This video of a male polar bear swimming in frigid Arctic seas displays how polar bears have increased their range of habitat in ice – free waters after break – up. Searching for seals for meals has extended past the traditional hunting season and the king of the Arctic can be found 60 miles or more from land swimming between scattered ice floes.
Polar bears have a different way of keeping warm from that of seals and whales. The latter two mammals species have blubber that contains protein and allows for body structure to have a springy, tough fibrous consistency enabling ease of movement in water. Polar bears do not have blubber but rather a layer of adipose fat up to five inches thick that facilitates energy storage for the shoulder seasons when food is scarce. Since polar bears spend the majority of time on land or ice above the water they rely more on the insulation of their fur.
Polar bear’s thick underfur is topped by varied guard hair lengths creating an incredible insulation buffer for the fat layer. The temperature of the fat closest to the polar bears skin is nearly the same as that close to the body core. This temperature consistency allows polar bears to conserve energy effectively.
Polar bear fur is actually transparent and hollow and appearing white from reflecting light. Polar bear fur appears whitest when they just emerge from water and sunlight comes from higher angles. molting occurs in spring and ends by later summer. Seal oil and dirt accumulating in their fur can cause a common yellow tint throughout a good part of the year. The video below illustrates how the fat layer of polar bears works as opposed to blubber of whales and seals.
When I first started guiding Churchill Arctic summer trips I fell in love with beluga whales in the Churchill River and out in the Hudson Bay. Every year for ten years I returned pulled by the same force that I felt the whales were pulled by each year. I felt an incredible calm and peace inside after the very first whale trip on the River. Actually, I felt that calmness within ten minutes of being with the whales. Year after year that feeling became stronger as I bonded with the whales through different interactions on the water.
A polar bear swimming in the Hudson Bay is a great way to kick off the summer. Polar bears will often get in the water to try and take a seal though they also enjoy the occasional cool dip on a hot day. Polar bears are curious and playful by nature and this young sub – adult seems to have plenty of energy. Witnessing all the different behaviors of polar bears in the wild is why venturing to Churchill is so rewarding. Photographers come here because they can get all the different facets of a polar bear’s life often in one trip. Enjoy this Churchill Video of the Week!
Churchill beluga whale watching operators breathed a collective sigh of relief when the Department of Fisheries and Oceans ruled that the recently proposed minimum distance regulations for observing belugas on the Churchill River and Hudson Bay would not be enforced for the coming summer season. A proposed 50 meter restriction was to apply to all vessels observing whales on the water. DFO was citing research recently conducted with results showing minimal contact with whales would be beneficial to them in their feeding and calving behavior.
Researchers have obviously not spent much time observing the whales interacting with tour operators vessels in Churchill. Having spent over 10 seasons with groups of travelers out on the Churchill River and Hudson Bay, I have seen the behavior in just about every situation many times over. Beluga whales are curious beings and when they are not feeding or tending to their calves they love to approach and follow boats of all sizes. Zodiacs in particular are favorites for the whales with their low throttle. The whales seem happy settling into the slipstream created by the outboard motor and often approach close enough without prompting for one to reach in the water and touch the melon of a beluga.
So, without hesitation, I can firmly state that beluga whales are safe around whale watching boats in Churchill. They are adept enough to avoid a boat traveling at fairly high speed though this practice is quite unusual for anyone out to view the whales. The video below highlights the behavior that beluga whales exhibit with no fear. Good job DFO!
The Georgia Aquarium just had an amazing event occur this week. A baby beluga whale was born in captivity. Although always a controversial occurrence, the ability to witness this incredible phenomena can only happen in such a setting. Aside from that the educational benefits to those studying the species and those who cannot travel to the Arctic waters to see belugas in their natural habitat are immense. I am generally not an advocate of aquariums housing wild animals without releasing them but there are some educational aspects such as this birth that cannot be observed in the wild. That alone can stimulate incredible conservation initiatives and support from people everywhere.
With the Churchill Arctic Summer season coming quickly, we thought we would present a video preview of the possibility of seeing polar bears in Churchill during the summer. This footage by local Churchillian Joe Stover was filmed last August. A mother polar bear with her two cubs walking along a road about 20 kilometers outside town is a somewhat rare sight though not uncommon if you happen to be in the right place at the right time. Summer is a paradox regarding polar bears. The “right place at the right time” can easily turn into the “wrong place at the wrong time” if one is unprepared or complacent in wandering the area without a guide or bear protection. This is true especially along the beaches where bears can easily conceal themselves in the undulating Precambrian shield. Summer in many aspects can be more dangerous than fall polar bear season as it’s common and easy to let one’s guard down. Being aware and not wandering too afar without protection or a vehicle will ensure staying safe.
