In 1994 I had just left my job as a biologist where I conducted field research on Arctic species like polar bears, Canadian lynx, grizzly bears and other charismatic megafauna. Additionally, I had been watching polar bears since I was a kid where I grew up on Baffin Island amongst the Inuit and these great Arctic nomads. But, it wasn’t until I got a job as a Tundra Buggy driver in Churchill, Manitoba in 1997 that I really started to understand these highly intelligent animals and the differences in their individual personalities. Mothers and cubs were much more cautious and aware of their surroundings than the big dominant males. Contrarily, these wise matriarchs were much more calm than the insecure and nervous subordinate bears that frantically raced around avoiding conflict. After spending 12 hours a day with these bears for months on end, I was starting to feel like a polar bear myself. I loved that this mother and cub trusted me to the point of turning their backs on me while studying tourists in the distance. It really did feel like the bears were observing human behaviour and I felt privileged to be a part of the moment.
hchipsvault
