aederocher.bsky.social @aederocher.bsky.social · 25/09/2026Fantastic talk by University of Alberta PhD candidate Kelly Forrester at the International Association for Bear Research & Management conference today in Pescasseroli Italy. 🧪 010
aederocher.bsky.social @aederocher.bsky.social · 19/09/2026Western Hudson Bay polar bears are relaxing away the ice-free slimming season. At 1 kg of mass loss per day, the sooner freeze up comes the better. No problems for now but the bears would welcome a November freeze up. 🧪 041
aederocher.bsky.social @aederocher.bsky.social · 09/09/2026Interesting new paper in @GlobalChangeBio examines spatial segregation in polar bears in Southern Hudson Bay subpopulation. It's noteworthy that polar bears in S. James Bay live at about the same latitude as London, UK. onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.... [open access]🧪 011
aederocher.bsky.social @aederocher.bsky.social · 08/09/2026W. Hudson Bay polar bears are idling away the ice-free period. Everyone came "home" this year. The few bears to the south is typical & the mixing area between W. Hudson & S. Hudson bears. Bears appear to be in good shape this year: many stayed on the ice late into break-up. 2 mortalities reported.🧪 063
aederocher.bsky.social @aederocher.bsky.social · 03/09/2026For some perspectives on polar bear harvesting & the anti-hunting propaganda in a recent film, this opinion article provides some solid insights. dailyfriend.co.za/2026/09/02/t...dailyfriend.co.zaThe Real Trade Secret: Wildlife Conservation Is More Complex Than Activist Admits - Daily FriendSouth Africa Antarctic and Canada’s Arctic are worlds apart; however, people in both regions share the frustration of outsiders trying to dictate how wildlife conservation and sustainable use hunting ... 053
aederocher.bsky.social @aederocher.bsky.social · 03/09/2026Bear in front is an adult female being tracked by an adult male. Film was taken ca. 100 km offshore in Hudson Bay in May. If pregnant, offspring development should start following months of delayed implantation. Only 2 months of active gestation explains why the cubs are tiny at birth. 040
aederocher.bsky.social @aederocher.bsky.social · 26/08/2026Simonne Tremblay successfully defended an excellent MSc thesis "Effects of on-ice movement on adult female polar bear (Ursus maritimus) body condition in Western Hudson Bay" last Friday. Simonne started as an undergrad in my research group & stayed on for a MSc. Congratulations! 060
aederocher.bsky.social @aederocher.bsky.social · 25/08/2026Nice overview of polar bear impacts on seabirds in Alaska. The problem for the birds will persist only as long as the bears do & in the Southern Beaufort Sea, that may not be very long as this population is in decline. www.audubon.org/magazine/arc... 042
aederocher.bsky.social @aederocher.bsky.social · 14/08/2026Latest paper on Svalbard polar bears. Take home: "sea-ice loss exerts an energetic constraint on denning females, forcing them to depart from dens early, which jeopardizes their cubs, ultimately reducing maternal fitness." Open access paper. onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.... 042
aederocher.bsky.social @aederocher.bsky.social · 09/08/2026All western Hudson Bay polar bears are ashore. Lots of variation in their dates on land. Now they wait & use about 1 kg (2.2 lb) of body mass to survive until they hunt again. Break up date & freeze up are critical to persistence of polar bears across their range & climate change is affecting both. 031
aederocher.bsky.social @aederocher.bsky.social · 02/08/2026Almost all western Hudson Bay polar bears are ashore but it's unusual to see some still out on the last bits of sea ice. It's getting clearer that some bears have changed their behaviour to stay offshore longer. Necessity or choice? We'll know more when we assess their condition in a few weeks. 061
aederocher.bsky.social @aederocher.bsky.social · 27/07/2026Ice anomaly map for Hudson Bay tells a story: polar bears are hanging onto the last bits of ice in a place where it doesn't normally occur (it's usually further south). Good news for Western Hudson Bay bears but maybe not for Southern Hudson Bay bears.🧪 020
