Indigenous Knowledge habitat models for bearded seal ( ugruk ) management in the central Alaskan Arctic

Bearded seals ( ugruk in Iñupiat; Erignathus barbatus) are an important cultural and subsistence resource for Inuit across the Arctic. Listed as threatened under the US Endangered Species Act (ESA), bearded seal management efforts seek to prevent disturbing activities that could adversely affect their essential life-history functions, while also protecting critical habitat. ESA-mandated management requires the use of “best available science”; but relatively little is known about bearded seal year-round distribution or what constitutes important habitat, particularly in the Beaufort Sea. However, Indigenous Knowledge (IK) contains extensive information on bearded seal spatial ecology. Because IK is rarely considered alongside Western science during biological assessments, resulting management plans are often not informed by the most complete body of evidence. To address this gap, we partnered with highly experienced Indigenous subsistence hunters in Alaska to co-produce and validate bearded seal habitat models based solely upon IK. Model results identified the importance of ocean currents and habitats near river mouths during the summer and fall, and highlighted their year-round reliance upon sea ice habitat. By filling key knowledge gaps, the utilization of IK improves the current understanding of bearded seal habitat-use and provides some of the best available information for developing effective management plans.