A Farewell to Greenland's Wildlife by Kjeld Hansen. 2001. ISBN: 8789723015
Reviewed by Philip Tipping

In this highly polemical book, the author, a professional journalist, paints a depressing state of affairs concerning the use and abuse of Greenland’s wildlife. The main theme is that Greenland’s Home Rule Government is not capable of ensuring that hunting, fishing and trapping are carried out in a manner that is ecologically and economically sustainable. Hunting laws are perceived as being inadequate or not even enforced. A picture of lawlessness akin to the Wild West is suggested. The Inuit are attacked for their wastefulness with meat, their use of motorised transport instead of kayaks and their choice of modern, imported foods. Because Greenlanders want money to own luxuries such as personal computers and televisions, these are seen as contributing toward the eradication of the natural resources, since they wantonly kill birds and mammals for commercial goals, instead of subsistence. The population increase in Greenland over the last hundred years (from 11 000 to 50 000) is also blamed. “Career politicians” and “lukewarm” police are singled out for supporting hunting and collecting tern eggs illegally. The author sees the demise/extinction of many species within the next 20 years if nothing is done. According to the author very strict laws, enforcement, restrictions on landing on protected areas, policing, controls, quotas, regulations, regulations on weapons, methods of transport, fishnet mesh sizes, formation of protected areas and suppression of subsidies (equates to no more hunters) are only a start to get the situation under control.

Hansen claims that registered hunters and fishers who have considerable political leverage are blocking the way forward to sustainable use of resources and that Greenland’s hunters show a mindless treatment of resources, often killing without bothering to retrieve the spoils. The Inuit now have rifles, GPS, snow scooters, helicopters and Tenson clothing, leading to the thought that they should really give up hunting with modern equipment and go back to harpoons and kayaks, if at all. However, deploring anything that increases the standard of living of the native Greenlanders is untenable and arrogant in today’s society.

Hansen attacks a number of named politicians and decries the Greenland Spring Parliament for legalising commercial egg collection. In his view the Greenland Home Rule Government has taken a step backwards. He argues that wildlife legislation is weak, subsidies to hunters are “extremely generous” and corruption rife.

Some specific instances of alleged abuse of species are mentioned. “Greenlanders kill large whales with rifles” , leading to a protracted kill, not acceptable in terms of animal welfare. Brünniches guillemot is being illegally hunted in summer and winter hunting “clears the cliffs”. The official statistics show 255 000 are killed each year. Polar bear hunters do not supply required information so no one knows how many are really killed each year. Walrus have anyway been “shot to oblivion”, but what beasts are left remains the domain of the professional hunters. There are still no quotas.

Bearing in mind IUCN’s policy on sustainable use, which ESUSG is working to apply to hunting in the European context, a positive response to Greenland’s problems, as identified by Hansen, would start by identifying those alleged practices that do not comply with modern sustainable use philosophies and methods (including moral/ethical aspects of hunting and fishing). Some specific steps could include:-

1. Hunting tests/examinations, similar to those in Denmark, should be introduced.
2. It is essential to separate leisure hunting from commercial exploitation in any discussion on the use of wildlife resources, because commercial hunting takes much more from the resource.
3. The advantages/disadvantages of using modern weapons/methods of hunting compared to traditional ones, including the humane aspects should be examined.
4. The philosophies and practices of sustainable use should be promoted to both hunters and the wider public.
5. Funds for policing may be generated by increasing licence fees, as in Canada. This creates a value for the species concerned.
6. We can agree with Hansen’s commendation of polar bear hunting on the Canadian model with strict quotas and reporting.
7. The introduction and enforcement of closed seasons is needed to protect animals from disturbance during breeding.
8. Hansen wants a ban on spring hunting of birds and on all egg collection. A trial moratorium of a couple of years on e.g., Brünniches guillemot egg collecting may show how the population increases and thus everyone may benefit.
9. Education could address the folly of wasting wild meat of seal, muskox and caribou and buying products at the supermarket.
10. Education concerning the benefits of “bush meat” compared to meat as marketed in supermarkets may be a start towards discouraging expensive imported food.

The inevitable move of Greenland’s society toward the modern way of life is bringing with it special problems for wildlife. We can agree with Hansen that these problems are compounded by weak regulation, poor enforcement and scant monitoring. However it will not be possible to put the clock back. Those who want to achieve a more sustainable position for both wildlife and people will need to work with Greenlanders on the relevant social, political and educational issues. Since publication of Hansen’s book, there have been governmental moves to introduce better controls on hunting and commercial harvesting. However, there has been opposition to these, thus indicating a lack of appreciation for the benefits that sustainable use principles can bring to humans and the species involved. Starting from a “bottom-up” approach may be too late, so a “top-down and bottom-up” method, involving lawmakers as well as educationalists will be necessary. IUCN’s SUSG could assist in this process.

Philip Tipping is a member of the European Sustainable Use Specialist Group and is based in Switzerland. E-mail: Philip.Tippinghsk.psi.ch

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