Podcast
Questions and Answers
Match the following reasons with their corresponding effects on polar bears in Churchill:
Match the following reasons with their corresponding effects on polar bears in Churchill:
Ocean currents and geography = Polar bears come to shore during the summer Freshwater from rivers = Early freeze-up of the bay Closing the open-air dump = Fewer bears coming to town Polar bears' fasting = Looking for food after months of fasting
Match the following organizations with their corresponding roles in Churchill:
Match the following organizations with their corresponding roles in Churchill:
Polar Bears International = Monitoring polar bears and promoting their conservation Wildlife officers = Tracking and handling polar bears in the holding facility Town council = Managing waste disposal and regulating human-bear interactions Tour operators = Providing guided tours for tourists to see polar bears
Match the following features of Hudson Bay with their corresponding effects on polar bears:
Match the following features of Hudson Bay with their corresponding effects on polar bears:
Melting ice = Polar bears come to shore during the summer Ocean currents = Polar bears are pushed to the southern coast to rest Early freeze-up = Polar bears are attracted to the area for food Ice floes = Polar bears are able to hunt and feed
Match the following years with their corresponding number of handled polar bears:
Match the following years with their corresponding number of handled polar bears:
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Match the following terms with their corresponding descriptions:
Match the following terms with their corresponding descriptions:
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Match the following years with the corresponding number of polar bears in the Western Hudson Bay area:
Match the following years with the corresponding number of polar bears in the Western Hudson Bay area:
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Match the following reasons with their effect on polar bears in Churchill:
Match the following reasons with their effect on polar bears in Churchill:
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Match the following events with their corresponding effects on the polar bear population:
Match the following events with their corresponding effects on the polar bear population:
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Match the following with the impact on the number of bears in Churchill:
Match the following with the impact on the number of bears in Churchill:
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Match the following with the condition required to maintain Churchill as a popular spot for polar bears and people:
Match the following with the condition required to maintain Churchill as a popular spot for polar bears and people:
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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
Discover why Churchill is a hotspot for polar bears during their annual migration. Learn about the unique circumstances that make this Canadian town a popular destination for these majestic creatures.
