There are some desperate times for the Artic and Canada doesn’t intend to stand by and do nothing. Therefore, the Canadian government opened two large ocean sanctuaries in order to help the endangered Artic animals.
In the present context of the global warning, the Artic wildlife became much more vulnerable at the climate changes. Needless to mention that the ice melting process (a really unusual one, comparing to the years before) has a disastrous effect on the entire planet. So Canada’s plans to protect the Artic environment are extremely commendable.
These sanctuaries are about to cover around 165,000 square miles. And their purpose is to protect the icy area from drilling, mining and/or fishing. While, the initiative is unlikely to reduce the quick process of ice melting, it is a great step of our planet’s fight against global warning and it will definitely save a lot of endangered animals.
The largest sanctuary is named Tuvaijuittuq Marine Protected Area and in the the Inuktitut language its name means “the place where the ice never melts.” As its name says, the place is one of the fewest on Earth where the sea ice actually never melts.
According to the Fisheries and Oceans Canada, “this remote region has the oldest and thickest sea ice in the Arctic Ocean. As sea ice continues to decline in the Arctic, the ice in this region is expected to last the longest. This makes the area a unique and potentially important future summer habitat for ice-dependent species, including walrus, seals and polar bears.”3reezing any new human activities will help ensure the ice that never melts will remain true to its name,” the Canadian Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau said on the project.
Polar bears, artic foxes, narwhals, walruses and many bird species are just some of the animals that would be saved by this project.
“This deal will turn Tuvaijuittuq into one of the world’s largest conservation areas while also supporting local food security, infrastructure and employment needs,”Paul Okalik, senior adviser for Arctic conservation at WWF Canada told to media. “We’re trying to maintain a viable, conservation-based economy.”
According to the International Union for Conservation Tallurutiup Imanga shelters almost 75% of the world’s narwhals population as well as the largest polar bears population of the Canadian Artic. 20% of the Canada’s beluga population are also live there.
“It is a large natural and cultural seascape that is one of the most significant ecological areas in the world. It is critical habitat for species such as the polar bear, bowhead whale, narwhal and beluga whale. For Inuit living in the region, called both Tallurutiup Imanga and Tallurutiup Tariunga by the Inuit, it is a place rich in culture and wildlife,”according to Parks Canada.
“By protecting Tallurutiup Imanga, and seeking permanent protection for Tuvaijuittuq, we not only save these pristine Arctic ecosystems, but also lay the foundation for a conservation economy in sustainable industries such as fisheries,” P.J. Akeeagok, president of the Qikiqtani Inuit Association, told in a statement. “These investments in jobs and infrastructure will have profound impacts in the High Arctic and serve as a model of what can be achieved when we work as equal partners in the spirit of reconciliation.”