On November 15th, when hunters from Pond Inlet first spotted a large group of narwhal whales trapped under the ice near Bylot Island, north of Baffin Island, they estimated the number to be around 200. Now it seems like the number is closer to 400, with the whales unable to get free of the ice that shifted and caught them under water. In an effort to help the tusked whales breathe, hunters have punch several desk sized holes in the water. But with the nearest opening some 50 kilometers away, there is little hope for the whales’ survival. more »