The polar bears of Churchill.A mother and cub take a rest in the polar bear viewing area in the Churchill Wildlife Management area.

My sixteenth season of guiding polar bear trips to Churchill Manitoba. I can say, no two seasons are the same and it never gets boring. The cold has set in and ice is beginning to form. This mother and cub wait anxiously for good ice to form before they head out onto the Hudson Bay. Ice on the bay means the opportunity to hunt seals and a chance to replenish fat reserves utilized for survival over the ice free summer season. with my  seasons now of spending time int he company of such great creatures, I still have no real understanding of how  such an animal can cope with the physiological demands of up to five months with out reliable ice for feeding. This time away from food can be up to eight months for females during the season of their pregnancy.