Churchill, Manitoba is a small remote town of around 800 residents. It is located on the edge of the Hudson Bay where polar bears gather from the boreal forest to await the big freeze so they can get out on the ice and fill their bellies with seals. You can visit Churchill, travel out into the Arctic in specialized rovers, and even spend the night in a rolling lodge out on the tundra.
Polar bears are considered marine animals, preferring to remain on the sea ice. They are the largest land carnivore in the world.
October can be a beautiful time to visit the tundra with fall colors. Bears can be a little easier to spot as well!
Males can weigh up to 1300 pounds! Females can weigh up to 650 pounds. Cubs weigh about 1 pound at birth. They have 2 layers of fur and a thick layer of fat that prevent almost no heat loss.
A Polar Bear's fur is not actually white, it's pigment free and transparent with a hollow core that scatter and reflects visible light.
Bear Yoga
Polar Bear Jail
Polar Bear Jail is a housing facility for bears who persistently loiter close to town. They are captured and held for a few days, then released back into the wild, sometimes via helicopter to safely relocate. This is a way the people of Churchill can comfortably live with the bear population.
Spend the night out in the tundra lodge with the polar bears! Travel in specialized vehicles specifically designed for tundra travel.
