Our massive, 14-foot-tall buggy (which felt more like a tank) traversed the rocky, lichen-laden tundra late into the arctic afternoon. Suddenly, a wild polar bear peeked over the willow branches, climbing onto a nearby boulder to stretch its long neck and gaze toward a short-eared owl gliding along the horizon in Churchill, Manitoba.
This was just the first heart-stopping moment of many I experienced in the Polar Bear Capital of the World.
I was honored to participate in this year’s Polar Bears International (PBI) Climate Alliance program as part of the marketing and communications team from Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium. After six months of virtual learning in climate science, advocacy and effective communication about climate change, I spent a week alongside other passionate zoo professionals from across the globe, immersed in the magical landscape of Churchill, Manitoba.
Churchill is a small Canadian town situated on the shores of Hudson Bay just outside the Arctic Circle, which surprisingly isn’t as far from the Pacific Northwest as one might think. I asked Eric Pearson of Parks Canada what people in Washington State should understand about Churchill.
“It’s a place of change,” he said. “Where the arboreal forest, the Arctic, and the bay all meet.”
It’s a place not only witnessing firsthand the effects of climate change, but a place where its people are changing to better coexist with polar bears.
This is where taking a casual walk down the street could lead to an encounter with one of the strongest mammals in the world. This is also where most homes, businesses and cars remain unlocked just in case someone needs a quick, safe getaway from a polar bear. And it’s where “bear-dar” is being tested as an early warning system to alert the community when a polar bear might be approaching.
These measures are increasingly crucial in Churchill because of climate change, which is forcing polar bears to spend extended time on land instead of the ice.
Sea ice begins to freeze first on Hudson Bay in Churchill, and the polar bears know it. Hundreds of them gather each fall near the town in anticipation of that freeze.
Polar bears depend on sea ice to hunt for seals, their main source of food. They have been fasting and waiting all summer for that ice because seals are far more difficult for polar bears to catch in open water.
As climate change extends the period without sea ice, polar bears go without eating seals for longer stretches, forcing them to rely on their fat reserves.
The magnificent bears we spotted from the cozy confines of our Tundra Buggy were more plump than typically spotted at this time of year. Polar Bears International staff explained that an ice shelf broke off this summer and drifted into the bay, which allowed the bears a little more time to hunt seals. Of course, that’s a short-term gain masking a long-term loss for polar bears.
In the 1980s, the average fast for polar bears was 107 days. From 2005-2015, that average increased to 130 days. If the Arctic continues to warm at this rate, populations will be more vulnerable to extinction. PBI scientists say the threshold for these bears is 180 days of fasting before many of them will starve to death. This year, the Western Hudson Bay population of polar bears (the bears in Churchill) were off the ice on July 1.
Moms and cubs are the most vulnerable polar bears. Due to longer periods off the ice, females have less time to get enough fat stores for birthing, denning and feeding cubs. Females usually enter their dens between November and January and will emerge in late March or April. So not only are they forced to fast in the summer when there is no ice, but they fast while in their dens for about four months while feeding cubs.
Fewer cubs produced over time lead to smaller populations. And, if a mom successfully produces cubs, it’s an uphill climb for them to make it to adulthood, which is 5 years old.
People and polar bears have coexisted forever but concerns about polar bears coming into communities like Churchill are increasing as the bears are spending more time on land.
Churchill’s residents and visitors are prepped with what to expect when they hop off the plane or train (there are no roads into Churchill). A video at the airport and train station shares tips on how to keep people and wild polar bears safe. For example, it’s important when walking to take wide turns around corners through town in case a bear is hanging out around the bend. Also, if you spot a polar bear, do not run. The bears are much faster than you, even if you’re Usain Bolt. Don’t go out alone at night and be sure to secure your garbage.
Bear-proof garbage bins are used all around town. Purchasing more bins and ensuring they’re used properly has been a priority for Churchill’s Bear Smart, a group working to establish best practices in the community to minimize negative encounters between people and polar bears so both can thrive.
While walking around town – diligently rounding those street corners wide, of course – we were constantly reminded through varying signs and beautiful murals that polar bears are embedded in this community. Signs for the year-round Polar Bear Alert Program were prevalent, which lists the 24-hour hotline people can call to report a bear sighting.
When polar bears are spotted in town, they are hazed out with loud sounds by conservation officers. For the occasional polar bear that repeatedly visits the town, it is trapped and placed in a polar bear holding facility for 30 days or when the ice forms, whichever occurs first. These bears get a tag and a lip tattoo so they can be tracked when released.
PBI staff stressed that just because these measures work for Churchill doesn’t mean they’re best practices in every community. What works for one, they say, may not work for another. But in Churchill, there hasn’t been a human fatality due to a polar bear since the 1980s because of all these concerted efforts.
On our final night here, a powerful solar storm appeared over Churchill’s main street before traveling across Hudson Bay. It was spectacular. Vibrant green and red colors danced across the starry night, and I couldn’t help but tear up at the magic. Yet another of Churchill’s heart-stopping moments.
It was a sight we had to see, but we also had to take extra precautions. We remained with our group, stopping at a sign that read “Danger, do not walk” with a picture of a polar bear along the bottom of the frame. We carried bear deterrents, continually scanned the horizon for bears, and had enough vehicles to jump into if needed.
This part of the world is special, as are the people and animals who call it home.
Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium is a certified Arctic Ambassador Center through Polar Bears International, and it has been a leader in polar bear research and conservation, working with PBI and other partners to help study and protect polar bears in the Arctic. The zoo recently supported a “Burr on Fur” study to test bear-friendly ways to attach tracking devices to help scientists study the movement patterns of wild bears, which is just one of many examples of how zoos significantly impact wild polar bears.
But we saw many other incredible species in Churchill, such as huge arctic hares (and when I say huge, I mean mind-boggling huge!), a beluga whale (a MASSIVE surprise as they are typically gone by this time of year), a ringed seal, and an array of birds including ptarmigans (adorable arctic chickens), snow geese, a trumpeter swan, a bald eagle, Canada geese, and others.
One morning, as the sunrise painted the sky in hues of orange and pink, we spotted two polar bears – one snoozing and the other exploring around our Tundra Buggy Lodge©. Our breakfast was obviously delayed as we silently observed these bears from the observation deck, occasionally whispering “Wow, how incredible.” The bear moved slowly, occasionally lifting its head to catch a scent before resuming its exploration of kelp and rocks along the low tide.
It is impossible not to feel a need to protect wild polar bears after being privileged to observe them in the beautiful landscape they call home.
Our excess carbon emissions create a heat-trapping blanket around the earth, raising temperatures and altering our climate. The most crucial action we can take to protect polar bears is to urge our government, business leaders and communities to transition away from burning fossil fuels for energy.
By reducing our carbon emissions and fostering practices that promote coexistence between humans and wildlife, we can create a sustainable future for magical habitats like Churchill and our own Pacific Northwest.
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