Bear necessities

Churchill, Man., is the polar bear capital of the world, and nearby Wapusk National Park, along the western shore of Hudson Bay, is a popular area for female polar bears to give birth. The bears here dig into frozen peat banks to build their dens. Because they’re dug into permafrost, the earth dens remain as persistent landscape features and may be reused over several decades. Stephen Petersen, director of conservation and research with Assiniboine Park Conservancy, is worried that wildfires this past summer could lead to collapsed dens and burnt-out areas that the female bears avoid. He’s using his research to create a map that can help inform wildfire fighting efforts in the future and protect the bears’ habitat.

(Photo: iStock/seanwood)

Unlucky star

Sea star wasting

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