Presentation by: Alaska Nanuuq Commission

Executive Director, Jack Omelak

Presentation on minimizing human-caused mortality of polar bears

Deterrence Report 2011-2012 Deterrence Workshop in Anchorage, AK December 2012

Polar Bear Safety DVD 2014 Long Rage Deterrence Plan (LRDP) 2014

Future plans for reducing Human Polar Bear Interactions

Presentation Outline:

Photo provided by: Susi Miller, USFWS

Goal was to record current information on human polar bear interactions.

7 Communities included in the U.S.-Russia Bilateral Agreement on the Conservation of Polar Bears. (Pt. Hope, Pt. Lay, Shishmaref, Wales, Gambell, Savoonga, King Island).

Initial field work took place Spring 2011. Verification Summer/Fall 2012. Report also includes a survey we

conducted with Alaska Nanuuq Commissioners from the remaining villages.

Deterrence Report 2011-2012

Polar Bear Deterrence WorkshopDecember 3-4, 2012Anchorage, Alaska

Sponsored by:Alaska Nanuuq Commission

With support from:: Defenders of Wildlife

U.S. Fish & Wildlife ServiceWorld Wildlife Fund

Photo provided by: Susi Miller, USFWS

Participating Alaska Villages

Kaktovik

Kivilina

1. To enhance safety by providing village leaders information on how to reduce human-bear conflicts in the communities that the Alaska Nanuuq Commission (ANC) represents in western Alaska.

2. The workshop was designed to provide a forum for both Alaska and Russian Native residents living in the Arctic to share their experiences, tools and methods used to deter polar bears.

3. The workshop provided an opportunity for participants and organizers to discuss the U.S.-Russia Bilateral Agreement on the Conservation of Polar Bears.

Polar Bear Deterrent Workshop’s3 Goals

Photo provided by: Susi Miller, USFWS

Day 1: Providing village leaders information on how to reduce human-bear conflicts

Exchange of Knowledge: Presentations on Polar Bear biology, Management, Industry, Deterrence Tools, and existing deterrence programs in Alaska and Russia.

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service-Polar Bear Biology and Management

North Slope Borough Department of Wildlife Management- Patrol program “Day in the life of a patroller”

CHAZTO-Deterrence programs in Chukotka, Russia Village Perspectives-Defining human-bear conflicts in

communities (on both sides) U.S Fish and Wildlife Service-Deterrence in the Oil and Gas

Fields Alaska Department of Fish and Game- Identifying

Deterrence tools and Practices

Meeting the Goals:

Photo provided by: Susi Miller, USFWS

Day 2: Identifying human-bear conflict measures that work for your community and what is needed

Goal: Identify what is needed to make your community and/or subsistence camp area more “bear safe.”

Group 1: Central Region* King Island, Brevig Mission, Wales, Shishmaref, Little

Diomede

Group 2: Southern Region* Gambell and Savoonga

Group 3: Northern Region* Point Hope, Point Lay, Kivilina, Kotzebue, Kaktovik

Meeting the Goals Cont.

Photo provided by: Susi Miller, USFWS

Tools identified that avoid killing bears:

Use of Traditional and Cultural knowledge for understanding Polar Bear behavior which is important tool for successful deterrence.

Establishing a point of contact within the community

Educational DVD on safety and bear awareness

Mitigating attractants in the communities

Outcomes from Group Discussion:

Continued collaboration between Alaska, Russia, Federal Government, Native Organizations (ANC, NSB, and CHAZTO) and Conservation organizations (WWF and DoW)

Workshop Participants agree to:

Photos Provided By: Elisabeth Kruger, WWF

Hosted by Alaska Teen Media Institute (ATMI) and the Alaska Nanuuq Commission (ANC).

Funded by Defenders of Wildlife

Direct outcome from the 2012 Deterrence Workshop.

ATMI and ANC will collaborate with local schools and organizations to find the necessary computers/computer lab to complete two-day, media-skills workshops in three communities. Shishmaref, Pt. Lay, and Pt. Hope.

Youth Polar Bear Safety DVD

Photo provided by: Charlie Johnson

The goal to is provide students with technical knowledge and best practices for using the technology they have available to them, while providing polar facts that will ensure accuracy and best practices when dealing with Polar Bears in these communities.

Students will learn, through key messaging from our Elders and best practices, methods of how to reduce human-polar bear conflicts in communities.

This project is designed to reduce conflicts between youth and polar bears in Arctic communities, build understanding and support for polar bear conservation, and create transferable communication and media skills in youth living in remote regions of Alaska.

Students will increase their knowledge of polar bear awareness and safety in and around Arctic communities.

DVD Project Goals

The final products will include:

5-10 polar bear safety PSAs or short clips.

Short polar bear safety films made by youth in each community.

One final compilation video on polar bear safety, featuring information and youth from all communities.

Youth Polar Bear Safety DVD Outcomes:

Photo provided by: Susi Miller, USFWS

Funded by the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation and supported by World

Wildlife Fund Arctic Program

Polar Bears and People: Strategies for Long-term Conflict Reduction

This project aims to conserve polar bears and strengthen community engagement through the development of a community-based polar bear deterrence program to reduce human-polar bear interactions and related outreach and communication activities.

Long Rage Deterrence Plan (LRDP) 2014

Participating Communities

To address the need for increased polar bear

deterrence, ANC proposes meetings with community officials to produce draft community-specific polar

bear deterrence strategies for at least six

communities represented by ANC.

The two aspects of this project –

1. Developing long-term, community specific deterrence strategies.

2. Conducting outreach and education through media advertisements.

These will contribute to community engagement in reducing instances of human-polar bear conflict. By reducing conflicts, ANC is protecting the traditional practices of the communities it represents and furthering conservation of polar bears as they both face new challenges in the changing Arctic.

LRDP Cont.

Photo provided by: Susi Miller, USFWS

Specific outcomes include:

1. At least 1,000 ANC radio spots will be aired in seven radio markets from August-December 2014, providing education and outreach on polar bears, deterrence, and ANC’s management role to ANC stakeholders.

2. The ANC Deterrence Fellow will produce a document which synthesizes past, current, and emerging polar bear deterrence efforts in the communities ANC represents.

3. The ANC Deterrence Fellow will produce a resource assessment for eight of the 15 villages ANC represents. This resource assessment will influence the deterrence strategies developed for each community.

4. The ANC Deterrence Fellow, with support from WWF’s Sybille Klenzendorf, will develop long-term polar bear deterrence strategies for the rural Alaskan communities represented by ANC.

LRDP Outcomes:

1. Seeking funding to host another Deterrence workshop inviting both Russia and Canada partners.

2. Developing attractant management assistance for communities in the Bering Strait Region, including good storage containers.

3. Once we have a final LRDP, we would like to assist Tribal Councils in the Bering Strait obtain funding to carryout their individual communities LRDP.

Future plans for reducing Human Polar Bear Interactions

Photo provided by: Charlie Johnson

CONTACT US AT:Alaska Nanuuq Commission

P.O. Box 946Nome, Alaska 99762Phone: 907-443-5044

Toll Free: 855-877-5044Website: thealaskananuuqcommission.org

Questions?