Aklavik - A German anthropologist is in Aklavik studying how people live and deal with changes in the Mackenzie Delta.
Franz Krause, from the University of Cologne, is living in the community with his family until mid-June of 2018.
His research is part of a larger project examining river deltas in four parts of the world, including in Kenya, Burma and Brazil.
“In public policy discourse, there's a lot of talk of river deltas these days, especially in the context of climate change,” Krause said.
But much of the data on deltas is gathered from a distance, he said.
“Nobody actually speaks to the people who live there and have been dealing with various, drastic changes historically and recently,” he explained. “So the point is to kind of flip that perspective a bit and say, okay, deltas matter … but not only from a far away point of view.”
For his field research in Aklavik, Krause hopes to take part in activities that are important to people in the community.
That could be going out on the land, hunting, fishing, travelling by boat, or setting up camp, he said.
After his research in the NWT is complete, Krause will return to Cologne to compare his work with the researchers studying the other three deltas.
Wolves spotted in Tsiigehtchic
Tsiigehtchic - People in Tsiigehtchic have been warning one another about wolves in the community, with one person posting in a community Facebook page last week that a dog had been killed by one of the animals.
Susan Craig, director of corporate services at the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, confirmed the department had received calls about the issue and said residents should contact the Inuvik office about sightings.
Norman Snowshoe, Inuvik Region superintendent with the department, said he knew of approximately two wolf sightings in the community.
“Wolves are common sightings in the North,” he said. “We do provide patrols to ensure that the communities are safe. But to deter the wolves … I think we just have to use precautions like food management and garbage management.”
Safety warning after missing Sachs Harbour hunter returns
Sachs Harbour - RCMP are reminding residents to be prepared when travelling over land or water after a hunter from Sachs Harbour was reported missing Aug. 22.
According to the Mounties, the man travelled out of the community alone on an ATV the previous evening with the intent of returning home the same night.
Carrying a trailer, rifle and a few food supplies, the hunter reportedly became stranded because of fog.
When he did not return to Sachs Harbour, a search and rescue was carried out to find him, RCMP said, but he eventually abandoned his trailer and found his own way home.
Residents are advised to take precautions before travelling on the land, such as checking the weather, bringing extra fuel and emergency supplies, carrying lifejackets on boats, bringing a satellite phone, getting to know their area of travel and learning survival skills.