Polar Bears on the Move in Manitoba

Every year during the months of October and November, Canada’s polar bears move from their summer habitat to the ice that freezes on the Hudson Bay. Considered the “Polar Bear Capital of the World,” Churchill, Manitoba, has become a popular destination for travelers who come to see the bears on environmental tours and in special tundra vehicles.

There are 19 polar bear population groups on the planet and 13 are in Canada. Churchill is considered by many to be the most accessible spot in the world to see one of the bears in the wild. The World Wildlife Fund offers their own tourS for visitors, but packages can run into the thousands. Another way to catch a glimpse of the bears is to sign up for the University of Saskatchewan’s regularly offered Polar Bear Ecology trip, which includes meals and accommodations at the Churchill Northern Study Centre, located directly on the traditional bear migration route.

During different seasons, Churchill is also an excellent place for viewing the Aurora Borealis or sighting the Beluga whales that swarm in Hudson Bay during the early summer. Although the polar bears receive the lion’s share of visitor attention, the area has much more to offer for wildlife lovers.