A fantastic photo of the Natural Habitat Aurora Pod by Alex De Vries – Magnifico! The northern lights in Churchill have never been better!
Natural Habitat Adventure’s Aurora Pod on a crazy night in Churchill. Alex De Vries – Magnifico photo.
This awesome pic of Natural Habitat Adventure’s Aurora pod shows the tantalizing northern lights in the sky above. Enjoy!
Northern lights above Natural Habitat’s Aurora Pod. Jim Floyd photo.
In guiding 10 years of exciting Churchill Arctic Summer adventures in Churchill, there was only one year that we had orca or killer whales appear in the Hudson Bay. Unfortunately, we were not out on the water for the brief encounter and had to be satisfied, or more aptly phrased, frustrated and dismayed to see the incredible photos later on.
Orca’s in the Hudson Bay. Dwight Allen photo.
It seems that with the global warming discussion there have been some noticeable environmental changes that the politicians and analysts don’t see from such a personal perspective. Orca whales have been surfacing more routinely in the Arctic waters of the Hudson Bay and people have been able to document their presence. The shift in territorial presence perhaps is a sign that the weather patterns are changing and new species are able to adapt to a new region more easily. Traditionally, killer whales have had a hard time infiltrating the ice – packed Arctic waters due to their large dorsal fin. As ice is receding and lasting shorter periods in the north, orcas are broadening their range and becoming even more of a predator of seals and other Arctic whales like belugas and narwhals. It is pretty impressive to see these beautiful creatures in the wild.
These three northern lights pics from Alex De Vries – Magnifico were taken last night at the snowed – in Aurora Domes outside of town. This season is building up to one of the greatest northern lights season’s ever. Spectacular aurora borealis has been a recurring happening with nearly nightly shows in the northern Churchill sky.
The snowbound Aurora Domes in Churchill. Alex De Vries – Magnifico photo.
Reddish and green northern lights above Churchill’s Aurora Domes. Alex De Vries – Magnifico photo.
Natural habitat Adventures group at the Aurora Domes in Churchill. Alex De Vries – Magnifico photo.
Time to start thinking about Churchill Arctic Summer and the amazing and curious beluga whales. Hoping these photos get everyone excited for another epic season! Keep posted for more exciting news about the upcoming season.
Beluga whales diving and releasing some air to go deeper. Alex De Vries – Magnifico photo.
Beluga spyhopping underwater in Churchill. Douglas Kahle photo.
catching up with belugas in the Churchill River. Alex De Vries – Magnifico photo.
Bowhead whale in the Churchill River. Alex De Vries – Magnifico photo.
An assessment of Manitoba government statistical documents point to increased polar bear encounters with people in Churchill, the self proclaimed polar bear capital on the shores of Hudson Bay. As a result of increased interaction between polar bears and humans the numbers of incarcerated bears has nearly doubled since 2013. That year 36 animals were captured and taken to the polar bear holding facility, or jail, compared with 65 this past year.
Polar bear lift in Churchill. Justin Gibson photo.
Over the past three years the numbers of documented cases of polar bear encounters in Churchill has risen from 229 in 2013 to 351 last year. All aspects of the current numbers point to increased activity between bears and humans in Churchill.
Daryll Hedman is the regional wildlife manager for Manitoba Conservation. His view on last year’s record for the number of polar bears caught in the populated “control zone” of Churchill indicates that even the authorities that deal with these animals on a regular basis are somewhat alarmed by the data. “Three hundred and fifty-one — for occurrences, that’s a high number,” he said.
Hedman and other experts are pointing to climate change as the culprit and resulting decreased sea ice as largely to blame. Over two-thirds of the planet’s polar bears live in Canada though experts are claiming that within only a few decades we could have a massive decline in numbers. With later freeze up in Arctic waters and thawing coming earlier in the spring, polar bears are competing for fatty seal meat within a tighter window. This impacts cubs trying to survive their first year the most. According to Andrew Derocher, a leading polar bear authority from University of Alberta, fewer cubs are making it through their first year out of the den. They simply are not getting the extended seal – hunting training on sea ice that they once were.
Polar bears spending more time on land are more likely to migrate to inhabited areas like Churchill in search of food. These encounters are happening more often and earlier in summer. Not that long ago polar bears rarely appeared in Churchill before August. Now early July seems to be the norm.
“What’s the tipping point?” Headman said. “What’s the threshold that they can go without food? When they’re on land, they’re not eating.”How long can they sustain themselves without getting onto that sea ice platform to hunt seals again?”
