Seal River Heritage Lodge, M.B.
A proud member of the prestigious National Geographic Unique Lodges of the World collection, Seal River Heritage Lodge is located 60 km north of Churchill, Manitoba by plane, deep in the heart of polar bear territory.
The Long Wait - Every October and November the Polar bears are beginning to gather in the area along the shore of Hudson Bay to wait for the big freeze - when they can travel onto the ice of the Hudson Bay to hunt for seal (polar bears don't hibernate).
Arctic Fox The Arctic fox has the warmest pelt of any animal found in the Arctic, enduring temperatures as low as -70 °C. (-94 F.) Once conditions get too cold, its metabolism increases to provide warmth
The guides named this Polar Bear Bob! First snow and he was a happy Polar Bear playing in the snow drifts.
Bob the Polar Bear circled around us as he did not want us to go back to the lodge at the end of the day. The guides threw a small rock at him and he took off !
Polar Bear enjoying the sunset. The polar bear’s neck muscles are extremely strong and powerfully developed. This can be evident from the fact that they can easily pull a 600-pound seal with their neck.
Arctic Fox. About the size of a large domestic cat, the Arctic fox is the smallest wild canid found in Canada.
Polar Bear shaking off the snow after he rolled around in the drifts. Sunset is approaching.
Polar Bear playing with fresh snow.
The guides named this big fellow Al. The skin and tongue of a Polar Bear is black or dark blue. Sunlight can pass through the thick fur, its heat being absorbed by the bear’s black skin.
BIg Al saving his energy. During the summer, bears eat very little and tend to laze around to conserve energy until they can hunt again. This is known as a "walking hibernation." The population is scattered along the coast during the summer, and bears are only occasionally seen in the town of Churchill.
Big Al conserving his energy while waiting for the ice to form on Hudson Bay.
Sleeping Polar Bear
Bob playing in the first snow of the season. The wind blew it into drifts and he was so happy knowing winter was finally here.
Arctic Fox - In the summer the Arctic fox has a brown or great coat with a lighter belly. It then turns into a thick white one in the winter. It is the only canid that changes the colour of its coat, allowing it to camouflage with the snow and ice in the winter and rocks and plants in the summer.
Arctic Fox - They are carnivores and scavengers, and they hunt rodents, birds and even fish. In winter, prey can be scarce, prompting Arctic foxes to bring out their cheeky sides. They are known to follow in the footsteps of the Arctic’s premier predator, the polar bear, and feed on leftover scraps.
Arctic Fox - They mate for life! Females give birth in the spring. They have large litters of 5-8 pups! Parents raise the pups together during the summer.
Polar Bear returning from the shore of Hudson Bay. No ice yet. The male, which is much larger than the female, weighs 410 to 720 kg (900 to 1,600 pounds).
Polar Bear playing outside the Lodge
Polar Bear looking in a window at The Lodge
Where is the ice? Polar Bears hunt Ringed Seals on the ice covering Hudson Bay. They have not eaten much over the summer.
Big Al checking the shoreline. Polar bears are solitary and overwhelmingly carnivorous, feeding especially on the ringed seal but also on the bearded seal and other pinnipeds. The bear stalks seals resting on the ice, ambushes them near breathing holes, and digs young seals from snow shelters where they are born
Zoom, zoom... Little Arctic Fox running right at me.
Al, patiently waiting for the ice to form.
Big Al !
Al, out for the count.
Polar Bear outside the protective fence. The guides joke that they are flossing their teeth when they chew on the fence !
Mom with two Cubs passing through.
Mike Beedell - our fearless leader, organizing another walkabout.
Mike took this photo of me and My Polar Bear !
Polar Bear - It has no natural predators and knows no fear of humans, making it an extremely dangerous animal.
Polar Bear - As their prey is aquatic, polar bears are excellent swimmers, and they are even known to kill beluga whales. In swimming the polar bear uses only its front limbs, an aquatic adaptation found in no other four-legged mammal. They use their back legs as a rudder. Amazing.
Bob, enjoying the sunset.
Big Al content with us photographing him!
Bob, playing in the drifts.
That would be Bob !
Bob, taking a break from playing
Big Al, a most beautiful bear. Alone, we would be in trouble, but our group keeps together - about 16 of us making us look bigger.
Arctic Fox. Not the least bit nervous of us humans.
After waking up, a large yawn from Al !