Provinces and Territories · Drawing 20 of 42
The polar bears of Churchill
Manitoba — fall
In Churchill, Manitoba, polar bears wait for Hudson Bay to freeze so they can hunt seals on the ice. People watch them from far away, safe and sheltered.
Look together
Why do people watch the bear from far away?
An idea to try
Put an ice cube on a plate and watch it melt together. Talk about what happens to ice when it gets warmer.
For the adult reading along
A little more to discover
Sea ice is the polar bear’s natural habitat, where it hunts seals, its preferred food. When the ice on Hudson Bay melts, the bears spend summer and fall on the coast, living mostly on stored fat. From late September to mid-November, many gather near Churchill while waiting for the bay to freeze. Manitoba limits the number of tour operators and viewing vehicles.
Parks Canada reminds visitors that polar bears are unpredictable and can be extremely dangerous, so people watch them from a distance, for example from a tundra vehicle. Talk with your child about what the bear needs, ice and food, without dramatizing, and mention that the ice now forms later than it used to.
Sources and context (3)
These links lead to other websites. Explore them with an adult. Source titles appear in their original language; some linked pages are in French.
- Parks Canada — Polar bears, Wapusk National ParkSea ice and seal hunting; bears gather near Churchill from late September to mid-November; ice forms later than in the 1980s; bears are unpredictable and can be extremely dangerous.
- Province of Manitoba — Polar BearsBears on coastal land from mid-July to mid-November, surviving on stored fat; tour operators and vehicles east of Churchill are restricted.
- Travel Manitoba — Visit ChurchillFrom October to November, visitors spot the bears from a tundra vehicle.
Source review: 2026-09-24. Illustrations simplify places and scenes; they are not historical documents.