Beluga whales and polar bears
Patrick Illasiak monitors land and wildlife as summer job
Kassina Ryder
Northern News Services
Monday, September 5, 2016
PAULATUK
Patrick Illasiak says he's noticing a lot of changes on the land and sea outside Paulatuk.
Patrick Illasiak, at left, is joined by friends Denise Wolki, top right and, Cheyenne Wolki, at bottom right. Illasiak worked as a junior beluga monitor assistant with the Paulatuk Hunters and Trappers Committee this summer. - NNSL file photo |
Illasiak, 22, worked as a junior beluga monitor assistant with the Paulatuk Hunters and Trappers Committee this summer. He spent about two weeks on the land and said he noticed some drastic differences along the shoreline.
"On parts of these points around here they had land hooks, like a little harbour to go in and park your boat," he said. "Now there are some points around where there is no more hook, it got washed away."
Illasiak began his job on July 6 and was part of a group of beluga monitors who travelled to Bennett Point and Brown's Harbour.
When they arrived in Brown's Harbour, hunters had caught a beluga and for the first time in his life, Illasiak helped butcher a whale.
"I was paying attention to almost everything they were doing," he said. "It was my first time and I wanted to learn for future experiences."
As the weeks went by, Illasiak said the group observed very few whales. He said residents are noting that the whales' arrival in the area has become unpredictable over the years.
"Some people were saying it's way too early, some people were saying it's too late," he said. "We didn't see many whales while we were out there."
While whales were few, the group spotted other wildlife, including polar bears.
It was the first time Illasiak had seen polar bears in the summer months.
"There was little pieces of rough ice here and there," he said. "As we were crossing really slowly, we spotted a couple polar bears."
The best part about the job was staying out on the land for weeks at a time, Illasiak said.
"It was awesome staying out there camping, it's nice and quiet," he said. "It's good."
The experience has also opened up a variety of possible career paths, Illasiak added. While he hasn't decided just yet, he said he's interested in a future job in wildlife or environmental monitoring.
"It's very interesting," he said. "I'd like to do something to do with changes in and around the land and the water and the tides and weather."
Illasiak said he would enjoy doing a similar job again next year.
"I liked it a lot and I learned a lot," he said.
