Polar Bears And The Landscape Of Churchill, Manitoba Article by: Len Suchan and Jim Barnsley, with photography by Len Suchan
LOCATION: Churchill, Manitoba and the Wapusk National Park are located in northern Manitoba along the western side of the Hudson Bay. Churchill is considered the Polar Bear Capital of the World. Churchill is also the Beluga Whale Capital of the World during July and August. We had the opportunity to travel to Churchill in early November, 2009 to experience the vast rugged beauty of the north. This great experience gave us an opportunity to photograph Polar Bears and the Landscape of this isolated area. It also provided us with an educational experience to view and learn about these magnificent animals in their natural habitat. When we arrived in Churchill there was not a lot of snow. Temperatures were warmer than normal. Since a real winter had not set in, we were able to access the various roads thorough out the region. This provided us with many great Seascape and Landscape images.
PLANNING:
The University of Saskatchewan in Saskatoon has been providing educational and photographic experiences to Churchill, MB for many years. Each year educational tours are provided from late October through the beginning of November. Being aware of these trips Jim and I got serious about joining the University for such a trip. Our planning started about a year and a half prior to us leaving. During that time we attended a number of the University’s preparation and informational meetings with Dr. Susan Blum, Melanie Elliot and Leslie Tuchek. We choose the beginning of November tour and found it to be the best time for us to photograph Polar Bears. The cost for our trip was $1965. which included travel, accommodations and meals for 10 days. For those who may be interested in such a trip, the University is offering 2 tours in 2010. The University of Saskatchewan in Saskatoon, SK can be contacted at (306) 966-5539.
14 - CANADIAN CAMERA