Skip to main content
Log in

Cold case reopened: finding clues to recurrent mass mortalities in Greenland sled dogs (Canis lupus familiaris borealis)

  • Commentary
  • Published:
Polar Biology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1

References

  • Åkerstedt J, Lillehaug A, Larsen I-L et al (2010) Serosurvey for canine distemper virus, canine adenovirus, leptospira interrogans, and toxoplasma gondii in free-ranging canids in Scandinavia and Svalbard. J Wild Dis 46:474–480. https://doi.org/10.7589/0090-3558-46.2.474

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Appel MJ, Gillespie JH (1972) Canine distemper virus. Springer, New York pp 1–96

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Banfield AWF (1954) The role of ice in the distribution of mammals. J Mammal 35:104–107. https://doi.org/10.2307/1376080

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Blixenkrone-Møller M, Bohm J, Lund E (1989) Udbrud af hundesyge blandt slædehunde i Nordgrønland. Dansk Veterinær Tidsskrift 72:488–497

    Google Scholar 

  • Braestrup FW (1941) A study on the Arctic Fox in Greenland: immigrations, fluctuations in numbers, based mainly on trading statistics. Reitzel, Copenhagen

    Google Scholar 

  • British Antarctic Survey (2019) Removal of the sledge dogs. In: British Antarctic Survey—natural environment research council. https://www.bas.ac.uk/about/antarctica/environmental-protection/wildlife-and-plants-2/removal-of-the-sledge-dogs/. Accessed 26 Mar 2019

  • Cattet MR, Duignan PJ, House CA, St. Aubin DJ (2004) Antibodies to canine distemper and phocine distemper viruses in polar bears from the Canadian Arctic. J Wild Dis 40:338–342

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Choquette LPE, Kuyt E (1974) Serological indication of canine distemper and of infectious canine hepatitis in wolves (Canis lupus L.) in northern Canada. J Wild Dis 10:321–324

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Damas D (2002) Arctic migrants/arctic villagers: the transformation of inuit settlement in the Central Arctic. McGill-Queen’s Press, Montréal

    Google Scholar 

  • Dawes PR, Elander M, Ericson M (1986) The wolf (Canis lupus) in Greenland: a historical review and present status. Arctic 39:119–132

    Google Scholar 

  • Kuhl G (2011) Human-sled dog relations: what can we learn from the stories and experiences of mushers? Soc Anim 19:22–37

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Laidre KL, Born EW, Gurarie E et al (2013) Females roam while males patrol: divergence in breeding season movements of pack-ice polar bears (Ursus maritimus). Proc R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 280:20122371. https://doi.org/10.1098/rspb.2012.2371

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Leighton T, Ferguson M, Gunn A (1988) Northwest territories Canine distemper in sled dogs. Can Vet J 29:299

    PubMed Central  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Peplinski L (1996) The dogs of the Inuit: companions in survival. World Anim Rev 57–64

  • Shannon KA (1997) The unique role of sled dogs in Inuit culture: An Examination of the Relationship Between Inuit and Sled Dogs in the Changing North. Master’s Thesis, University of Alberta

  • Sonne C, Langebæk R, Dietz R et al (2018) Greenland sled dogs at risk of extinction. Science 360:1080–1080

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Tester F (2010) Mad dogs and (mostly) Englishmen: colonial relations, commodities, and the fate of Inuit sled dogs. Études/Inuit/Studies 34:129–147

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Zarnke RL, Ver Hoef JM, DeLong RA (2004) Serologic survey for selected disease agents in wolves (Canis lupus) from Alaska And the Yukon Territory, 1984–2000. J Wild Dis 40:632–638. https://doi.org/10.7589/0090-3558-40.4.632

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

Dansk Polarhunde Klub and VMF’s Kongrespulje are thanked for their financial support. Sanne Eline Wennerberg and Frederik Fabricius (both: DVM, official state veterinarian, Greenland) are thanked for their support and help concerning official records and information as well as experience. Inge Høst Seiding (National Archive of Greenland) is acknowledged for her diligent help retrieving the right materials from the national archives.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Emilie U. Andersen-Ranberg.

Ethics declarations

Conflict of interest

The authors declare no conflicts of interest, and the study was conducted under compliance with ethical standards.

Additional information

Publisher's Note

Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Andersen-Ranberg, E.U., Vernersen, E.S., Jensen, J.J. et al. Cold case reopened: finding clues to recurrent mass mortalities in Greenland sled dogs (Canis lupus familiaris borealis). Polar Biol 42, 1411–1413 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00300-019-02521-4

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Revised:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00300-019-02521-4

Navigation