Churchill Polar Bears, 15th November 2012

These polar bear pictures were taken from a tundra buggy. This method of bear viewing is controversial owing to the risk of damage to the tundra, risk of bear habituation, and use of fossil fuels to power the vehicles. Whilst the driver I used behaved in a responsible manner, there is an urgent need for more rigorous enforcement of regulations to ensure greater consistency. Ultimately, I would prefer an economy based on strictly regulated tourism rather than one dependent on hunting. However, nothing should be allowed to distract from the inescapable fact that by far the greatest threat facing polar bears is habitat loss through global warming. If viewing bears (or looking at pictures of bears) increases awareness of the urgency of climate change, there is a greater hope for the preservation of these highly specialised creatures.

Contents

Introduction

The Landscape
Northern Lights
Polar Bears 15th November
Polar Bears 17th November