They're probably ahead of us southerners because they see the problem as a reality. It's an immediate concern. Subsistence hunting plays a vital role in many Inuit communities, sometimes accounting for half the local economy and providing much of the protein in Inuit diets. The warming trend will reduce the size and stability of ice fields where much of the hunting occurs, and could push many species out of traditional habitats. Eventually, forests could spread much farther north, taking range land from some of the world's biggest caribou herds.
Climate change can play havoc with the use of such knowledge.
If less fresh meat is available, the Inuit would likely compensate with less nutritious food, increasing the risk of obesity, diabetes and vitamin deficiencies, the study warns. The thaw has already affected animals. Fast said mammals' fur has dropped in quality as the temperature warms and a Canadian Wildlife Service scientist reported last week that polar bears around Hudson Bay are 90 to 220 pounds lighter than 30 years ago, apparently because earlier ice-melting has meant less chance to gorge on seal pups. The thaw of the rock-hard permafrost under the tundra could wreak widespread chaos. This could destabilize roads, bridges, buildings and oil pipelines, disrupting transportation and possibly entailing huge repair and replacement costs.