aederocher.bsky.social @aederocher.bsky.social · 27/07/2026Polar bears never cease to surprise me. There's very little ice left in Hudson Bay yet many bears are still out there trying to get another seal meal or two. The bears are seemingly shifting their behaviour to stay out longer but analyses in my lab will yield more insights. 030
Reposted by @aederocher.bsky.socialBig Picture Science @bipisci.bsky.social · 22/07/2026Dr. Andrew Derocher @aederocher.bsky.social has spent decades studying polar bears in West Hudson Bay. Join us as he shares extraordinary facts about the animals and how loss of sea ice is stressing their ability to regularly find food. bigpicturescience.org/episodes/arc... 061
aederocher.bsky.social @aederocher.bsky.social · 18/07/2026Most W. Hudson Bay polar bears are hanging on to the last bits of ice. It feels unusual but we'll need to analyze sea ice data. Staying out on the ice with so little left is odd (note ice image is a week earlier - only clear day). Shifting behaviour by the bears or perhaps need to add more weight? 073
aederocher.bsky.social @aederocher.bsky.social · 13/07/2026A few western Hudson Bay polar bears are ashore but most are hanging on to the last remanent bits of ice. In the past, the bears would have been ashore with so little ice but I suspect they've shifted their behaviour to stay out longer: perhaps by necessity if they're not in great condition. 121
aederocher.bsky.social @aederocher.bsky.social · 09/07/2026New paper led by @brynneklein.bsky.social former University of Alberta undergrad. Swimming ecology in polar bears is poorly understood but likely an increasingly important part of their life history. The bears are well adapted to long swims but it's energetically expensive & they prefer walking. 043
aederocher.bsky.social @aederocher.bsky.social · 05/07/2026The last sea ice in Hudson Bay is rapidly melting. Polar bears are starting to show up on land now. We won't know the condition of the bears until monitoring occurs in August-September. I hope they fattened up after my work in April-May because they were pretty lean. 010
aederocher.bsky.social @aederocher.bsky.social · 29/06/2026Hudson Bay sea ice is rapidly disappearing. A fairly typical melt pattern where the ice lingers longer in the area south of Cape Churchill & towards the Ontario coast. Some polar bears are now swimming to shore. 010
aederocher.bsky.social @aederocher.bsky.social · 27/06/2026Western Hudson Bay polar bears tracked by satellite are coming ashore (slowly). Some have made landfall & others are trying to hold on to the rapidly dwindling ice for a chance at another seal. As usual, the bears are all coming home. Polar bears are real homebodies. 020
aederocher.bsky.social @aederocher.bsky.social · 21/06/2026As Hudson Bay sea ice melts, the bears are moving onshore. This is a bit early than optimal but depends on the condition of the bears & how long until freeze-up in autumn. Bears were lean in April-May when I was out sampling in the spring but a lot can change later in spring (most critical time). 041
aederocher.bsky.social @aederocher.bsky.social · 03/06/2026Hudson Bay sea ice looks normal this spring (red areas) but recent warm temperatures of +25 C might change this quickly. Polar bears tracked by satellite are close to shore. They know more about local ice conditions than satellites. Situation further east doesn't look good for Davis Strait bears. 🧪 010
Reposted by @aederocher.bsky.socialDr. Heather Hinam 🍁 🇨🇦 @secondnaturemb.bsky.social · 09/10/2024I'm looking for work for the first time in 3 years. A few projects fell through, and I have openings in 2025. Are you or an organization/community you know looking to share their story through signage? I plan, write, illustrate and design beautiful, engaging panels. www.discoversecondnature.ca 815986
aederocher.bsky.social @aederocher.bsky.social · 31/05/2026Most W. Hudson Bay polar bears are close to Churchill this spring. Can the bears sense an early break-up & are keeping close to home or is the hunting good there? Unseasonably warm in Churchill today (17 C above normal) & sea ice will melt fast with such weather. 222
