NAVC Polar Bear Expedition: Day 4

It's 11:00pm. Our day just ended, and it was amazing. It's late, I'm tired, and I'm ready for some dreams - because that is what the day seemed like.

As usual, we walked to breakfast. Very cold but the wind had calmed down some so the walk was not bad. We don't drive anywhere in the town - we walk to all the venues. It is a one-horse town, as stated, and it does not take long to get from one end to another.

(The high-tech Churchill weather station. See the "rock" hanging from the left side of the sign.)

After breakfast we had more CE - "Arctic Amphibians and Reptiles" and "Veterinary Care of Arctic Animals in Captivity."

Then - an absolutely amazing experience:

The town of Churchill is right in the path of the polar bears on their way to the bay ice. Polar bears are dangerous animals, the largest of all terrestrial carnivores. So, when one of the wayward bears wanders into town, they are “arrested” and placed in polar bear "jail." In older days, Conservation Manitoba, the organization in charge of the polar bear alert program, would feed the bears in jail. It did not take long for the polar bears to figure out that if they got arrested they would get free meals. Now, when the polar bears are in jail they do not get fed. They are just held until they can arrange a helicopter to carry them far away. Problem is, it costs several thousand dollars to arrange this.

(Aerial view of the polar bear jail. Note all the school buses. When the bears are released from jail it is a big event in town.)

Enter Clinician's Brief and the NAVC. Clinician's Brief ponied up the money to pay for a helicopter. Six NAVC Polar Bear Expedition attendees pitched in and chartered a second chase helicopter to follow and record the release. So all in all, we were able to sponsor the release of two polar bears!

Over the past 20 years, Conservation Manitoba has relocated (released from polar bear jail) over 6,000 bears! Over that span of time and in working with all of those animals they have only had one death. Telazol (tiletamine/zolazepam) is the current drug of choice for the immobilizations. The animals were darted/immobilized in their “jail cell” and then transported in a cargo net via helicopter to the release site. As the transport nets were being removed, the bears started to rise. The whole operation was very well coordinated and efficient.

(Lifting off under the helicopter, departing for their transport.)

The bears were transported approximately 40 miles north of Churchill for the release. During the flight we flew over the Churchill River, over the coast, and up to the tundra.

(Flying approximately 500' above the ground, 100 mph. The outside temperature is -15C.)

We saw more wildlife - adding moose, caribou, wolves and red fox to our list so far (later during dinner, a blue Arctic fox scampered by the restaurant). It was interesting to note that the bay is starting to freeze and the ice flow is nearing the shore. It won't be long before the bears leave for their annual hunt. We released the two bears approximately a mile apart. The operation was a complete success.

(The helicopter landed, releasing the first bear. The chase helicopter that we were in made several reconnaissance laps over the tundra prior to releasing the bear. It was necessary to ensure that there were no predators like other polar bears or wolves around that may attack the sedated, relocated bear.)

(Releasing the second polar bear. Each bear is marked with bright green paint on its back, for two reasons: First, so that it can be easily spotted from the air, and second, so that the local Inuits know NOT to eat these animals that have residual anesthetic in their bodies.)

(The polar bear was sternal and looking around by the time we left it on the tundra.)

After lunch we all went to the Parks Canada building, the old railway station, to watch two movies: the BBC film Polar Bears on Thin Ice and an award-winning film called To Cross a Frozen Sea, about the history of the fur trading industry here in Churchill.

(Moose cow spotted from the helicopter.)

(A rare, for this time of year, caribou...also spotted on the return flight to Churchill.)

(A furtive red fox photographed by Dr. G. Diethelm)

Dinner - more local favorites - honey glazed salmon, Arctic char and more. After dinner, sled dog rides under a full moon.

(Dr. Howie Mintzner and his wife, Sue, take a moonlight sled dog ride.)

Tomorrow - it's going to be good. It has been cold and snowing all day. The sun is supposed to peak out and the bears are getting active - the shore is starting to freeze. The bears are hungry. Another day on the tundra……