About this video Inuit we've spoken with believe that nanuuit -
polar bears - are increasing in abundance. The stories of elders
clearly indicate that in the past this great animal was not seen
often, but when it was, it was a very special event. In Inuit
society, the bear is revered for its intelligence, strength and
importance within the foodchain. Like all animals, Inuit believe
the bear should never be tampered with unless it is being hunted
as a source of food. Now, local observations indicate that polar
bears are increasing in numbers, in large part due to the
community-based conservation efforts of Inuit. These animals are
now spotted more regularly in both camps and communities.
Nunavut is home to most of Canada's estimated 16,000 polar
bears, which is 2/3rds of the world's population, and annually,
Inuit hunt about 325 of them for food, clothing and other
culturally appropriate reasons (Foote and Wenzel, 2009).
Additionally, Inuit communities will open their quota to
"conservation hunting", and appro