Reposted by @aederocher.bsky.socialZack Labe @zacklabe.com · 25/05/2026Monday ice update - #Arctic sea ice extent is currently the 3rd lowest on record (JAXA data)... • about 360,000 km² below the 2010s mean • about 860,000 km² below the 2000s mean • about 1,310,000 km² below the 1990s mean • about 1,770,000 km² below the 1980s mean More: zacklabe.com/arctic-sea-i... 27126
aederocher.bsky.social @aederocher.bsky.social · 24/05/2026W. Hudson Bay polar bears are packed in very close to Churchill - oddly so. For comparison, 2025 map. Is the thin ice I saw keeping them close to shore? The melt is advancing now with above freezing temperatures & the bears don't want to be trapped far offshore with a long swim home. 030
aederocher.bsky.social @aederocher.bsky.social · 20/05/2026W Hudson Bay polar bears are sticking close to home this spring. Huge areas of thin sea ice could be non-habitat for them (few seals) so they've all gathered into the better habitat. We may see an early break-up but that now depends on weather conditions in the coming weeks. 021
aederocher.bsky.social @aederocher.bsky.social · 20/05/2026Not good news for polar bears (or walrus). We have limited insight on diseases in polar bears and abysmal monitoring. Avian influenza is a major risk for polar bears as they commonly feed on birds (e.g., geese, ducks, sea birds) & sick birds are easier prey. www.newsinenglish.no/2026/05/19/b... 186
aederocher.bsky.social @aederocher.bsky.social · 13/05/2026Western Hudson Bay polar bears are packing in nearshore. Typical distribution. Purple dots are eartag radios I deployed in April-May. Blue are adult females collared in autumn. 052
aederocher.bsky.social @aederocher.bsky.social · 03/05/2026Our base of operations for polar bear research in Hudson Bay. The Churchill Northern Studies Centre. An excellent facility to work from. Thanks to all the staff that keep it running! 1112
aederocher.bsky.social @aederocher.bsky.social · 03/05/2026An unusual ringed seal kill site. Polar bear broke through ice to get mom & her pup: a twofer. Most maternity lairs are under snow but ice in Hudson Bay this spring has huge areas of thin ice with no snow so the seals did what they could. I doubt it's a great option (not as warm as snow for pups). 031
aederocher.bsky.social @aederocher.bsky.social · 02/05/2026Last bear handled in 2026 polar bear field research project in Hudson Bay. A 28 year old adult female 1st caught in 2009 & only seen once since near Churchill & then moved by helicopter away from town. She was in great shape & now being followed by a satellite eartag radio. 3186956
aederocher.bsky.social @aederocher.bsky.social · 02/05/2026Adult female bearded seal killed by an adult male polar bear NE Cape Churchill. How do I know it was female? She was in the process of giving birth & pup was partway out. Life for the bear is death for the seals: two seals this case. In 42 years of research, a birthing female bearded seal is a 1st. 091
aederocher.bsky.social @aederocher.bsky.social · 02/05/2026W. Hudson Bay polar bears & recently deployed eartag radios (purple). Many bears have moved nearshore over last 2 weeks. Finished field work yesterday. An interesting year: lots of thin ice all over the west which makes it tough to work on (we can't land on thin ice) & the bears don't use it much. 082
aederocher.bsky.social @aederocher.bsky.social · 28/04/2026New map of western Hudson Bay polar bears. Purple dots are new eartag radios deployed this spring. There would be more but the weather here in Churchill has been really bad. The bears are in their "normal" area for this time of year. Huge area of thin ice in NW is keeping bears a bit offshore. 0124
aederocher.bsky.social @aederocher.bsky.social · 20/04/2026Not a day for polar bear research. Waiting for weather on the shores of Hudson Bay. The nice thing about polar bear research is that we can only work on sunny days without drifting snow (or we can't follow their tracks). 073
aederocher.bsky.social @aederocher.bsky.social · 15/04/2026Yesterday over the sea ice of Hudson Bay doing polar bear field research. Challenging conditions: little snow & highly fractured ice. Conditions will hopefully improve: it's snowing & cold today so that bodes well. 021
