Five “Other” Animals You Could See In Churchill

by | Jan 2, 2015 | Churchill News

Churchill is known worldwide at the best, most accessible place to see polar bears. Now, if you’ve spent much time in this northern Manitoba outpost town you know there’s much more than the “king” of the Arctic. In fact, often it’s the other animals of this remote land on the shores of the Hudson Bay that give travelers thrills. The unexpected often can be as exciting as seeing the main event.

A polar bear lurking in the willows around Churchill, Manitoba.

Polar bear in the willows in Churchill. Eric rock photo.

Here are five other animal attractions around Churchill you could see during polar bear season and possibly other times of the year.

1. Arctic Fox– This icon of the Arctic is one of the most beautiful animals in the north. To some extent the white fox symbolizes the Arctic as much as the mighty polar bear. the population tends to run in cycles and fluctuates with the lemming population and will compete from year to year with the red fox.

Arctic fox sniffing the tundra for prey in Churchill, Manitoba.

Arctic fox sniffing the tundra for prey. Brad Josephs photo.

2. Moose– Usually individual moose can be seen from a polar rover or  from a helicopter journey over the vast tundra.

A moose on the tundra. Brad Josephs photo.

A moose on the tundra. Brad Josephs photo.

3.- Red fox– The “other’ fox in the Arctic has been increasing its range of habitat over the years and even foraging seal-kills out on the Hudson Bay ice pack. The red fox numbers fluctuate from year to year…highly dependent on lemming numbers.

red fox on the Churchill, Manitoba tundra.

Red fox along the coast in Churchill,MB. Brad Josephs photo.

4. Beluga Whale– Although you will not see this whale during polar bear season, you could see polar bears during whale season which can extend until late August and even early September.

Beluga whale in Churchill River.

Beluga whale in the mouth of the Churchill River. Photo-Steve Selden

5. Killer Whale (Orca)- A very rare sight in the Hudson Bay. Occasionally these leviathans surface in areas where they can be seen, usually just outside the mouth of the Churchill River. If you are lucky enough to see one the chances of getting a photo are slim.

killer whales in the Hudson Bay near Churchill, Manitoba.

Orca’s in the Hudson Bay. Dwight Allen photo.

Come to the north and Churchill to see these amazing animals with Natural Habitat Adventures! Visit nathab.com for information.

 

 

 

Why Polar Bears Congregate In Churchill

by | Dec 23, 2014 | Conservation

Polar bears congregate every year around Churchill, Manitoba to await ice formation in the western and southern Hudson Bay. By early to mid November, polar bears are omnipresent in the Churchill Wildlife Management Area with travelers on polar rovers seeing more than 50 polar bears in a single excursion to the tundra.

Churchill polar bear.

Polar bear looking at the polar rover. Photo: Colby Brokvist

There are a few major factors for the bears anticipating the freeze-up in the Churchill region.First and foremost is simple topography relating to the location of the town of Churchill and the jutting land that extends into the bay known as Cape Churchill. As you can see by the map the shelf is quite evident.

While this shelf extension is not all that crucial in itself as a major congregating hot-spot, the contributing factors qualify it as such. Counter-clockwise sea currents cause ice formation to get hung up there. The stalling affect on the flow of water coupled with fresh water flow from the Churchill and Nelson Rivers, to name two of the biggest in the area, create the perfect formula for ice formation here. Since fresh water freezes faster than salt water, the ice will build early off the coast and then combine with the northern ice formed in the colder regions. That pack ice is pushed in by the currents and south winds. All this make for a “perfect storm” of ice formation at the most accessible place in the sub-Arctic.

Polar bears wandering the coast in Churchill,MB.

Three polar bears explore the coastline anticipating the freeze-up. Karen Walker photo.

Of course, there is another reason polar bears like Churchill. Human population. A community of humans brings all the side benefits for animals…and in this case hungry polar bears trying to survive to the next seal-hunting season on fat reserves. The aromas and food by-products associated with human life attract every opportunistic species around. Around Churchill, top of the list are the polar bears. Before the old dump was closed down some years ago, polar bears would forage there all day and became a zoo-like attraction to travelers and locals alike. With the majority of that facility closed down, polar bear activity in town escalated over the years. The Polar Bear Alert program has become quite active in attempts to keep up with the burgeoning polar bear appearances in the town.

The polar bear holding facility holds up to 25 polar bears that have been captured due to interactions with humans or coming into the town of Churchill, Manitoba's limits.

Polar bear holding compound in Churchill.

Global warming indications have also caused polar bears to appear on land earlier in the summer months. With sea ice coverage decreasing recently in the Hudson Bay, polar bears are being forced to come on land and seek alternative food sources. I can say from first-hand experience that polar bear sightings in Churchill have increased over the past 15 years. Guiding summer beluga whale trips for over a decade has allowed me to witness the firsthand increase in bear numbers. Bears have also become more successful at seal hunting in the shallow tidal coastal areas around the Churchill region.

