Roaming free in their natural habitat is the only place to watch these adorable carnivores. Yet time may be running out in the “Polar Bear Capital of the World.”
We’ve all seen them on nature shows and in adventure magazines and zoos. However, it is when you are mere feet away that you begin to truly appreciate them. The polar bears of Churchill, Manitoba have earned our respect and their freedom.
Climatologists estimate that 70,000 square km (43,750 square miles) of ice per year is lost to global warming; this is equivalent to the size of Lake Superior. This massive recession of ice from the shoreline has been creating an expansive watery gap due to climate change.Although their paddle-like paws permit them to swim miles in frigid waters, they can still overheat and become exhausted. Consequently, the bears have become stranded on ice flows in search of food and, in many cases, drowned. Known as ursus maritimus (“bear of the sea”) by scientists, these apex predators have even resorted to forms of familial cannibalism.
With the current population of less than 25,000 polar bears worldwide (two-thirds make their home in Canada), the looming climate change could cause them be become extinct within 50 years. In western Hudson Bay, the population has decreased by 22 per cent since the early 1980s. This decline has been linked to the Arctic ice caps retreating at an unprecedented rate. The annual break up of ice currently occurs three weeks earlier than it did three decades ago.
The American government officially listed the polar bear as “threatened” under the US Endangered Species Act. Consequently, their federal agencies have to ensure the protection of the arctic habitat. A lesser designation in Canada has polar bears listed as a species of “special concern” which is more of a conservation status to balance the population. If regarded as “endangered” in Canada, a moratorium would jeopardize the multi-million dollar annual Inuit hunting season.
Just 10 minutes east of Churchill, Manitoba as the crow flies, or rather the snowy owl, is the launch site where tourists board their designated tundra buggies with various international adventure seekers. The convoy of big-wheeled buggies departs and disperses over the snow-laden tundra toward Gordon Point. The region is classified as a semi-desert and only receives about 16 inches of precipitation annually. This particular day turned out to be perfectly clear and sunny with a surprising temperature of 22ºF (-5ºC), ideal for photo opportunities. However, the polar bears were engaging in some sub-arctic repose. I suppose if I weighed more than 1,000 pounds (500 kg) and had four inches (10 cm) of fat, I would be sleeping too. Their white fur, which is actually more of a creamy blonde, acts as a camouflage covering their black skin, which facilitates heat absorption.
Polar bear watching is most active during a six-week period in October and November. Tundra Buggy and Great White Bear conduct their tours in rugged all terrain vehicles which have each been built on the base of retired fire trucks. These ATVs may carry up to two dozen patrons each and travel as far as 20 miles east of the town.
After viewing a few stationary bears with heads on paws, I began to wonder if they were real. Could it be someone donning a bear suit that was making all these distinct tracks in the virgin snow? Suddenly, someone in the group spotted a bear as its head popped up. It must be animatronics?
One must employ bear-watching etiquette or the bear essentials (so to speak) at all times in order not to stress out these marvelous marine mammals. It is paramount to remain as quiet as possible and not to bait or feed them.
“Failure to abide by these simple rules will give you the opportunity to enjoy a helicopter ride off the tundra,” the driver told us, “at your own expense.”
People have a maternal and visceral emotion regarding the polar bear. Their image sells everything from alcohol to automobiles and they make ideal ambassadors for the global warming issue. If these “Lords of the Arctic” received royalties for the use of their image, they would be extremely wealthy carnivores indeed. A pair of recently released films even featured polar bears, The Golden Compass and Arctic Tales (2007). The latter features Nanu, a polar bear cub and a walrus pup that encounter a brave new world. Tenacious polar ‘Ice Bears’ are depicted in The Golden Compass, a movie whose filmmakers have contributed a portion of the profits to the World Wildlife Foundation (WWF).
Our second full day on the tundra was windy and colder and consequently provided us with more activity by the great white bears. On this day we spotted six outside the Polar Bear Lodge known as “the camp”. The Lodge is comprised of a series of glorified buggies replete with appropriate facilities and can provide sleeping accommodations for up to 38 people. Here, when not sniffing at buggies, the bears are doing everything from sleeping to sparing. These mock fights help to determine their dominance for when the bears move out onto the frozen bay. Bears re-locate after “freeze-up” in search of their primary food source, the ringed seal. Their acute sense of smell enables them to detect other animals miles away and under more than three feet (one metre) of snow and ice.
Prior to the start of their hunting season, they can fast for as long as eight months if they conserve their energy resources. During the interim they may snack on kelp or even twigs if they get hungry enough. In doing so on land, close encounters with their ursine cousins, the Grizzly Bear, have been occurring over the past few years. Hybrid bears (possibly Grolar or Prizzly) have been discovered as a result. Since the polar bear generally eats only the skin and fat of the seal, the arctic fox is never far behind to scavenge the remainder of the carcass.
On these tundra excursions you can spot other types of animals as well. There is a unique diversity in animal habitat with both the arctic fox and the red fox present. Both fresh and saltwater marshes, the tundra, taiga (vast sub-arctic forest) and boreal forest attract a variety of wildlife. Arctic hare, snowy owls and the grouse-like ptarmigan are often sighted during tundra tours.
The windswept trees on the tundra and taiga are predominantly white spruce. Due to the prevailing northwesterly winds, they provide a natural compass pointing in a southeast direction. Although rather barren and diminutive, reminiscent of a Charlie Brown Christmas tree, the guide said these could be as much as a few hundred years old.
In the late 1970s, the Polar Bear Alert Program was established to protect bears and locals alike. A Polar Bear Compound was erected to hold any wayward white bears whom encroach on the perimeter of Churchill. This area buffering the town has 16 culvert traps and more than two dozen spring-loaded, leg-hold snares to deter any of the wanderers from venturing into town. The bears are darted with a tranquilizer and then have both ears tagged with a number as well as tattooed on the inside of their lip. A tooth will also be extracted to help determine the age of the bear. Often, they will also be weighed and measured before being hauled off to jail. The bears are not fed during their time at the compound, so as not to conjure up an image of a bed and breakfast for the temporary town terrors. If the “freeze up” does not precede the compound’s fill-up, some of the incarcerated ursine are transported, via a helicopter net, outside a 40-mile (64 km) radius. An average of 100 polar bears are detained annually in this facility that can accommodate up to 28 of the massive mammals at one time. Within the controlled zone or city limits, intruders are not darted because a drugged bear is not a happy bear for the next 15 minutes, until the chemical can take effect and render them incapacitated. Manager of the Aurora Inn, Louise Lawrie, stated that, “they are generally scared off by firecracker shells, horns, sirens or even obscene language.” More often than not, the bears show up in the evening, so it is best not to stroll by any restaurant exhaust fans during nocturnal tours of the town.
When I asked Nature 1st guide and gunsmith, Paul Ratson what it is like to live in Churchill, he simply replied, “freedom.” Hopefully, the polar bears will strive to survive and thrive in their evanescent environment. An eco-friendly encounter such as this is to be cherished and supported.
Polar Bear Express
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