A daily field report on polar bears from our guide Steve Selden in our Churchill, Manitoba office! Check out our polar bear tours here.
The final day of October saw temps around 20F as snow continued to fall and blanket the tundra. Persistent winds finally calmed in the later afternoon while the sky brightened above the thick cloud cover. The bright glow of the sun was seen across the Churchill River and the temperature fell even more.
Churchill’s Conservation officers had to chase another bear out of town into the Bay behind the town complex building. Local photographer and Sea North Tours owner Mike Macri captured the scene as it played out on the beach. Guide Eric’s group was on location to take it all in.
Guide’s Paul and Melissa had a super day in the CWMA where the bears were up an moving more later in the day. Earlier many were hunkered down in drifts or willows to gain shelter from the 30-35 mph winds and blowing snow. Male interactions with mother and cubs were happening from time to time and many males were seen as the day progressed. Guide Melissa’s group watched an Arctic Fox and polar bear playing and then digging in the ice encrusted layer of snow seemingly finding edible tid bits. Both groups’ as well as some of our other groups’ highlights of the day were watching a bear and Arctic Fox interacting for a good hour or so. The small bear would chase off the fox in a playful manner and the fox would come back for more tundra fun.
