Male Polar Bear chills amongst the willow. Whilst waiting for Hudson Bay to freeze so they can hunt seals Polar Bears spend a lot of time conserving energy having not had a decent meal in months. This bear was taking it very easy, indeed. It stayed in this position for many hours. Its only activity was to raise its head occasionally and have a look around.
Polar Bears congregate on the tundra close to Hudson’s Bay, Churchill, because this is the place they know where the bay will freeze over first and they will be able to hunt seals and have their first substantial meal in months. The bay freezes first at this location because the fresh water from the Churchill river enters the bay, reduces its salinity and hence it freezes over earlier than the rest of the bay. It’s a waiting game. It was cold when we were there but not cold enough to freeze the sea. Within a week or so of this being filmed, the temperatures plummeted and the bay began to freeze over. The Polar Bears will soon have gone from around Churchill in search of seals which will haul out on the new ice.