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As many as seven bears were in Iglulik at one point during a spike in encounters experienced by the community over the past few weeks. - NNSL file photo

IGLULIK
Three polar bears were shot during Thanksgiving weekend in Iglulik after a spike in encounters saw shacks destroyed, meat caches disrupted and residents concerned to walk home from work.

Many polar bears visited the community in the last two to three weeks, likely due to the amount of ice, said hamlet assistant senior administrative officer Celestino Uyarak. He said at one point there were seven polar bears in the community before being were chased away.

"Over the (Thanksgiving) weekend, the polar bear monitor we hired has shot and killed three polar bears. And these polar bears are the same polar bears that have been going in and out but chased away," he said. "The polar bear monitors, they were in immediate danger."

Polar bears shattered a lot of shacks around the island, said Uyarak, and disturbed a lot of the aged walrus meat hunters had cached.

"Yes, it was an ongoing concern and hopefully three polar bears being shot will ease the concern," he said.

He said the hamlet is unsure if the three polar bears killed will affect the hunt quota.

"The community's concern are now if the polar bear quota will be affected when the polar bear season starts," said Uyarak.

The meat was shared within the community and the skins handed out to the hunters and trappers organization, he added. Uyarak said the hamlet hired a polar bear monitor. One of the problem bears slept on a porch of an elder's shack outside the community and some continuing care centre employees requested rides to and from work as they were concerned. As the ice freezes, the polar bears will disappear, he said.

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