Climate learnings from Polar Bears

Sanctuary Asia

October, 2025

Fasting or on a frugal diet while awaiting the return of sea-ice in Hudson Bay – when it can return to seal or beluga hunting.

Online story: Climate Learnings From Polar Bears

LinkedIn post: https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:7379184164971053057/

Polar bears: ”Fat white hairy canaries in the coalmine”

Spotting polar bears in an ice free terrain is the last thing one would expect, as I did: https://lnkd.in/dBsYr_Uy.

Churchill (Manitoba, Canada) a small remote town in Western Hudson Bay area is the ‘polar bear capital of the world’. When sea ice melts in summer – some 600 plus of them move on land awaiting return of ice. As the ocean warms, the return period of ice is getting longer. Much of such time the bears generally fast and can lose a kilo of weight each day.

The fat white furry things are ‘lipovores’. Lack of their favourite seal meat over an extended period results in a lower ‘replacement rate’ for an already shrinking population. Scientists are also concerned about growing shipping activity as the arctic is becoming ice free.

Polar bears are canaries in the coal mine. However eco-tourism entrepreneur Wally Daudrich, a longtime Churchill resident tells me – he remains hopeful.

Sanctuary Asia