Polar bears are totems of the natural world's suffering from climate change, with their habitat shrinking as human activity warms the planet
AFP

Polar bears (Ursus maritimus) are among the most majestic creatures on Earth and are the largest extant land carnivore. They have long fascinated humans, earning the nickname "King of the Arctic" and featuring in various legends, stories and even winter holiday-themed advertisements. While these apex predators can be dangerous to people, they are also under threat from hunters and habitat loss due to climate change.

Humans' interest in polar bears and how they're able to survive in such a hostile environment has led to the popularity of polar bear safari tours, where tourists head to the polar bears' habitat and observe their natural behaviors from the safety of a vehicle. Now entering its 19th year, Classic Canadian Tours is offering one-day polar bear safaris, flying out in the morning from three gateway cities – Calgary, Edmonton and Saskatoon – to polar bear country in Churchill, Manitoba, and back in the evening of the same day. The Fall 2024 polar bear-watching season begins on Oct. 25, Friday, with Classic Canadian's tour group heading out from Calgary. Additional dates are on Oct. 27, Sunday (Edmonton); Nov. 2, Saturday (Calgary); and Nov. 8, Friday (Saskatoon).

Churchill is a small village on the shores of Hudson Bay, with just under 900 residents. Known as the polar bear capital of the world, hundreds of polar bears gather every fall in the area, which is where the Churchill River flows into Hudson Bay. The lower salinity of the water causes it to freeze faster, allowing the bears to get on the ice in the late fall and hunt their favorite food – ringed seals. The summer months of June to September are a lean season for polar bears, as they are forced to remain on shore, subsisting on plants and small prey, a far cry from rich and fatty seal meat and blubber.

According to Classic Canadian Tours President and Founder Bill Lamberton, the bears congregate near Churchill in anticipation of the first freeze, a time he calls "peak-of-peek season". The tour group, which consists of around 130-140 people, is split into four Tundra Buggies that can carry up to 40 people each. After a safety and etiquette briefing, the buggies drive out for six hours into the tundra, safely observing the bears and their natural behaviors, such as foraging, sparring and burrowing. Bears also often approach the buggies, allowing tourists to snap once-in-a-lifetime close-up photos of these wonderfully powerful animals.

Each buggy is crewed by a driver/guide and another guide, with Lamberton often joining the trips. Classic Canadian Tours' resident naturalist is Les Stegenga, a wildlife biologist and zookeeper who has extensively studied polar bears and other iconic North American animal species. Several other wildlife experts in Canada join the tours as guest naturalists, including Brian Keating and Dr. Owen Slater.

After 18 seasons of operation, Classic Canadian's polar bear safaris have always had at least one polar bear sighting, thanks to its experts being able to reasonably predict when the bears will arrive. Every day on the tundra is different. Mother bears with cubs are often sighted, but they often retreat to the willow shrubs when adult males are around, as they pose a significant danger to the cubs. Aside from polar bears, several other Arctic species are encountered on the trips, including seals, Arctic foxes, voles, gyrfalcons, ptarmigans and snow buntings.

After six hours, the Tundra Buggies return to Churchill and the tourists have some time to experience the culture of a remote northern village before flying back to their gateway city. The whole trip takes just one full day, so there's no need to stay in a hotel in Churchill, where beds are in short supply due to the village's small population.

"Despite doing these tours yearly, I am always filled with amazement each time," says Bill Lamberton. "Seeing the magnificent polar bears is a once-in-a-lifetime experience for many people, and they will also be able to learn a lot from our expert nature guides. These tours are very convenient, taking only one day, and are accessible from the major Canadian cities of Calgary, Edmonton and Saskatoon."

Tour packages sell out fast, so it's advised to book early.