Thought this might be of interest to travelers heading to Churchill this year to see the king of the Arctic! There are plenty of bears waiting to greet you and be photographed. Should be an amazing polar bear season in Churchill!
Polar bear greeting elated travelers. Natural Habitat Adventures photo.
Polar bears are active in the early season in Churchill. Town of Churchill image.
Black bear in Churchill with what’s left of a lesser snow goose in his mouth. Rhonda Reid photo.
This close – up photo of a black bear in Churchill with the wing of a lesser snow goose in his mouth has many people excited to see the rarely seen animal. This bear species does reach into the far north but are not often seen at this close range.
Bears of all varieties are becoming more apt at gathering food in the wild. Voracious polar bears in Churchill have been observed on seal – kills all year round and scavenging eggs and tundra berries. Occasionally a beluga whale carcass will feed a dozen bears for a few days. This recent trend in feeding is quite possibly an adaptive survival technique due to the warming climate and reduced sea ice season. Since polar bears have a shorter time on ice hunting seals they need to find alternative food sources in order to maintain a year – round body healthy body weight.
Another amazing Tundra Lodge photo trip this past week with Natural Habitat guides Rinnie and Colby provided ample photography chances for ecstatic travelers. Polar bear season is in full thrust with Arctic weather setting up a winteresque transition into the season’s final two weeks. Although the frigid cold has accompanied the snow and once again cast the annual doubt on how the season will conclude before the Hudson Bay freezes over, nobody seems to want these beautiful bears to vanish just yet.
Polar bear resting in a snowbank. Colby Brokvist photo.
The adventurous start of the journey included getting delayed by a blizzard before charter pilots capably landed in Churchill through a “weather window”. “We arrived to the remote tundra lodge in full whiteout conditions, which really means we got to truly taste what arctic conditions are all about. In the morning we awoke to crisp blue skies, fresh snow, and a big male bear sleeping right outside the window of some of the guest bedrooms. Their first bear was right from their bedroom window!,” reported Colby.
Inquisitive polar bear inspects the Tundra Lodge. Colby Brokvist photo.
Polar bears get hot and heavy on the tundra. Colby Brokvist photo.
Sunset over the tundra in Churchill,MB. Colby Brokvist photo.
A polar bear greets Natural Habitat travelers at the Tundra Lodge after the previous day blizzard.
Over the next four days of shooting photos, mostly blue skies prevailed, so very rare during bear season, which was a pleasure for photography. Highlights included many sparring bears right at the lodge, several sets of sows with cubs, a couple of charismatic young female bears, and incredible opportunities for colorful landscape shots.
Aurora in the night sky at the Tundra Lodge. Colby Brokvist photo.
If that wasn’t enough, two of the nights the aurora borealis was dancing within openings in the cloudy night skies. What a trip out on the Tundra lodge!
Join us on the trip of a life time to photograph polar bears and the northern lights!
Keeping polar bears toward the coast. Rhonda Reid photo.
Beluga whale singing kareoke. Sea North Tours photo.
Propeller guards on Sea North Tours boat. Sea North Tours photo.
Beluga whale puckering up for the camera. Sea North Tours photo.
Beluga whale with visible eye. Sea North Tours photo.
