North·Photos

Beluga whale harvested from Koojesse Inlet

The whale was towed to a small island just off shore near the Tundra Valley neighbourhood in Iqaluit where a group of nine Inuit harvested it. Meat and muktuk from the whale were then distributed in the community.

3 whales tracked, 1 harvested by 9 Inuit hunters on Friday night

(Kieran Oudshoorn/CBC )

Community members in Iqaluit enjoyed the spoils of a beluga whale harvest Friday night. 

Around 7:30 p.m. on Friday, three beluga whales swam into Koojesse inlet.

With lovely summer weather, many Inuit were out boating.

Sandy Ishulutak was one of nine Inuit hunters who harvested the beluga whale Friday night. (Kieran Oudshoorn/CBC )

It didn't take long for hunters to spot the whales. They tracked them to the shoreline near the Tundra Valley neighbourhood in Iqaluit.

One whale was harpooned and then shot. 

The whale was towed to a small island just off shore where a group of nine Inuit harvested it. It only took about 35 minutes with the elder hunters teaching the younger hunters how to properly butcher the animal.

Meat and muktuk from the whale were then distributed in the community.