Alex De Vries – Magnifico took this “outstanding”,(see what I did there?), northern lights photograph in Churchill last evening. The aurora borealis continues to impress into September. These spectacular sights we have been seeing bode well for polar bear season which is just a couple of weeks away. With some clear nights throughout the fall season travelers should get some special evenings with the northern lights glowing in the sky above Churchill. Enjoy!
Northern lights above Churchill. Alex De Vries – Magnifico photo.
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.
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 week’s video is a short look into the dynamic between a polar bear mother and her cubs emerging from a winter den. A mother polar bear has about three years to teach her cubs all the skills to survive the harsh Arctic conditions. Churchill is the most accessible place on the planet to observe the polar bear family interactions in the wild.
