Dispatches from the field

Visit the WWF narwhal tracker May 2012 As of May 13th, sea-ice in the Baffin Bay system is changing rapidly now, with already large areas of open water at the northern end (an area commonly referred to as the Northwater Polynya, where due to factors such as water circulation, wind and upwellings extensive areas of […]

Despite temperatures well below freezing, Cape Kozhevnikov is bustling. The Umky Patrol is hard at work, using tractors and snowmobiles to transport frozen walrus carcasses and pile them outside town.

Visit the WWF narwhal tracker February 2012 These 4 narwhals are not moving much now. We are approaching March, which in most parts of the Arctic is the month of maximum sea-ice cover. These narwhal are in the area thought to be most regularly used in winter by this species, between SE Baffin Island and […]

After another beautiful night with the midnight sun, I get a few hours sleep before it is time for breakfast. BUT what a breakfast! While having muesli I see two different polar bears – that is luxury above all means. One of them, is like frozen to the ground, not moving a single bit, just beside a breathing hole for a seal. The white bear is hunting ringed seals. I see the seal coming up in an alternative breathing hole 15 metres from the large predator. But the polar does not move. After 15 minutes, the bear gives up and linger off. Not bad for breakfast time.

I am sharing the dogwatch with Anders, the captain of Explorer of Sweden. The dogwatch is between midnight and four in the morning. We head northward along the west coast of Svalbard, and because we are north of the polar circle the midnight sun is shining. We are now getting closer to where we might see polar bears.

WWF’s polar bear coordinator, Geoff York, keeps up his field knowledge with trips out onto the ice to check on the condition of the bears. This year, he is keeping a daily blog of his experiences over two weeks. Keep visiting this blog for regular updates and live the life of a polar bear biologist. […]

WWF’s polar bear coordinator, Geoff York, keeps up his field knowledge with trips out onto the ice to check on the condition of the bears. This year, he is keeping a daily blog of his experiences over two weeks. Keep visiting this blog for regular updates and live the life of a polar bear biologist. […]

WWF’s polar bear coordinator, Geoff York, keeps up his field knowledge with trips out onto the ice to check on the condition of the bears. This year, he is keeping a daily blog of his experiences over two weeks. Keep visiting this blog for regular updates and live the life of a polar bear biologist. […]

WWF’s polar bear coordinator, Geoff York, keeps up his field knowledge with trips out onto the ice to check on the condition of the bears. This year, he is keeping a daily blog of his experiences over two weeks. Keep visiting this blog for regular updates, photos, and maybe some video too, and live the […]

WWF’s polar bear coordinator, Geoff York, keeps up his field knowledge with trips out onto the ice to check on the condition of the bears. This year, he is keeping a daily blog of his experiences over two weeks. Keep visiting this blog for regular updates and live the life of a polar bear biologist. […]