Still watching;

Looking at polar bears for thirty years has not diminished that welcome tremor of excitement felt when spotting a familiar face amongst the fall gathering along our coast. The old guy that spends a few months lounging around Brian’s dogs is always a welcome sight. He is a gentle soul with the patience and indifference that old warrior's carry so well, at ease with their surroundings, knowing the skills developed after long years on the ice will help him navigate through another winter.

Then another pleasant surprise. A few years back a small confused and without a doubt, hungry polar bear cub showed up at the dogs compound. The cub was worried and scared in amongst the dogs and bigger bears that hangout but managed to dodge the big guys and suffer the abuse a few of the dogs laid upon him if he got to close. He watched and learnt how to get a few scraps of food without getting a whack from the grown ups or a bite in the butt from a husky dog. There was a determination and a will to survive that this little guy possessed that had us who watched this drama unfold cheering for him. He made it to freeze up that fall and followed the big boys out onto the new ice where the biggest challenge to his survival awaited.

This would be his first winter out on the ice without the guidance and protection of mom so when he showed up at the dogs compound around this time of the year last fall, still skinny and hungry but very much alive we were overjoyed. One tough little bear. A bit more savvy although still cautious he managed well enough to find his place amongst the giants and his share of whatever happened his way.

Another winter out on the ice and just the other day he, for the third time,showed up at the compound. Not a worried cub anymore but a strong young polar bear that showed the intelligence and strong will to survive that these amazing animals possess.

Over the years this group of bears that end up here come October and November have become familiar to us that watch them. We are encouraged by the most part of the continuing well being of the bears. The evolving of skills needed to survive and adaptation to a changing environment gives them what is needed to continue on. All the shocking claims of starvation and doom that conservation organisations and all those who benefit from a vanishing polar bear are releasing on a gullible public, we can ignore as we can see for ourselves the truth.