There are eight species of bears of which the Arctic Polar Bear — Ursus Maritimus — is the largest and critically endangered. The town of Churchill, on Canada’s historic Hudson Bay, is the Polar Bear capital of the world because of the heavy concentration of Polar Bears which occurs when the Polar sea ice melts, and reforms annually during the spring and summer months. This seasonal event is occurring earlier and lasting longer due to climate change impact here along the Hudson Bay. Arctic Canada.
Living and traveling on the ice with them in a mobile dormitory for about one week provided an unique opportunity to study and photograph their lives closely.
Polar Bear International, one of the world’s leading preservation groups, is base in Hudson Bay, doing research and tracking of Polar Bears year round.
FAVORITE PHOTOGRAPH — Up close and very personal, the bold portrait of “Grandpa”– a great survivor of this frigid wilderness, whom I photographed safely at very close range of about five feet above, is a powerful , eye-contact image of the wild. A tender soul shined through his battered face of 28 years in the Arctic wild. I could hear his breathing.
Ⓒ Suzanne Vlamis Photography
