Polar Bear Musings

Maybe it's the fresh snow fall outside covering the trees and rooftops, maybe it's the sight of everyone bundled up in their warm coats, or maybe it's just this time of the year in general...but whatever the reason, the great white bears have been on my mind a lot.

© Lenore Nadeau

I've mentioned in previous posts that polar bears are definitely one of my favourite animals, always have been. Anyone who knows me, knows this. What's been on my mind lately though is just how much these bears have given me.

I spent many years as a child obsessing over them, pouring over picture books, staring at photos family members had taken of zoo bears for me and imagining what it would be like to visit them in their Arctic home.

As I got older, other things took precedence in my life but I never forgot about them and my dream of visiting them in the wild. And then one day, fate came knocking.

During my time working at WWF-Canada, I had the extreme fortune of travelling to Churchill, Manitoba to help Canadian wildlife biologists put satellite radio collars on two females with cubs. No words can really do justice to that experience - to say it was incredible doesn't even begin to describe it. That trip led to two more Churchill opportunities through a partner organization called Polar Bears International. Thinking back on these experiences, I still have trouble believing my life with these bears came full circle - even with the pictures to prove it!

As a child, this almost mystical creature gave me countless hours of stories while I pictured them in their faraway frozen land. As a teenager they gave me the dream of seeing them in the wild someday. And as an adult, well, as an adult they've given me the most. I've had the amazing privilege of seeing them in Churchill three times and was able to fulfill my lifelong dream of doing so. They've given me a majestic icon to draw on to tell the story of our planet's unnaturally fast warming while educating zoo visitors about conservation (though I'd be happier not to have to tell this story). They've given me the opportunity to meet some of the top bear scientists in North America, one of those being Dr. Ian Sterling, godfather of polar bear science in Canada - this is my kind of rock star. He even wrote pieces of those books I mentioned reading as a child, so finally meeting him after years of following his work was an extreme honour. And last but not least, polar bears have given me some amazing friends, brought into my life because we all love them and share the common goal of wanting to help them survive.

I'm not sure I can ever repay these beautiful bears for all they've given me, but my promise to them is that I will never stop fighting on their behalf. I will continue to tell their story and hope that I help influence people to change the way they live so polar bears - and all wildlife - will continue to be a part of our world.

As we near the end of this year and get ready to ring in a new one, my wish for everyone is that, like me, you are lucky enough to find a special connection with an animal that will bring you joy and rekindle your wonder of the natural world.

Some of the most amazing people I've ever met:

 



Jaime, Julie and me












The amazing Youth Arctic Ambassadors of 2008











PBI founders Robert & Carolyn Buchanan











Some of the incredible 2008 facilitator team (Julie, Krista, Matt, Kathy and Bill)










Polar bear Pete and Heather






 

Shari and me on a tundra buggy

Stacey, Shari, Gavin and Rachel