This majestic, large male polar bear stares deep into my lens, as if to confirm the words of my dear friend and founder of Polar Bears International, Robert Buchanan, “If you ever get a chance to look directly in the eyes of a polar bear in the wild, you’ll find that they’re able to look into you, past your heart, and down deep into your soul at which point they’ll change your life forever.” I shot this image many years ago. Who knows if this big old boy is still around, but I’m hopeful that he is.
For the last ten years, the ice on Hudson Bay has been freezing much later than normal. But this year, it looks like the freeze-up might be close to the dates of the late 90’s. This is a good thing, because without ice polar bears can’t eat.
Join me in supporting my favorite conservation group, Polar Bears International, and their Save Our Sea Ice campaign. You can also support PBI by donating to the Arctic Documentary Project, which helps PBI obtain photos like this to tell the story of the changing Arctic. Click here to read more about the ADP.