Canadian Arctic Wild Life Enquiry, 1942-43

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Abstract
Arctic foxes (Alopex lagopus) declined in abundance throughout the eastern Arctic except in northernmost Baffin Island. On the west coast of Hudson Bay, there were signs of recovery beginning from last year''s low. In the western Arctic, foxes were increasing or abundant. 1941-42 had been a peak year for foxes in northern Quebec, south and central Baffin Island, around the southern part of Hudson Bay and James Bay and on Southampton I.[long dash]in each area 4 yrs. after the previous peak. Lemmings (Lemmus and Dicrostonyx) were scarce for the 2d yr. in northern Quebec and northern Baffin Island and on the west coast of Hudson Bay, although in the last area there were some reports of increase. Lemmings were abundant only on the islands of the western Arctic. They declined from a peak yr. in 1941-42 in central and southern Baffin Island, at Repulse Bay, and on Southampton I., and disappeared along with "mice" around southern Hudson Bay and James Bay. This decline represents the culmination of a 4-yr. cycle except at Repulse Bay and Southampton I. where the last decline came 6 yrs. before. Snowy owls (Nyctea nyctea) were scarce throughout the Arctic and Subarctic except on Victoria I. where lemmings were still abundant. There were only a few isolated epidemics of "distemper" among the sledge dogs of the Arctic; but more extensive outbreaks were reported north and south of the Alberta boundary, in central Saskatchewan and Manitoba.

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