A FAREWELL TO GREENLAND'S WILDLIFE
Populations of Common Eider and Brunnich's Guillemot on Greenland
could come under threat - or more literally 'under fire' if the new Home Rule government relaxes restrictions on hunting seasons.
Things have been relatively quiet on the Greenland hunting front now that the first wave of protest
(from the hunters' side a storm of indignation and aggression) triggered by the launch of Kjeld Hansen's book 'A Farewell
to Greenland's Wildlife' earlier this year has subsided.
The first chapter of this chillingly informative and outspoken book can now be read, courtesy of
the author, here online at
A FAREWELL TO GREENLAND - Chapter I - Kjeld Hansen
But was this lull in political activity just the calm before the storm? Our Proact coordinator in Greenland
reports:
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"Well things have been quiet on Greenland for a while. Mainly because no one had a clue about what is going
on up here. The political situation has been very murky during the past few months. But after today (3. December) we will
know more. Today a new Greenland will be elected and a new Home rule government will be formed shortly.
The situation for nature conservation and bird protection does not look very promising however. A few months ago - and
presumably as part of the election campaign - the former Home rule government presented yet another new revision of the bird
legislation. And it made depressing reading. It is proposed that hunting seasons forthe birds under threat - Eiders
and Guillemots - should be extended to make them the longest seasons for many years.
For an overview of the situation - a memo comparing Greenlandic bird protection legislation from 1985 to the present day
- see:
GREENLAND'S HUNTING LAWS
It is expected that a campaign for Greenland's wildlife and future generations will be started in a few weeksin a
few weeks if we do not get more positive information than we now have ... your support per letter and email will be requested
soon.
Proact Greenland"
<...>
Once we have more accurate news from Greenland - and the personalities and organisations to target - a new Proact campaign
initiative will be startedhere.
David Conlin
Proact International
5. December 2002
