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Greenland Seabird Ecology

Mary Anne,

I understand that this year the International Whaling Commission granted Greenland a quota allowing them to hunt two bowhead whales? Did you hear any discussion of that there?

Kirk

Mon, 08/13/2007 - 13:32

Mary Anne Pell…

Hi Kirk, The village I was in, Ittoqqortmoormiit, survives on subsistence hunting, supplemental funding for each family from the government and the few businesses and services that exist. While I was there, two narwhals were spotted in the bay, resulting in a frenzy. Hunting boats roared across the small tract of open water, and those on foot grabbed their guns and headed for any lookout vista close by. The narwhals disappeared so there was not a successful hunt. No conversation that I heard mentioned anything about whaling, except what I just described.
It is certainly a foreign concept to me to hunt marine mammals, but I respect their culture. I sure do think whales are animals to be protected however.
Take care, Mary Anne