During a hunting trip last autumn near Kugluktuk, Nunavut, Beau Taptuna and his family encountered a peculiar sight: several dead caribou on the land, seemingly without gunshot wounds. Taptuna speculated that these animals might have succumbed to an insect-borne parasite. Concerns about the impact of insects on wildlife, such as caribou and muskox, have been raised by other community members as well.
As a summer science ranger in Kugluktuk, Taptuna is actively involved in the Kitikmeot biting insect monitoring program. This federally-funded initiative investigates the relationship between insects, the diseases they carry, and their effects on wildlife. It also tracks the changing biodiversity of biting insects like black flies and mosquitoes in response to climate variations. Launched three years ago in Kugluktuk, the program has since expanded to Gjoa Haven, Kugaaruk, and Cambridge Bay, Nunavut.
Taptuna employs various nets to capture insects during his research activities, with the samples then sent to laboratories at the University of Guelph and the University of Calgary for analysis.
According to Danielle Nowosad, a postdoctoral fellow at the University of Calgary, the project has noted that insects are emerging earlier due to rising temperatures. Additionally, there has been an increase in insect diversity compared to a prior survey conducted in 2010-2011. Nowosad predicts a probable rise in insect populations in the future, leading to heightened mosquito and biting insect presence, along with the potential introduction of new species.
Last year’s samples in Kugluktuk yielded close to 300 insect species, as reported by Taptuna. Nowosad has developed a species distribution model based on climate data, indicating a significant expansion of the geographical area suitable for black fly breeding in the North in the coming decades.
The monitoring program was initiated following a request from a hunters and trappers organization’s annual general meeting in 2022. It is a community-led effort, involving extensive consultations with community members, elders, and harvesters.
Hannah Zikalala, a project manager in Cambridge Bay, expressed her satisfaction with contributing to the program and conducting fieldwork. She emphasized the importance of the project in safeguarding caribou populations from insect-borne parasites, highlighting the potential repercussions on traditional food sources.
Nowosad emphasized the program’s focus on monitoring parasites, clarifying that the examined parasites do not pose a risk of transmission to humans. She revealed that the diversity of parasites discovered through advanced genomic techniques exceeds initial expectations.
Community members have raised concerns about the possible migration of new biting insects due to wildfires in southern regions, a topic under investigation by researchers. The program is set to continue for a few more years, with a research paper scheduled for release in the fall.
For Taptuna, the monitoring program holds immense significance beyond insects, as it plays a crucial role in preserving the region’s wildlife, which forms an integral part of the local livelihood.