Global Warming

OCT 2007:  During a helicopter flight, all we saw was miles of water, tundra and one lone bear.  This view of “nothing” also greeted us when we boarded a Tundra Buggy and went searching for polar bears outside of Churchill, Manitoba, Canada, billed the polar bear capital of the world.  The view from the helicopter or the buggy did not resemble the color pictures in the promotional brochures from the tour company.  The normal winter freezing of the Hudson Bay is occurring later in the year and tour companies are finding it hard to deliver tours that view Polar Bears on ice and snow.

The trip was not a total bust, we did see some other wildlife including a wet Mom and Baby Canadian Bison, Canadian Eskimo Sled dogs (adult and pup), and an Artic Hare.

The most telling shot is one of the lone Polar Bear standing on the tundra looking out at the Hudson Bay waiting for the water to freeze so the bear can go hunting.  During the summer, the bears do not eat and are eager to get back on the ice and hunt for seals. 

Here are a few shots from Churchill Additional Canada Shots

Ron Baker