© Malene Lynge / Greenland
Features
Innovating to reduce polar bear encounters in Greenland
- Greenland
- Polar bear
Located on Greenland’s east coast, Ittoqqortoormiit is grappling with a pressing issue: as Arctic sea ice melts, polar bears are increasingly venturing into this tiny settlement. The climate crisis is jeopardizing polar bear populations in the region and their habitats, forcing the bears to look to human settlements for food.
Despite this daunting challenge, the community of Ittoqqortoormiit is determined to find innovative and sustainable solutions to help both residents and the polar bears that live in the surrounding area.
Home to 350 residents, Ittoqqortoormiit is one of the most secluded settlements on Earth. Graphic by: Ketill Berger / © WWF
Developing solutions to polar bear encounters
As global warming melts Arctic sea ice, polar bears find themselves drawn closer to settlements like Ittoqqortoormiit. Over the past 15 years, this has sparked a flurry of encounters between residents and bears, prompting WWF to support the community in starting a polar bear patrol in 2015 to keep residents safe and prevent unnecessary bear killings.
©Anthony Dickenson / All Mighty Pictures / WWF-UK
The patrol uses all-terrain vehicles and snowmobiles to search for signs of polar bears and luckily the bears are startled by the sound of the engines alone. The patrol also relies on the reactions of town dogs, which often indicate the presence of polar bears. To enhance their monitoring capabilities, a thermal camera has been purchased and is currently undergoing testing for future integration into patrol activities. Each day, the patrol checks the town before school starts, visits the dump area and hunting spots, and keeps an eye out for bear tracks. The patrol is good at identifying bear hotspots, essential for dealing with repeat offenders who may pose a threat.
Although the patrol works hard to maintain safety, patrolling itself is not enough to prevent encounters. The community needs other strategies to address deeper issues, such as the tempting smell of food emanating from the dump on the outskirts of town.
Finding better ways to manage waste
About five years ago, Greenland authorities implemented a new waste management system in Ittoqqortoormiit. This innovative method involves carefully wrapping, storing, and shipping waste to central incineration facilities in Nuuk or Sisimiut, Greenland’s largest towns. With the old incinerator out of commission since 2019, this shift has been a welcomed solution. Encapsulating the waste effectively curbs odors, deterring polar bears from scavenging. Despite facing logistical challenges due to shipping delays caused by drifting ice, the community has experienced notable improvements. There has been a significant reduction in air pollution compared to the previous use of the old incinerator. Additionally, there has been a decrease in scattered trash as waste is now properly wrapped, and incidents of bear activity have diminished.
© Mirko Fabian / Unsplash
While the system is a significant improvement, human and dog food scraps, which are bundled with other refuse, were not being used as organic waste. To harness this resource, Ittoqqortoormiit embarked on a composting program, aiming to slash carbon emissions from waste transportation, enrich local soil and create greener spaces. After rigorous testing, it invested in a composting machine. Despite facing difficulties such as freezing temperatures that slow down waste processing, this project is having positive environmental results by reducing odors and keeping polar bears away from the dump site.
© Max Oudgenoeg / WWF
Addressing the overarching threat—the climate crisis
Although it’s important to prevent conflicts between humans and polar bears in Arctic settlements, these efforts don’t address the real issue. The true threat to polar bears is the climate crisis, particularly the rapid loss of their sea ice habitat.
As sea ice melts, polar bears spend more time on land. This is forcing them to turn to alternative food sources, such as berries, plants, birds, and small mammals, since their usual prey, ringed and bearded seals, are found on the ice Yet, these substitutes offer less fat and fail to mitigate the weight loss experienced by bears during land-based fasting. This weight loss reduces reproductive success and is ultimately contributing to a significant decline in polar bear subpopulations in some parts of the Arctic. Urgent action is needed to address the climate crisis to ensure the long-term survival of polar bears and the ecosystems they inhabit.
By WWF Global Arctic Programme
