Polar Bears of Churchill - Polar Bear Blog

Polar Bear Alley

This is a collection of northern stories - polar bear, arctic and otherwise from Churchill, Manitoba, Canada - the polar
bear capital of the world.

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If you like the Polar Bear Blog, check out my first book, Polar Bears of Churchill. It combines eight years of guiding experience in Churchill, Manitoba, Canada with the latest scientific research, local history and a bit of cabin fever. Independently published. Available online for $14.95! Click BUY NOW to purchase a copy and support Polar Bear Alley!

Polar Bear Blog - July 11, 2006

I stopped by the polar bear lab today, also known as the Institute for Arctic Ecophysiology (or 'Why Scientists Shouldn't Name Their Own Institutes). Anyway, the Lab was the location of some of the first studies into polar bear energetics and biology not to mention home of several research projects in Churchill over the years.

However, an experiment entitled 'The Effects of Crude Oil on Polar Bears' in 1984/85 essentially ended the I.A.E.P. when it resulted in the mortality of three polar bears. Since then, the IAEP was used on a limited basis and was shut down for good a couple of years back.

But, the Lab was still one of my favourite places in Churchill. The cages in the back part of the IAEP were still in places and some of the shelves even contained old chemicals, ear tags and bone samples. There was even avial of polar bear blood there although someone has snagged that one by now.

Trouble is, time has a way of marching on and it has marched all over the IAEP. The cages are gone; commandeered for use as gates on our new recycling centre and much of the Lab has been cleared out. All the locks are broken and the door is ripped off - the result of a party or two.

Gone with the cages is the spirit of this place. The Lab felt haunted when you went inside. You got a real feeling of the animals spirits still hanging around in there. It was almost a polar bear haunted house. Definitely one of the collest places in Churchill and probably something that should have been celebrated as part of this community's history rather than left to its own rusty devices.

But thats that way it goes.

SEA ICE UPDATE - JULY 10, 2006 - Not much left...

Polar BearBlog - July 9, 2006

Not a polar bear blog today, more of a wolf and bug blog. Its a cool day and kind of windy - a good day to head to Twin Lakes, our version of the boreal forest.

Twin Lakes is a one and a half hour drive south from the Churchill Northern Studies Centre and truly the end of the road. It is a nice change from the taiga and tundra of Hudson Bay.

However, the shelter of the trees can make life in the forest a little extreme. I remember hiking there one day in my first year in Churchill. The bugs were so bad that I had to yell at my partner to be heard over the incessant buzzing of mosquitoes. That day still holds the record for the fastest pee of my life.

There is an old military road that heads to Twin Lakes, cutting through both trees and muskeg. This roads also serves as a wildlife corridor - which is where the wolves come in.

Ever since, my hike to North River, I have been thinking about wolves. So, I have finally decided to do my Masters in Environment and Management and study wolf DNA and that sort of thing. I decided that on Saturday and today is Sunday. Since I have found that it is better not to think things through too much, I started collecting wolf scat today. So far, I have three samples (GPS'd and stored for future use).

Needless to say, my girlfriend is less than impressed with my new hobby.

Polar Bear Blog - July 6, 2006

Twisted logic reigns in the north (or is it south?)

I love reading national articles about Churchill because, at least to me, their logic and research seems a little bit funky. Acutally, it reminds me of a regular conversation in Churchill in April when everyone is completely immerses in cabin fever.

So, here is something from left field (which is my specialty)... I have been thinking about the Globe and Mail article - the air conditioning article. Specifically, the paragraph...

The expansion of the jail may be timely, because climate change is expected to drive polar bears in western Hudson Bay near human settlements more often.

Now, just to play devil's advocate... The vast majority of polar bears encountered in the Churchill area are subadults or females with cubs. These are the two groups of polar bears most energetically stressed and the most in need of food and therefore the most affected by climate change.

So, if climate change really kicks into high gear, this part of the population will have a much higher mortality rate and when you think about it, the numbers coming into Churchill probably will not change very much.

You see, the best and the brightest of the western Hudson Bay polar bears, stay away from Churchill and from people. We only get the periphery of the population - the tired, the poor, the huddled masses - those bears.

Twisted logic? Definitely, but no more so than comparing a polar bear attack in Quebec with climate change in Churchill. To me, that is like saying the crime rate is up in Winnipeg because someone was murdered in Chicago.

Polar Bear Blog - July 5, 2006

Well, roll me in sugar and call me jelly donut, now I've seen it all. Airconditioning for polar bears.

Yes, as part of the new renovations for the polar bear jail, actually we are supposed to call it a polar bear compound now because jail has negative connotations (I am not kidding), they are installing air conditioning.

Hmm...how do you spell bureaucracy gone wrong? I'll give you a hint, it starts with 'A' and ends with 'ir-conditioning-for-polar-bears'.

Shawn Bobier, the top conservation officer in Churchill, is quoted as saying that if its '30 degrees outside, we could knock it down to 20 degrees, it will make the bear that much more comfortable.'

Shawn seems like a pretty good guy and nothing comes out of Conservation that isn't screened my the media department first so this is not a shot at him. But what the hell are we talking about?!?

Bears are not put in jail to be comfortable - in fact, it is supposed to be a deterrent - that's why we only give them water and try to hold them for thirty days without any outside stimulation. We do not want them to come back!

Second, the polar bear jail, I mean compound, is a HUGE METAL BUILDING. Call it a hunch, but I think it might be cooler in there regardless of air conditioning.

Thirdly, does it not cost money to run an air conditioning unit. Manitoba Conservation has a huge budget in Churchill that overwhelmed by the massive amounts of helicopter hours needed each year. Maybe air conditioning is not really a feasible expense.

Finally, bears start overheating at 10C so whether it is 20 or 40 they are still overheating and they are still miserable.

Of course, maybe this was all a mistake in the Globe and Mail article and the government is really not installing air conditioning and Bobby Ewing will be alive and in the shower in the morning. You can check the related article for yourself here... Globe and Mail Air Conditioned Bears

And by the way, if it does end up being 30C in October when polar bears are held in the polar bear jail and you happen to live in a coastal city such as San Francisco...buy a lifejacket.

Polar Bear Blog - July 3 , 2006

Well, it is that time of year again. Time to pull out the ol' shotgun and cracker shells and lay down the bear boards. Time to look over your shoulder when you are hiking and sleep with one eye open. Time to watch the waters for swimming bears because that is what most of them are doing right now!

Sea ice maps and a major lack of ice around Churchill are pretty good indicators that the polar bears are heading ashore right about now. With only on big patch of ice floating around on this side of the bay, most if not all of the bears should be ashore.

This year's break-up is about two weeks early meaning the most bears are probably coming off the ice about 40lbs lighter than last year. This is not a huge problem for most bears provided that the bay freezes by mid-November but we will have to wait and see! Get ready for the fun to start!

Polar Bear Alley is a real place but not this place. It is a strip of white sand beach along the coast of Hudson Bay near the former site of the Churchill garbage dump. A beautiful place for a picnic if you know how to handle a shotgun.

This version of Polar Bear Alley is created by Kelsey Eliasson in Churchill, Manitoba, Canada or more specifically at Camp Nanuq -a 'cottage suburb' twenty kilometres or fifteen miles east of Churchill. I also run a publishing house called Munck's Cafe and write a few books, including the newly released Polar Bears of Churchill, when not chasing bears of my porch.