Moose on the Hudson Bay Odyssey at Nanuk Polar Bear Lodge. Rod Kuo photo.
by Emri Canvin
The fall season at Nanuk Polar Bear Lodge began with all the signs of an early winter. The black bears were all in hibernation by Oct. 9th. The flats along the shore were busy with the swarming flocks of snow buntings on their southern migration. The finale of the moose rut moved into the coastal willows in early October, and within a few short days, the last of the geese were gone.
Everything was pointing to an early onslaught of Old Man Winter, but winter came and went over and over, and the mild temperatures persisted well into November, adding some confusion to the local flora. I ate a ripe beach strawberry on November 9th!
Lazy bear. Nanuk Polar Bear Lodge. Emma Dickins photo.
This coming and going of winter hasn’t impacted the movement of the polar bears. Their persistent seasonal migration from the last vestige of ice east of Nanuk Polar Bear Lodge to the frozen shores along Cape Churchill has provided another incredible parade along the ice-littered shores of the Kaskatama coast. The cold waters of Hudson Bay have left the tidal zone a mash of frozen ice pans familiar to the great ice bears, and the cold, firm nature under their feet had them heading to the points where their seal prey would be more easily available.
Polar bear in frosty willows. Fall Dual Lodge Safari. Rob Julien photo.
Consistent viewings of all ages and sizes of bears provided a lifetime of memories for all our guests. From giant old males who have the test of time showing in their scarred faces with remnants of their battles for the right to breed, to the young bears that have been cast on their own to test their knowledge gained from their mothers. We’ve seen them all. Mothers and cubs carefully navigate the shore and hug the willow edge, avoiding all confrontation.
Mom and cubs at Nanuk Polar Bear Lodge. Carl Wilks photo.
The sub-adults roam eagerly, looking to prove themselves and test their boundaries with any other creature they see on the horizon. The seniors cover vast distances and hide in the willows for weeks, resting and saving their energy for the big feast that awaits. Those who are eager to show their ability for the upcoming spring breeding season find suitable sparring partners to test their skills with as they travel in tandem to the first ice of the winter.
Polar bears sparring at Nanuk. Ian Johnson photo.
And of course, the wolves. Sightings have been intermittent as new territories seem to be in the works, but their familiarity with us and what we do has helped us maintain a relationship with the Opoyastin pack that has been developed over years. Passing by the lodge, simple greetings as we’re out on the land has also had a huge impact on us and our guests. The cast of characters that has been a mainstay for several seasons is still claiming what they can as they maintain scent markings and protect their domain.
Wolf pack on the move at Nanuk Polar Bear Lodge. Christoph and Fabienne Jansen photo. Click image to view their full wolf gallery from Nanuk at ArcticWild.net.
Sightings of red fox in all colour phases have been prevalent this season, and for the first time in years, we’ve seen an Arctic fox back in this area, stealthily finding resources while avoiding detection from its much larger relatives. The owls are doing their best to bulk up for the winter. Boreal, short-eared and snowy owls are all sharing the coast as what little skiffs of snow give up the location of their favorite prey.
Cross Fox. Carl Wilks photo.
Every provides a new experience out on this land as we eagerly await the big freeze. You just never know what a touch of Nanuk magic will reveal once we roll out onto the land for our days of discovery.
