Magnificent photo by Alex De Vries – Magnifico of the changing tundra colors in Churchill with Fort Prince of Wales in the background. The Arctic summer is giving way to fall and within three weeks the 2015 polar bear season will begin in Churchill. Looking forward to reporting all the wild and amazing polar bear stories from Churchill this season!
A beautiful photo of the fall colors of Churchill!
Alex De Vries Magnifico photo.
An informative video on polar bears in the Arctic and the safety precautions implemented to avoid and confront potential polar bear attacks and interactions in the north! Enjoy and comment on the film! Churchill is the focus of this video that shows the dynamic between people and polar bears in the north.
Biologists from the U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service and U. S. Geological Survey teamed with Local residents from Kaktovik, a remote island in the Beaufort Sea, to rescue a polar bear ensnared in a lost fishing net. The 1,000 pound male polar bear was spotted in the sea struggling due to the netting wrapped around his body. Biologists flew close to the bear and shot him with a tranquilizer dart. Local fishermen, nearby in their boats, rushed in to buoy the bear to prevent him from drowning while sedated.
A polar bear that was trapped in a fishing net rests on shore after being freed. U S geological Survey photo.
Biologists worked feverishly to untangle the bear and he was released back into the wild after they deemed him injury free.
USGS asserts that climate change continues to affect polar bear habitats and they have established a Polar Bear Recovery Team to protect them. While individual rescues such as this aide in saving small numbers of polar bears, each one, especially females, can be crucial to the populations overall strength. close contact with sedated bears can also reveal scientific information to help evaluate the species.
Polar bear resting after sedation and removal of fishing net. U. S. geological Survey photo.
Jodi Grosbrink in Churchill snapped these shots of a wandering polar bear outside of town that swam out of the water and rested on the rocks. More polar bears are arriving in Churchill and this upcoming bear season in October and November promises to be an incredible one with large numbers of polar bears waiting for the Hudson Bay to freeze up. Getting these photos from local Churchillian’s is a great way to keep up with the bear population in and around Churchill. Enjoy!
This Arctic tern photo by David Hemmings is a fitting salute to the final days of Churchill’s Arctic summer season. Most of these birds will be making their return voyage south of around 22,000 miles to Antarctica. They will make their zig – zag return of the same amount of miles next year to the rich feeding grounds of the Arctic and the Churchill region!
Arctic tern with a capelin in mouth. David Hemmings photo.
These underwater photos of beluga whales will be the last ones for the season. It’s hard to get enough of these amazing animals direct from the chilly waters of Churchill. A huge thanks to local guide and photographer Alex De Vries Magnifico for the continuous supply of incredible images not only during Churchill’s Arctic summer but throughout the year. The photos and video have allowed are viewers to feel close from so far away and feel the connection to one of the most beautiful places in the north. Follow Explore.org and the live Beluga Cam for a short time more on the Churchill River.
Beluga whales diving and releasing some air to go deeper. Alex De Vries – Magnifico photo.
Beluga whale curious about the photographer. Alex De Vries – Magnifico photo.
Beluga whales checking out the visitors. Alex De Vries – Magnifico photo.
Beluga whales diving in the Churchill River. Alex De Vries – Magnifico photo.
