I have always thought polar bears were beautiful animals. That doesn’t mean I want one in my backyard.
That seems to be the plight of people in the town of Churchill, Manitoba. Granted, Churchill is known as the “Polar Bear Capital of the World” because the polar bears migrate from the inland to the icy shore during the fall months. This has resulted in quite a bit of tourism to Churchill. People can ride buses known as tundra buggies to see the bears.
Now, this tiny town (pop. 923) has had to create what they call “bear jails” to keep the bears from wandering into town. We know that bears of any type don’t normally just “wander” into a town, so what is going on in Churchill?
It appears that the climate change is the culprit.
What generally happens is the polar bears walk to the ice in the Hudson Bay in the fall so they can start hunting ringed seals. However, due to climate change, the ice keeps forming later and later in the year, causing the bears to wander around town instead.
When a bear is caught in town, it is often shot with a tranquilizer gun, and then taken to the “bear jail” to prevent it from harming humans. Then, the polar bear is airlifted to a distant area. The officials mark the bear so they can keep up with repeat offenders.
Many believe that many factors have endangered the lives of polar bears. There is less sea ice for them due to climate change and pollution. Polar bears are mating less and their food supply is dwindling. Then, there are poachers with which to contend.
Scientist estimate there are between 20,000 and 25,000 polar bears left in the world. They were classified as vulnerable in 2005 by the IUNC Polar Bear Specialist Group and as a threatened species in 2008 by the U.S. Department of the Interior. Of the 19 subpopulations of polar bears, only one is increasing while eight are declining.
Check out the live cam on Huffington Post to see the polar bears’ migration.