A late season necessitated more polar bear lifts than usual as Churchill and the surrounding area was inundated with the majestic animals. It looks like the season has finally come to a close with winter weather settling in and the Hudson Bay ice pack finally land – fast against the coast. Good news for polar bears as they are now able to begin replenishing their fat storage through seal – hunting! Hopes are high that the late start will bring a bounty of seals for hungry polar bears and the spring thaw will happen later than usual.
Manitoba Conservation officers ready a polar bear for a lift north. Katie de Meulles photo.
Here are the recent polar bear statistics from Manitoba Conservation in Churchill. Finally there is respite from the polar bear saturation around town. Polar bears are all moving to the Hudson Bay ice and it looks as if soon there will be little threat around the community. Great to know friends and folks in Churchill can breathe a sigh of relief.
With the Hudson Bay ice finally locked onto shore, Churchill’s polar bear population will be moving out to hunt seals. Here are some end of the season photo’s to send them off. These images by local photographer Katie de Meulles are tremendous and really capture the essence of this unusually late polar bear season. Enjoy!
Polar bears on the Churchill tundra. Katie de Meulles photo.
magical light on an adult polar bear. Katie de Meulles photo.
Resting polar bear waiting for the ice to return on the Hudson Bay., Katie de Meulles photo.
Red fox searching the tundra for a meal. Katie de Meulles photo.
Polar bear tracks heading across the snow covered tundra. Katie de Meulles photo.
Polar bear sow and cub venture across the snowy tundra in Churchill. Katie de Meulles photo.
Following an unusual two week extended polar bear “season” in the Churchill region, it finally seems that polar bears will be hunting seals out on the Hudson Bay ice – pack sooner than later. North winds and a dramatic drop in temperature has brought the ice in for good it appears. With tension around town growing increasingly high due to polar bears roaming the streets, ice on the Hudson Bay has never been more welcomed! Thanks to Polar Bear Alley and Great White Bear Tours for the awesome photos.
Ice on the Hudson Bay in Churchill. Polar Bear Alley photo.
Mother and cub polar bear linger in the middle of the road. Great White Bear Tours photo.
Explore.org has this polar bear cam based at Cape Churchill inside Wapusk National Park. It won’t be long before even these polar bears are heading to the ice in this incredibly late polar bear season. North winds and frigid temperatures have returned to the region and the hungry polar bears will migrate out as soon as the ice supports them. This is the latest polar bears have been on land around Churchill in many years!
