27/04/2005 – Polar bears,
walruses, and whales in Greenland are under
such pressure from hunting that they could
disappear, says WWF in a new report.
The Big Four: A WWF update on Greenland’s
effort with species conservation and nature
protection shows that there are no hunting
quotas for polar bears, and that in west Greenland
the walrus is on the verge of vanishing. The
hunting quotas for narwhal and beluga whales
are three times higher than those recommended
by scientists.
"The report shows that the four species
– polar bear, narwhal, beluga and walrus –
are paying the price for a lack of regulation
and knowledge about their status," said
Anne-Marie Bjerg, director of WWF-Denmark’s
Arctic Programme.
"Their future depends on Greenland's
politicians reaching difficult but necessary
decisions to limiting hunting."
The report follows WWF’s 2003 report – Greenland’s
International Obligations – which led to strong
criticism of the Greenland's government not
meeting its international environmental obligations.
WWF is also critical of Denmark, a former
Danish province, for not aiding Greenland
in meeting those obligations.
"Nature conservation in Greenland is
costly and difficult and Denmark should support
Greenland’s efforts with financial support
and expertise," Bjerg said.
Around 40 million Danish krona are given
every year to Greenland under the Arctic Environmental
Programme and some of this should be targeted
to make sure the exploitation of natural resources
in Denmark is sustainable.
NOTES:
• The polar bear (Ursus maritimusis) the
world's largest terrestrial carnivore. Adult
males typically measure 200–250cm from the
tip of the nose to the tip of the tail and
weigh 400–600kg. Females are about half this
size. Although the species is not currently
endangered, its future is far from certain.
WWF funds field research to gain an understanding
of what is happening throughout the Arctic
as a polar bear at risk is often a sign of
something wrong somewhere in the arctic marine
ecosystem.
• The beluga whale (Delphinapterus leucas)
roams the coastal waters of the Arctic, usually
in groups of five to ten. They sometimes travel
long distances up large rivers. Because belugas
live near coasts and swim up river mouths,
they are very vulnerable to water pollution.
Toxic substances collect in their blubber
and in their milk. The belugas of the St.
Lawrence Seaway in Canada are badly affected
by pollution.
• The narwhal (Monodon monoceros), while
smaller than most other whales, has a tooth
that can grow into a spiral tusk almost 3m
long. During the Middle Ages, the narwhal's
tusk may have inspired tales of unicorns.
• Colonized by Denmark in the 18th century,
Greenland was granted self-government in 1979
by the Danish parliament.
