STORY:
Churchill, Canada, is well known for its large polar bear population. The animals congregate here, waiting for Hudson Bay to freeze over so they can hunt. Some of the bears are very inquisitive and wander into the town, which is potentially dangerous for locals and tourists alike. The wardens attempt to move them on, but repeat offenders are given a short stay in polar bear prison. to discourage them from human interaction. The ice formed while we were in Churchill, so the bad boy bears were released. On his way out onto the ice, this particular bear called in on some sled dogs who live out in the open. A guy named Brian cares for these dogs in an effort to protect this unique breed. The bear was hanging around, hoping for some of the dogs’ food before heading out in search of seals. He’s a big boy, but I was amazed how gentle he was when playing with this dog. They were playfully biting each other and wrestling around in the snow. Initially I was nervous to take photos, in case it ended badly. Life can be tough on the tundra! This bear could have ended the dog’s life within seconds. But instead, these two animals from totally different species were able to play without getting aggressive. For me, this image is symbolic: if animals from different species can share the love, why can’t we humans do the same?