10 Questions
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:
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:
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:
2003 = 173 bears 2018 = 37 bears 2022 = 6 bears 2023 = 12 bears
Match the following terms with their corresponding descriptions:
Polar Bear Jail = Holding facility for temporarily detained polar bears Fur trading post = Old industry in Churchill Arctic seaport = Term for Churchill's port due to its location Passenger railway station = Description of Churchill's railway station
Match the following years with the corresponding number of polar bears in the Western Hudson Bay area:
1987 = 1,200 2004 = 935 2022 = 618 2016 = No data available
Match the following reasons with their effect on polar bears in Churchill:
Warming temperatures = Smaller and less healthy bears Changes in the polar vortex = Bears stay out longer and move farther along the coast Bear-resistant garbage bins = Reducing the attraction for bears Fewer bears in the Western Hudson Bay area = Fewer bears coming to Churchill
Match the following events with their corresponding effects on the polar bear population:
Ice melts earlier = Less time for bears to hunt Ice forms later = Less time for bears to hunt Ice lasts longer into the summer = Bears stay out longer and move farther along the coast Ice forms earlier = More time for bears to hunt
Match the following with the impact on the number of bears in Churchill:
Fewer bears in the Western Hudson Bay area = Fewer bears in Churchill Bears do not return to Churchill = Fewer bears in Churchill Bear-resistant garbage bins = Fewer bears in Churchill Increased greenhouse gas emissions = More bears in Churchill
Match the following with the condition required to maintain Churchill as a popular spot for polar bears and people:
Reducing greenhouse gas emissions = Slow down global warming Maintaining bear-resistant garbage bins = Reducing the attraction for bears Protecting the polar bear habitat = Preserving the ecosystem Increasing tourism = Boosting the local economy
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.
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.
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