Churchill polar bear chewing the seal fat from a kill.

Polar bear enjoying the success of a seal kill. Photo Paul Brown

Overall, the changes in polar bear numbers year-round have spurred Manitoba Conservation officers to adjust their strategy regarding bear management in Churchill. The feeling is this will continue to be readjusted even more over the coming years.

 

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Polar Bear Season in Pictures

by | Nov 16, 2014 | Churchill Photography

Lone polar bear on the tundra of the Churchill Wildlife Management Area in Churchill, MB.

Roaming polar bear on the tundra. Melissa Scott photo.

Polar bear season is coming to a close but the superb photos keep arriving from Natural Habitat guides in Churchill, Manitoba. These four pictures from longtime guide Melissa Scott represent an amazing season that started fast and has continued strong. The Hudson Bay is starting to freeze up and polar bears are testing the ice. In another two weeks most bears will be on the ice hunting seals and the aurora borealis season will start in Churchill. If it’s anything like this fall polar bear season, it will be a great one!

Polar bears sparring in the Churchill Wildlife Management Area.

Sparring polar bears in Churchill Wildlife Management Area. Melissa Scott photo.

A polar bear walks between two polar rovers in Churchill, Manitoba.

Polar bear in the Churchill Wildlife Management Area. Melissa Scott photo.

Two polar bears in Churchill, Manitoba

Polar bears emerging from the willows in the CWMA. Melissa Scott photo.

 

Port of Churchill strategic for Canada

by | Feb 5, 2014 | Churchill News

 

The only Arctic Seaport in Canada, Churchill, Manitoba, has struggled to find its’ identity for 35 years. That is when the military left the area and the population shrunk from nearly 5,000 to under a 1,000 people.

Port of Churchill,MB

The Port of Churchill, MB. Photo: Steve Selden

Sure, the ecotourism industry bloomed after that leading to the incredible numbers of travelers visiting Churchill today, seeking to see polar bears, but that really only happens for a seven week period in October and November. The Summer beluga whale trips and Winter northern lights excursions bring more people to the frontier town on the Hudson Bay but not in any dramatic fashion that will propel Churchill to become more than what it has been for nearly half a century….sleepy…for most of the year.

Omnitrax Inc., owner of the port of Churchill and the Hudson Bay rail line is trying to change all that by increasing opportunities to ship more diversified products from the port to other nations. Manitoba as well as Ottawa are behind this new initiative and two years ago established a task force to inquire into new economic opportunities.

Wheat and grain as well as other farming products have been the main staples to cross the Bay and oceans to far away lands to date. However, with the longer ice-free season, new products as well as new destinations are being sought.

The task force came up with some of the same recommendations as previous reports, but they are updated and expanded for current conditions, including a restructured grain industry, expanding resource development and climate change that could lead to much higher volumes in Arctic shipping and navigation.

Aside from similar findings from years past, the current report from the commission is updated in a sense to account for a newly structured grain shipping system and expansion of resource development such as gems and metals around the Churchill region.

Polar bear checking out a polar rover in the Churchill Wildlife Management Area.

Polar bear checking out a polar rover in the Churchill Wildlife Management Area.

U.S. and Canadian producers as well as Omnitrax are pushing for moving light sweet crude by rail to Churchill and then returning south with a cargo of bitumen diluents for Alberta’s oil sands. Though Manitoba is officially opposed, citing the environmental risk, the task force endorses this idea. The northern rail lines travel over permafrost and numerous grain -train derailments over the past years have spawned major concern over the safety of the environment with this process. Aside from that issue are the water-borne issues themselves. Low tide is risky for loading a large amount of crude oil into tankers in the port and then heading out into the Bay and through the Hudson Straits to the north. Environmental proponents fear any disaster on the water would permanently harm the area’s fragile ecosystem and wildlife. That could profoundly jeopardize the tourism dollars that currently flow into the region. The risk is high.

Hudson Bay ice edge.

Edge of the Hudson Bay floe ice. Photo Rhonda Reid.

With renewed interest in developing the North through expanding grain shipments, as well as newer resource exports like potash, minerals, liquefied natural gas, oil and bitumen, Churchill is poised for an economic explosion. Of all these possibilities oil has the most resistence from the public. There really is no room for error and people are scared about this. Hopes are high for these other resources to take hold and provide an economic surge that will build a strong base for the port to grow from.

Last year was a banner year for grain shipment from the port, breaking records even, but Omnitrax, Manitoba and Canada are all looking ahead to the future for even more.

 

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