Safari in our backyard — Alberta company offers one-day trips to Churchill to view polar bears
There is a new Big Five. In 2021, international conservationists and photographers organized a poll to decide the most desirable animals to view or photograph. Joining the gorilla, elephant, tiger and lion is the mighty polar bear. And while you would have to travel halfway around the world to view most of these mammals, we have polar bears right here in Canada.
The world’s largest bear, Ursus maritimus, is only found in circumpolar regions of the northern hemisphere. There is an estimated worldwide population of 25,000 bears — and 60 percent of them live within our borders. The white bears spend most of their time out on the sea ice hunting ringed seals, their primary food source. But in the fall, many congregate near Churchill, Man., waiting for the ice to freeze, earning the town the nickname
“Polar Bear Capital of the World” and making it one of the most accessible places to view polar bears on the planet.
On Classic Canadian Tours’ single-day Polar Bear Safari, held during the height of polar bear viewing season in October and November, guests fly direct to Churchill from Calgary or Edmonton aboard a chartered Boeing 737. They then board a large all-terrain vehicle called a Tundra Buggy for a five-hour tour to view polar bears and other northern wildlife along the Hudson Bay shoreline.
“There is an incredible sense of magic in seeing the world’s largest land carnivore in the vastness of the tundra,” says Les Stegenga, Classic Canadian Tour’s head naturalist. “It’s dramatic: the anticipation and
then the excitement when that first bear is spotted.”
Common sightings on the tour include mums and cubs, young males sparring, adults exploring the coast and bears resting in the willows conserving energy in preparation for a winter of hunting on the ice. “Often the bears come to check us out, even stretching up with their paws on the lower edge of the buggies.”
For wildlife fans it doesn’t get any better, or easier, than this adventure. You fly north, explore a slice of Canada’s Arctic in comfort and safety, and at the end of the day you head home to share stories with your family and friends.
“All Canadians should have the opportunity to see this landscape and its remarkable wildlife sometime in their lives,” says Bill Lamberton, president of Classic Canadian Tours. “People
have to travel thousands of miles to see elephants or lions, but the polar bear is not so far.”
For more information, or to book, call 1-866-4601415 or visit classiccanadian
tours.com.