"Mommm? What do we do now?" This was our favorite shot of the trip, due in large part to the standing cub's implied message. Photos in this gallery were taken with three Canon DSLR cameras: 1Ds Mark II, 1D Mark II-N, and 20D. Polar bear photos were taken with long lenses from bobbing zodiaks, so very high shutter speeds were necessary to try to freeze the action.
When/where the sun never sets. This entire area should still be covered in ice, but global warming has caused both glaciers and annual ice to retreat dramatically. Sadly, this has resulted in a dramatic reduction of areas for polar bears to hunt seals worldwide.
Poised to defend her cubs
Moss Campion (Silene acaulis),
Polar bear cub
2006-07-11--1792--17mm-EOS-1D Mark II N
Mother nursing two cubs. This is a rare sight, and a bear expert who has worked with thousands of bears in the wild said he has never seen a mother openly nurse cubs like this with humans only 50 yards or so away.
2006-07-13--8276--40mm-EOS-1Ds Mark II
Mother with two cubs
Walrus - they use whiskers to feel along seabeds for mollusks, their primary food.
Polar Bear
The typical distance we kept from bears, not only to avoid bothering them, but to make sure we were too far for them to suddenly attack (since they are definitely at the TOP of the food chain, and everything--including us--is a potential meal for them).
Staying close to mom...
Cliffs with an estimated 40,000 to 50,000 pairs of thick-billed murres, as well as various other birds
Mother takes a nap while cubs play
Caribou/reindeer (same species)
Edge of the ice flow. Note cub with chunk of ice in his mouth.
Walrus - surprisingly curious and friendly. (Note: this photo taken by Cheri Yates)
Watching in perfect unison
Walrus hauled out on beach
Walrus lounging on the beach
2006-07-09--1019--40mm-EOS-1D Mark II N
2006-07-13--8125--115mm-EOS-1Ds Mark II
A bear watches us (in a zodiac) from shore.
2006-07-11--1779--36mm-EOS-1D Mark II N
2006-07-14--9128--29mm-EOS-1Ds Mark II
Glacier (note zodiac at far left)
An Arctic landscape. (Note: this photo taken by Cheri Yates)
This is called "still hunting." This female is camped out next to a seal breathing hole where she has smelled fresh seal scent. She will lie motionless like this for hours waiting for a seal to surface. Bears will do this standing, sitting, or lying down. If she is lucky, she and her cubs may--after several days of this type of hunting--catch a seal and have a good meal.
While the mother "still hunts" (lying motionless at a seal breathing hole), cubs know they are to sit silently 15-20 yards away. These two 7-8 week old cubs were amazingly well-behaved.
Arctic fox
