Tornarssuk

Reminder: Here is an article I want to read:
http://www.ec.gc.ca/api-ipy/default.asp?lang=En&n=49C984AC-1

Here are some notes I took while reading the polar bear chapter in Barry Lopez's, Arctic Dreams. I will use these to do a write up eventually! This pile of books continues to distract me - I kinda just want to start reading these!

• By learning what polar bear had eaten, scientists also learned what the seal had eaten and what the larger fish had eaten
• "The bears moved as if the country had belonged to them."
• "The ice bear" "The sea bear" genus ursus
• Polar bears have been observed to be retiring and unaggressive, although their "ferocity" has been portrayed in artwork and stories about them. Except when we want them to look cute - then they look cute!
• Pages 83 - 84 - description of bear's physical body
• Page 87 - bears relationship with the ringed seal
• Page 88 - heat/blubber/habitat - How does this knowledge benefit us or help the polar bear?
• To watch in the woods requires intricacy
• Successful bears live to be around thirty years of age
• Compare to Treadwell - Compassionate observation vs. Forcing a friendship
• Cubs are born blind, deaf, and cannot smell - How do scientists know this? By observing alone?
• We can relate to the polar bear mother's nurturing and caring behavior towards her cubs as a human mother would car for her child.
• How can we observe "cute" behavior - sitting outside of the den and rolling around in the sun and sliding down the valleys - as more than "cute?"
• Mother balances the urge to hunt with taking care of her cubs
• Eskimos beliefs about polar bears vs. scientists? Scientist's views disrespectful to polar bears or eskimos? Or neither?
• Can scientists and eskimos work together?
• It is remarkable to be able to leave speculation alone
• Eskimo's disapproval of non-long term observers
• What if I was judged on six months of my behavior? Yikes.
• For polar bears, sharing their kills is an important part to maintain a healthy population
• Polar bears live alone after two years of age, they are not social bears, as grizzly bears are
• Our conceptions of polar bears are stylized
• Pages 110-12 - cruel tricks on bears, feeling victimized by bears
• Page 113 - Eskimos kill bears respectfully
• Page 113 - symbolism placed on bears
• Churchill bears - tourist attraction, luring bears to dumpsters, staging, photographers - how is this similar or different to Grandma's relationship with the eagles?
• Page 117 - Biologist's ambivalence - "Why am I doing this?"