Are polar bear and wolves hunted?
The polar bears in the Kotzebue area were heavily hunted for sport in the ’60s and ’70s and, as a result, they are seldom seen in the area. Last winter, a pilot saw one on the ice 30 miles from town. That is considered a close sighting. They are hunted in other villages in the region. Only natives are allowed to take polar bear. Wolves are hunted and trapped. A wolf pelt goes for around $400. There are a lot of wolves around here. Are there lots of wolf-dog hybrids in Kotzebue? There are a lot of wolfish-looking huskies, but I never hear talk of wolf-dog hybrids. There was a white man who had a pet wolf, but it was taken away by the [state] troopers. Private ownership of wild animals is not allowed. Once I was in the post office, and a wolf was tied to a snow machine outside. There were two ahnas — grannies — in line ahead of me talking Eskimo. I said to the man behind me, “That doesn’t look like a dog to me.” One of the women turned around and said, “It’s not a dog. It’s a parka.” O