aederocher.bsky.social @aederocher.bsky.social · 15/04/2026You have to love the headline - "Polar bears spotted off Black Tickle". I'd like to see 2 polar bears up here: we're waiting for weather on the shores of Hudson Bay to continue our research. vocm.com/2026/04/13/p... 021
aederocher.bsky.social @aederocher.bsky.social · 12/04/2026Western Hudson Bay polar bears are in their usual spring hunting area. I'm in Churchill now waiting to start field research & deploy eartag satellite radios but no helicopter (stuck in Igloolik in a white out) & the weather here is snowy. Hoping for a helicopter & sun. 131
Reposted by @aederocher.bsky.socialDominique Berteaux @dominiqueberteaux.bsky.social · 06/04/2026Arctic wolves and polar bears are rarely seen together at our CFS Alert study area (Nunavut, Canada), as wolf packs usually displace bears. Here, a lone wolf appears dominated by a bear. This rare interaction was captured by an automatic camera on 5 April 2025. 🧪🌿🌎🦑🦊🐻❄️ 110734
aederocher.bsky.social @aederocher.bsky.social · 06/04/2026Western Hudson Bay polar bears are getting back to the NE of Churchill area. This is a consistent hot spot for the bears in spring. The combination of ringed seals in stable ice & bearded seals / harbour seals in the more active nearshore ice make this a prime hunting area. 021
aederocher.bsky.social @aederocher.bsky.social · 28/03/2026Western Hudson Bay polar bears seem lined up to the northeast: under the thin cloud layer, you can see an area of thin ice to the west of the red line. Polar bears have a sweet spot for sea ice: not too thick & not too thin. 031
aederocher.bsky.social @aederocher.bsky.social · 25/03/2026Latest paper from @ualberta.bsky.social polar bear project with collaborators at Environment & Climate Change Canada and San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance. Paper examines polar bears as an umbrella species for identifying possible marine protected areas. Open access: cdnsciencepub.com/doi/10.1139/... 001
aederocher.bsky.social @aederocher.bsky.social · 22/03/2026Most Hudson Bay polar bears are NE of Cape Churchill - a "normal" distribution. Our ear tag radios (purple dots) are slowly disappearing - it's usually antenna failure that's the problem. Prime feeding season about a month off but mating season is in full swing. 000
aederocher.bsky.social @aederocher.bsky.social · 19/03/2026Simonne Tremblay provides a nice overview of mating-related injuries in polar bears. It's coming up to the peak of the breeding season now so the males will be searching for estrous females. polarbearsinternational.org/news-media/a... Open access paper here: journals.plos.org/plosone/arti... 010
Reposted by @aederocher.bsky.socialInternational Association for Bear Research and Management (IBA) @ibabearbiology.bsky.social · 19/03/2026🧪 New open access article in Ursus! 🐻 “High-resolution techniques reveal the palaeoecology of an exceptionally large Ursus arctos from the Late Pleistocene of East Siberia” by Prilepskaya et al. Read via BioOne: doi.org/10.2192/URSU... #brownbear #americanblackbear #bears #EduSky #ScienceSky 031
aederocher.bsky.social @aederocher.bsky.social · 16/03/2026Some Hudson Bay bears have shifted south but they're still rather spread out. The 5 bears lines up NE of Cape Churchill is a bit odd - maybe a large lead has opened up. 010
aederocher.bsky.social @aederocher.bsky.social · 13/03/2026thewalrus.ca/churchills-f...thewalrus.caChurchill’s Famous Polar Bears Left to Eat Trash | The WalrusThe animals gave the town a global reputation. Now it’s struggling to keep them away from its garbage 021
aederocher.bsky.social @aederocher.bsky.social · 07/03/2026Hudson Bay polar bears are distributed widely but on the western side of the Bay. Fairly typical. 2 mothers, presumably with new cubs, came out of dens this week. They'll soon head out to the ice: it's a critical time for them as they need to rebuild fat reserves for summer. 040
aederocher.bsky.social @aederocher.bsky.social · 04/03/2026Lots of Hudson Bay polar bears are towards the NW. Something good up there this year? Some bears are right along the shore lead - an area of open water & thin ice. There are more bearded seals & harbour seals in this area so possibly the attraction. 021
