Polar Bear!

November 23, 2012

Wednesday was the day that I finally saw my first polar bear. Since I’ve been here, I have always wanted to see a polar bear and even though there were times that they were in the area, you kinda have to be in the right place at the right time. The people here take polar bears rather seriously when they are in area. Even though few polar bears stay right in town, it seems like it is still more than usual, as told by other people. Perhaps this is a result of global warming and the polar bears are making their way more south and more in land? Either way, when they are wandering town (usually in the dark...which due to the lack of current daylight here, it is for most of the day), going through garbage and looking through windows, they are threats and unfortunately shot down....like a couple this week.

Anyways, getting back to Wednesday morning, it was about 9:15am at school (it was a PD day) when John heard the news that there was a polar on the ice. A bunch of us, including the southerners who have not yet seen one, rushed into John’s truck and took a ride half a kilometre outside of town. With complete concentration, I was able to spot the small whitish yellowish blob on the ice that was surrounded by crows. With the help of a pair of binoculars, I was able to see the rather HUGE polar bear munching on some meat. Perhaps a seal or walrus??? It was too destroyed to tell what it was eating. Either way, it was a great sight to see. Almost straight from National Geographic! Later that day, I also found out that the polar bear was actually eating a dog. Was it a stray, or was it one of the unfortunate chained dogs that were left outside? I was told that there have been times when dogs have been missing from their chains!

Throughout the rest of the week, multiple sightings of this polar bear family had been seen around town. I find myself super cautious while walking in the dark in fear that I would be attacked....only in the arctic!