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.
A Natural Habitat Adventures group of travelers lead by seasoned guide Brad Josephs had this phenomenal experience of a large male polar bear checking out the groups polar rover out in the Churchill Wildlife Management Area. Being inches from the Arctic’s king of the food chain is quite the thrilling and life changing moment. Polar bears are naturally inquisitive and are attracted to many different smells. This time of year as they wait for the Hudson Bay to freeze – up so they can replenish their body fat by hunting seals, nearly everything smells appetizing. Good thing those rovers are built high off the tundra! Polar bear season in Churchill is constantly surprising us all.
This iconic stoic photo of a polar bear waiting for sea ice to form on the Hudson Bay is classic. Polar bears are so patient and live a good part of their life in anticipation of a simple surface on which to hunt seals and find nourishment to live. That surface seems a little more complicated and compromised these days as the weather is certainly changing. This polar bear season in Churchill has been warmer than any in recent history and the affect on polar bears has been noticeable. Hoping for a massive cool down so our white, furry friends can head out to the ice!
Polar bear waiting patiently for sea ice to form on the Hudson Bay. Drew Hamilton photo.
This awesome video filmed by National Geographic in Svalbard, Norway of a polar bear family emerging from their den, roaming around hunting seals is just the calming visual we need at this time of turmoil in our world. We have been seeing polar bear sow’s with cubs of the year this polar bear season in Churchill and they have provided quite the experience for travelers to the north. Enjoy!
Video footage of polar bears hunting seals out on the pack ice is rare since accessing the ice can be extremely dangerous and incredibly expensive for film crews. Then, once there, polar bears have to cooperate, actually find the seal dens then attempt to hunt. This short BBC video gives you all an idea of the conditions these majestic polar bears endure while trying to gain the necessary pounds needed to survive the summer months on land in and around Churchill. This truly is one of nature’s toughest tests!
