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Questions and Answers
Every year in ______ and November, Churchill's population grows from 900 to several thousand.
October
Churchill is ______'s most northern passenger railway station.
Canada's
With ______, the bears that remembered the dump have died.
time
The town has also introduced ______ garbage bins, further reducing the attraction for bears.
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Hudson Bay is one of the few places where the ice melts ______ each year.
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Churchill is in the ______ corner of the bay.
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The main reason for this decline is ______ temperatures.
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The sea ice in Hudson Bay melts earlier and forms ______, giving bears less time to hunt.
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Freshwater freezes at a higher temperature than ______ water.
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If we reduce ______ gas emissions and slow down global warming, Churchill could remain a popular spot for polar bears and people for many years to come.
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Study Notes
Polar Bears in Churchill
- Every year in October and November, tourists visit Churchill to see polar bears, causing the town's population to grow from 900 to several thousand.
- Polar bears move through and around the town on their way to the tundra, waiting for the sea ice to form on Hudson Bay.
Why Churchill?
- Churchill was a fur trading post and is now Canada's most northern passenger railway station and its only Arctic seaport.
- Hudson Bay's ocean currents and geography attract polar bears.
- The bay's ice melts completely each year, causing bears to come ashore during the summer.
- Currents push melting ice to the southern coast, where bears rest in earthen caves.
Polar Bear Activity in Churchill
- The number of bears passing through Churchill varies each year, with a decline in recent years.
- In 2003, 173 bears were handled by wildlife officers, decreasing to 12 bears in 2023.
- Factors contributing to the decline include:
- Changes in Churchill residents' trash management (e.g., closing the open-air dump and introducing bear-resistant garbage bins).
- A decline in the Western Hudson Bay polar bear population (from 1,200 in 1987 to 618 in 2022) due to warming temperatures and changes in the polar vortex.
Impact of Climate Change
- Warming temperatures cause sea ice in Hudson Bay to melt earlier and form later, affecting bears' hunting time and survival rates.
- Changes in the polar vortex between 2016 and 2022 led to ice lasting longer into the summer, causing bears to stay out longer and be pushed farther along the coast, away from Churchill.
Conclusion
- Churchill remains the best place to see polar bears in the wild, but the future of the Western Hudson Bay polar bear population is uncertain.
- Reducing greenhouse gas emissions and slowing down global warming could help preserve Churchill as a popular spot for polar bears and people.
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Description
Learn about the annual migration of polar bears in Churchill, Canada, and why they choose this location. Discover the town's history and its significance for polar bears.
