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.
With the current polar bear season in Churchill heading towards the end we have some classic images from Natural Habitat Adventures guides for you. These guides work tirelessly to provide travelers with the most awesome experience in the sub – Arctic. This season has been a challenge with the moderate temperatures influencing polar bear behavior and movement out on the tundra. We still have had some incredible bear and other wildlife encounters that have produced fantastic images all season. Enjoy!
A polar bear emerges from the willows in the Churchill mist. Drew Hamilton photo.
Sunlight on a healthy polar bear in Churchill. Eric Rock photo.
Red fox chasing lemmings on the tundra. Drew Hamilton photo.
Polar bear paw displaying claws. Drew Hamilton photo.
Polar bear family roaming the misty tundra. Brad Josephs photo.
These amazing photographs by Natural Habitat Adventures guide Brad Josephs in Churchill are diverse in content and exhibit the awesome range of wildlife viewing travelers have been seeing on the tundra of the Churchill Wildlife Management Area. With more than a week to go in this phenomenal polar bear season there’s still much more action to see from Churchill!
Polar bear observing the polar rover. Brad Josephs photo.
Relaxing polar bear in a kelp bed. Brad Josephs photo.
Polar bear awakens to an Arctic fox prowling nearby. Brad Josephs photo.
Two ravens harass a snowy owl on the tundra. Brad Josephs photo.
Snowy owl strikes back at the ravens. Brad Josephs photo.
Polar bears explore a polar rover out in the CWMA. Brad Josephs photo.
Churchill’s 2016 polar bear season is winding down fro some Natural Habitat Adventures guides. Moira Le Patourel is finishing up her amazing season in Churchill tomorrow and we wish her well. Polar bear season for others is continuing for another week however and we will be bringing you all the news. Sunday will feature all the latest news and photos from the tundra. Check in and see the updates tomorrow!
Guide Moira and Churchill staff. Moira Le Patourel photo.
A snowy tundra was the perfect setting for an Arctic fox greeting Natural Habitat Adventures guide Moira Le Patourel and her group of travelers. As snow fluttered to the ground the inquisitive fox seemed indifferent to the rover’s presence. What beautiful colors melding together in an Arctic landscape!
Arctic fox surveying the land fast ice along the Hudson Bay. Moira Le Patourel photo.
Caught between the search for lemmings and waiting for the Hudson Bay freeze, this gorgeous fox will patiently wait for the latter in order to feed off the left -overs of polar bear seal kills. A fascinating existence for sure. Polar bear season in Churchill reveals the subtleties of survival in the far north.
Arctic fox waiting out the eventual freezing of the Hudson Bay. Moira Le Patourel photo.
Later, out on the tundra of the Churchill Wildlife Management Area, a sow with two cubs of the year (coy) revealed themselves on the horizon and explored the ground close to the polar rover. The three moved confidently across the thermokarst landscape while circling the group observing from the rover. Purely incredible to witness these polar bears in their natural environment.
Sow and two coy wandering the Hudson Bay coast near Churchill. Moira Le Patourel photo.
The persistent unseasonable moderate temperatures have polar bears resting and conserving energy for the most part though we are still seeing magical behavior across the tundra. Surely the snow and cold will escalate and we will see more sparring in the coming weeks. Until then we are not complaining about the number of family interactions so far this year as well as the variety of other wildlife sightings.
Resting polar bear by a stand of willows. Moira Le Patourel photo.
The group was charmed with a first – night orientation of some fantastic northern lights which they took in down by the large inukshuk behind the town complex. What a display squeezed in between the clouds and snow squalls.
One of the best spots in Churchill to capture the magical northern lights. Moira Le Patourel photo.
The following day Moira brought her travelers back for an iconic group photo from the head of the Hudson Bay. If the incredible aurora displays this polar bear season are any indication, we are in for quite a northern lights season in January through March.
Natural Habitat group photo at the Churchill inukshuk. Moira Le Patourel photo.
