Northwest Passage Polar Bears Page 2 of 7

At Coningham Bay on Prince of Wales Island, we saw 20 Polar Bears, including two females with two cubs each, see below. 27 August 2013.

We wondered why Polar Bears concentrate in this bay. Beluga Whale skeletons littered the shore. The big attraction for bears may be the Belugas, which migrate annually to this shallow bay to rub on the gravel bottom and slough their old skin. The whales may become beached at low tide and are easy prey, or Polar Bears stalk them in the water and haul them out.

From our zodiacs, we watched Polar Bears at a safe distance.

Female with two cubs about 8 months old.

Female with two larger cubs about 1 year 8 months old.

Now go to Page 3