Environmental changes are affecting the Arctic at an unprecedented rate, but limited scientific knowledge exists on their impacts on species such as walruses (Odobenus rosmarus). Inuit Traditional and Local Ecological Knowledge (Inuit TEK/LEK) held by Inuit walrus harvesters could shed light on walrus ecology and related environmental changes. Our main objective was to study spatial and temporal changes in Atlantic walrus (Odobenus rosmarus rosmarus) distribution in Nunavik (northern Québec, Canada) using Inuit TEK/LEK. To do so, we documented the knowledge and observations of 33 local hunters and Elders as part of a larger project on Atlantic walruses in Nunavik. We first gathered information on changes in Inuit land use patterns and harvesting practices through time and space, which was a crucial step to avoid potential biases in interpreting local observations on walrus distribution. We found that walrus hunters are now covering smaller hunting areas over shorter time periods, reducing in space and time their observations of Atlantic walruses around Nunavik. While clearly taking these limitations into account, we learned from interviews that some areas abandoned by Atlantic walruses in the past were now being re-occupied. Importantly, Atlantic walruses, which migrate following the melting ice, are now traveling along the eastern coast of Nunavik one month earlier, suggesting that Atlantic walrus migration has changed due to variations in sea-ice coverage around Nunavik. Our study not only highlighted important changes in Atlantic walrus distribution and migration in Nunavik, but also sheds light on the importance of documenting temporal and spatial changes in Inuit land use patterns and harvesting practices to understand the ecology of Arctic species using Inuit Knowledge.

环境变化正在以前所未有的速度影响北极，但关于它们对海象（Odobenus rosmarus）等物种的影响的科学知识有限。因纽特海象收割机持有的因纽特传统和地方生态知识 (Inuit TEK/LEK) 可以揭示海象生态和相关环境变化。我们的主要目的是研究大西洋海象（ Odobenus rosmarus rosmarus）的时空变化。) 在努纳维克（加拿大魁北克北部）使用因纽特人 TEK/LEK 分发。为此，我们记录了 33 名当地猎人和长老的知识和观察结果，作为努纳维克大西洋海象大型项目的一部分。我们首先收集了有关因纽特人土地利用模式和捕捞实践随时间和空间变化的信息，这是避免在解释当地对海象分布的观察时出现潜在偏差的关键步骤。我们发现海象猎人现在在较短的时间内覆盖较小的狩猎区域，减少了他们对努纳维克周围大西洋海象的观察的空间和时间。在明确考虑到这些限制的同时，我们从采访中了解到，过去被大西洋海象遗弃的一些区域现在正在被重新占据。重要的是，大西洋海象，一个月前，随着融冰迁移，现在正沿着努纳维克东海岸移动，这表明由于努纳维克周围海冰覆盖范围的变化，大西洋海象的迁徙已经发生了变化。我们的研究不仅突出了努纳维克大西洋海象分布和迁徙的重要变化，还阐明了记录因纽特人土地利用模式和收获实践的时空变化对于利用因纽特人知识了解北极物种生态的重要性。