Canada is the kingdom of bears, the most common are black bears, brown bears, relatively rare is the polar bear. When it comes to polar bears, you must think that you must go to the Arctic Ocean to see them, and it is difficult to go to heaven. That's not true! The polar bear capital of the world is located in Churchill, Canada.
Since the first season of Three Naked Bears was released 15 years ago, my daughter has been addicted to it and has been clamoring to see Ice Bear. Just this year, I also have a travel plan, after countless tips, chose Churchill.
Located in Manitoba, the small town of Churchill, as Canada's northernmost city, is known worldwide for its rich natural resources, including polar bears, beluga whales, caribou and dozens of unique wildlife species can be seen along the way. One of its most famous names is the "capital of Polar bears." The end of October to the end of November, known as polar bear season, is the prime time to see lots of polar bears in Churchill! Because from October to November, these white giants migrate here, wait for the bay to freeze over, and then head out to sea to hunt seals. But fear not, visitors can safely view the bears in custom-made vehicles. There is also a so-called "polar bear prison" to manage interactions between bears and humans.
It's a surprising statistic: Churchill, with a population of just 900, has more than 1,000 polar bears in late autumn each year, more than people!
Why is Churchill, at 58 degrees north latitude, far from the Arctic Circle and far from the Arctic Ocean, home to so many polar bears? The main reason is that Hudson Bay, adjacent to Churchill, was one of the first seas to freeze, and seals are abundant in the area. As a result, polar bears like to gather here in order to hunt seals through the ice in the middle of the sea before winter comes, giving them plenty of heat reserves.
Polar bears hunt seals in a special way: they search the ice for the seals' breathing holes, and when the seals emerge from the ice, the bears will pounce and kill them with a single blow. The amount of fat in one seal can keep a polar bear in reserve for more than six months. It is for this reason that Churchill from October to November has become a world-famous eco-travel destination. Although a trip to Churchill to see polar bears is expensive, it's no secret that scarcity is valuable.
Is it safe to watch bears when they are so fierce?
Unlike the relatively mild brown bears and black bears, polar bears are fierce, no less than lions and tigers of large carnivores, the threat to people is self-evident, Churchill town special arrangements for helicopters to monitor whether there are polar bears into residential areas, and there are all-weather armed patrol guards to ensure the safety of tourists. So, is it safe to watch bears? The answer is yes, because Churchill has a unique means of transport for visitors - a bear-watching tundra snowmobile.
We were looking forward to sitting on the "bear watch artifact", was a little worried about the safety in the vast snow field, saw the bear tundra snow car for a moment, I was relieved: the track is so wide, looking very safe. Not long into the trip, two polar bears appeared! At that moment, I truly felt: watching several documentaries, it is better to come to the scene once. Large, white creatures staggeringly appear in front of you, giving you a sense of life that a cold screen can't. Daughter can also be excited, small arms flapping, pointing to me said, look, baby bear also follow mother bear!
It will take you into the polar bear sanctuary for a whole day, and each day you can see a different polar bear landscape, so if you don't consider the cost of each day can be booked haha one day I was lucky enough to see polar bears fighting, the next day tourists told me they saw polar bears hunting seals. The snowcar is sturdy, tall and highly passable, allowing visitors to view polar bears from a vantage point on the tundra and get up close and personal with them.
In the warm car, I listened to the guide tell me that in summer, the ice melts, the polar bears can't hunt, and they are hungry until October or November, when the nearby Hudson Bay will freeze first. Hungry and cranky, polar bears come to Hudson Bay early to wait for ice to feed and hunt. That's why the town of Churchill in October-November is the best place to see polar bears. Daughter next to listen to can be serious, vaguely understand the point of the head, let me feel that travel can also learn knowledge, really not the wrong place.
Photography enthusiasts know exactly what this means: to see black and brown bears in the Great Bear Rainforest, you generally have to look far from the viewing platform, and if the lens is not long enough and not good enough, the quality of the photos taken is not high. But in Churchill, the polar bear is right in front of you. It's so cool!
Tall and powerful polar bears, in front of even bigger and more powerful tundra snowmobiles, actually look naive. Too cold to watch bears on the outdoor deck in your car? The car also provides a double anti-fog glass, which is warm and does not affect the view. Experienced guides will also have insight into the location of polar bears and drive snowmobiles to take you deep into the snow field to feel the charm of the "polar Bear Capital of the world".
⚠️ Precautions
Obey the signs and do not enter the no-walk area! Polar bears are naturally curious babies, may attack humans because of hunger, and Churchill has reported earlier that polar bears across the tundra to human settlements, if you encounter a polar bear in the town, the way to escape is to try your best to hide in the nearest indoor place (including the car), confirm the safety of the emergency phone.
In addition, still want to remind everyone, do not walk alone in the town, if the patrol car will warn you to leave quickly. Especially in the seaside place, it is not to go.
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