Churchill
The town of Churchill and Wapusk National Park sit on the western shore of the Hudson Bay in Manitoba, Canada. Climate change is impacting the arctic far more quickly than other parts of the world. Sea ice is forming weeks later and melting weeks earlier, causing polar bears to be on land and closer to people for a greater part of the year. I found the topography starkly beautiful -- the wind sweeping snow across the land and various forms of ice building up along the shores. Some polar bears explored and paced the coastline for signs of ice and were on alert for other bears, while others got themselves comfortable to wait. The unique Polar Bear Alert Program outside of Churchill helicoptered “troublesome” bears to the ice further north to minimize conflict with townspeople.
Photo Credit Drew Hamilton
Churchill 0°C and 60° Latitude
A land that is stark yet beautiful
At first glance winter has come to Wapusk National Park
Hoar frost clings to the vegetation
However, lichen and grasses are still visible
At 0°C it's hot, so bears pant to
regulate their temperature
Mid-November and ice floes are only beginning to form
The bears are hungry and need to get
onto the ice to hunt
Mother bears fair the worst, nursing while hungry
They make their way to the bay, checking for ice
Some bears just park themselves near the shore
They settle in kelp beds
and keep a vigilant lookout for other cranky bears
Mothers stay far away from males who can kill her cubs
There are few options at this time of year: 1. Wait
2. Search for food
3. Wander along the shore
4. Explore
Polar Rovers are mandatory for everyone's safety
The bears may look tiny next to 6' tires
but not when they stand 3-4m tall next to the vehicle
From the air you get a good perspective of the land
At the shore grease ice is forming
And in some places pancake ice is beginning
to merge into an ice floe
but higher temperatures, wind and currents
impede forward progress of ice floe formation
To hunt, polar bears search for seal
air holes ~ curbside pickup at a restaurant
Until the ice floes form, polar bears
and people occupy the same land
Since bears don't read, it's our job to stay clear
However, this isn't always possible
Humane holding and moving
troublesome bears work, but it's expensive
It's a magical place - Fata Morgana (mirage)
The sun tracks low across the sky this time of year
Ice magnifies the look of sunsets with its reflection
Flag trees make beautiful foreground
Even cloudy days break at the right moment
Churchill's Inukshuk stone sculptures: "in
likeness of a human" in Inuit
Lucky timing for experiencing the Aurora Borealis
Photo Credit Drew Hamilton
Churchill 0°C and 60° Latitude
A land that is stark yet beautiful
At first glance winter has come to Wapusk National Park
Hoar frost clings to the vegetation
However, lichen and grasses are still visible
At 0°C it's hot, so bears pant to
regulate their temperature
Mid-November and ice floes are only beginning to form
The bears are hungry and need to get
onto the ice to hunt
Mother bears fair the worst, nursing while hungry
They make their way to the bay, checking for ice
Some bears just park themselves near the shore
They settle in kelp beds
and keep a vigilant lookout for other cranky bears
Mothers stay far away from males who can kill her cubs
There are few options at this time of year: 1. Wait
2. Search for food
3. Wander along the shore
4. Explore
Polar Rovers are mandatory for everyone's safety
The bears may look tiny next to 6' tires
but not when they stand 3-4m tall next to the vehicle
From the air you get a good perspective of the land
At the shore grease ice is forming
And in some places pancake ice is beginning
to merge into an ice floe
but higher temperatures, wind and currents
impede forward progress of ice floe formation
To hunt, polar bears search for seal
air holes ~ curbside pickup at a restaurant
Until the ice floes form, polar bears
and people occupy the same land
Since bears don't read, it's our job to stay clear
However, this isn't always possible
Humane holding and moving
troublesome bears work, but it's expensive
It's a magical place - Fata Morgana (mirage)
The sun tracks low across the sky this time of year
Ice magnifies the look of sunsets with its reflection
Flag trees make beautiful foreground
Even cloudy days break at the right moment
Churchill's Inukshuk stone sculptures: "in
likeness of a human" in Inuit