for wide-ranging species.
Historically, capture-based polar bear research methods have raised concerns among Indigenous communities in the North. In this study, a community-led and non-invasive approach was used. Hair snare and camera trap sampling stations were deployed by boat on mainland, nearshore and offshore areas across a 400-kilometer stretch of the Eeyou Marine Region in eastern James Bay. Stations collected more than 100 hair samples and thousands of photographs from polar bears over eight weeks.
Read this open access paper on the FACETS website.
This monitoring effort provided information about the distribution and body condition of polar bears during the ice-free season. The results showed that polar bears were in average to above average body condition and that polar bear detection at sampling stations increased with distance from the mainland.
Based on the success of this community-based method, we recommend its adoption as a standard protocol for expanding the scope of polar bear research across the North. This approach not only provides valuable insights into the population dynamics and conservation status of polar bears but also promotes local leadership and involvement in research efforts.
Read the paper —Community-led non-invasive polar bear monitoring in the Eeyou Marine Region of James Bay, Canada: insights on distribution and body condition during the ice-free season by Alexandra Langwieder, Angela Coxon, Natasha Louttit, Stephanie Varty, Felix Boulanger, Sanford Diamond, John Lameboy, Anderson Jolly, George Natawapineskum, Derek Okimaw, and Murray M. Humphries.
