by Steve Selden | Oct 20, 2016 | Churchill Photography
Polar bear season in Churchill can be slow early on though it’s appearing this one is off to a memorable start. The early snow has provided the wintry backdrop that travelers enjoy as well as the polar bears and other Arctic wildlife. The temperatures that accompany the snow cause wildlife to become active. Polar bears especially become active and roam the tundra. As the season goes on bears will spar incessantly and move more swiftly across the land. Signs are good that this season we will see incredible polar bear action all across the Churchill Wildlife Management Area!
Polar rover searching the tundra for wildlife. Moira Le Patourel photo.
A group of Natural Habitat travelers with their polar rover. Moira LePatourel photo.
Polar bear lounging on the Precambrian shield. Don Walkoski photo.
Polar bear surveying the rocks along the Hudson Bay coast. Don Walkoski photo.
Northern lights over the boreal forest in Churchill. Don Walkoski photo.
by Steve Selden | Oct 18, 2016 | Churchill Photography
This polar bear photo from Churchill and Natural Habitat guide Drew Hamilton has aroused interest and excitement in local bear experts. This is possibly a polar bear that was a fixture in the area for years and then vanished one season, presumed dead. Still waiting on confirmation as the facial scar is reminiscent of the famed bruin that roamed the Churchill Wildlife Management Area for years! Regardless, this beautiful bear signals the official start of an exciting polar bear season in Churchill!
Polar bear that resembles an old friend from Churchill. Drew Hamilton photo.
by Steve Selden | Oct 14, 2016 | Churchill Photography
Polar bear season in Churchill is officially underway as groups of travelers with Natural Habitat Adventures are returning from the Tundra Lodge out deep in the Churchill Wildlife Management Area (CWMA). We should be getting some detailed field reports in from that groups guides Eric Rock and Colby Brokvist over the weekend. Other groups are arriving in Churchill as well and soon the news will come fast and furious. Polar bears will start to move with more urgency as the season gets going and the snow comes along with cooling air from the north. Stay tuned for posts from the sub -Arctic!
Polar bears at play in Churchill. Rhonda Reid photo.
Majestic polar bear on a chilly, frosty morning in Churchill. Colby Brokvist photo.
Poalr bear afraid to look at all the polar rovers. Justin Gibson photo.
Polar bear stretching after a nap in the willows. Natural Habitat Adventures photo.
by Steve Selden | Oct 12, 2016 | Churchill Photography
In late fall, pre – winter, colors of the tundra and the species that roam the land come to a crossroads of earth tones. This pallet gradually transitions into a great white north we all think of when envisioning the forthcoming and exciting polar bear season. This time is short though one of the most beautiful in the Arctic and surrounding regions.
Multi colored red fox with the colors of the textured tundra behind. Katie deMeulles photo.
Each year during polar bear season in Churchill either red or Arctic foxes tend to be the more prevalent species for that particular season. In recent years there has been an influx of red foxes that have seemingly displaced the gorgeous, white coated Arctic fox population to some extent. Hunting, legal and illegal, has also played a role in lowering the Arctic fox numbers. Warming temperatures facilitate the red fox species to become more adaptive to the northern weather and even ice conditions in winter. The patchwork colors of the red fox in particular meld with the myriad of tundra color splashes.
The colors of the tundra deep into fall in Churchill. Ed Bouvier photo.
Early season photo of a sleepy polar bear. Paul Brown photo.
While snow is imminent in the Churchill region, polar bears will take this time to conserve energy by limiting movement as much as possible. Sleeping bears will soon be wandering restlessly as the snow falls and temperatures drop to freezing or lower by month’s end. Polar bears gazing toward the Hudson Bay in anticipation of a freeze over will become the norm as November marches on.
Lichen growing on rocks in Churchill. Steve Selden photo.
Silver fox scouring tundra for lemmings. Colby Brokvist photo.
The tundra will release the last fruits of its bounty to the scouring animals looking to nurture their bodies with berries, plants or lemmings before the winter hits hard. Changing appearances in foxes, hares and birds foretell the new season that will become a energetic forum of multiple species before the freeze leads to mass exodus lead especially by the king of the Arctic, the mighty polar bear.
Snowy owl on the tundra in the CWMA. Colby Brokvist photo.
A Gyrfalcon in the late fall in Churchill. Brad Josephs photo.
by Steve Selden | Oct 6, 2016 | Churchill Photography
When the northern weather takes a colder turn toward the end of October and onset of November, we see an escalation in sparring activity between polar bears in the Churchill Wildlife Management Area (CWMA). Shorter bouts between bruins begin in mid – October and they become increasingly longer as the season continues through November. Polar bears use this activity as a way to stay strong, alert and practice their dominance for various hierarchy reasons. Until the temperatures drop sufficiently, polar bears will not exert any excess energy at the risk of overheating. Here are some of the best images from past dynamic polar bear seasons in Churchill. Stay tuned for more incredible photos from this coming season!
Polar bears engaging in some sparring. Lori – Ann Martin photo.
Polar bears engaged in sparring. Brad Josephs photo.
Sparring polar bears in the Churchill Wildlife Management Area. Colby Brokvist photo.
Sparring bears in the CWMA. Melissa Scott photo.
Polar bears sparring near the Tundra Lodge. Elise Lockton photo.
Polar bears squaring off on the tundra. Natural Habitat Adventures photo.
paul Brown photo.
by Steve Selden | Oct 4, 2016 | Churchill Photography
Polar bear taking a selfie. Paul Nicklen/National Geographic photo.
A red fox and polar bear getting to know each other. Johansen Krause/National Geographic photo.
Leaping from floe to floe a polar bear makes his way. Lee Hopkins/National Geographic photo.
Polar bears sparring on the pack ice. Paul Nicklen/National Geographic photo.
These four magnificent National Geographic images of polar bears are clearly some of the best out there. In honor of animal day we thought these show the incredible spirit of the iconic threatened species. In a week travelers will come to Churchill to see these hearty polar bears in their natural habitat on the tundra around the Hudson Bay. If you have ever wanted to have such an experience stay posted to this site for all the updates and news from Churchill over the next two months. You might be inspired to take a trip north yourself!
