Polar Bears in Manitoba
It is estimated that the polar bear population of the western
Hudson Bay area, an area extending from the Manitoba-Ontario boundary
through to Chesterfield Inlet in Nunavut, is
approximately 935.
The majority of the population spends most of
the year, from mid-November to late July, on the ice of Hudson
Bay. Pregnant females are an exception to this, spending from
mid-November through to March in maternity dens on land, and
then moving to the sea ice with their cubs. From late July through
to mid-November the entire population is forced onto adjacent
coastal lands as the ice disappears. The greatest concentrations
during this time period occur between the Nelson River and the
town of Churchill.
High demand is seen for tourism operations in the Churchill
area for access to world-class polar bear viewing opportunities.
The number of commercial tour operators and the number of vehicles
permitted on the high-use areas east of the townsite continues to
be restricted. Measures are also taken to restrict travel to
existing trails, designate some areas as off-limits, and more
actively enforce the prohibition on baiting.
Bear condition and productivity has declined steadily over the
last decade. Fall weight of all age classes for both sexes
declined, and a steady decline was seen in spring weight of adult
females leaving the denning area with cubs. The reproductive rate
of females also declined, as did the survival rate of cubs.
Researchers from the Canadian Wildlife Service continue to
investigate this trend and its possible causes.
Manitoba lists the polar bear as threatened under The Endangered Species Act, and as protected under The Wildlife Act. Provincial staff participate on the Canadian Polar Bear Technical Committee and on the Advisory Committee which meet yearly to discuss polar bear management issues.
Enhanced protection of Manitoba polar bears and their habitat has also been achieved through:
- the licensing and regulation of ecotourism operators under The Resource Tourism Operators Act to prevent illegal or substandard facilities and operations; and
- regulating the procurement, holding and export of live Polar Bears under The Polar Bear Protection Act.
Manitoba does not permit the harvesting of polar bears in the province for either recreational or commercial purposes. In order to protect people and property at the Churchill townsite, Manitoba must unfortunately destroy some problem bears. The number killed or removed remains small and does not affect the population.
More detailed information on polar bears can be obtained through the Manitoba
Conservation Data Centre's species
database.
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