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Utah's Hogle Zoo
Climate Alliance
Utah’s Hogle Zoo has been a proud member of Climate Alliance since 2008. Climate Alliance is run by Polar Bears International (PBI) and the National Network for Ocean and Climate Change Interpretation (NNOCCI). Climate Alliance is all about sharing climate change information to inspire change and promote conservation behaviors that can make a real difference.
Each year, a cohort of zoo professionals participates in several months of webinars and online learning, culminating in a trip to Churchill, Manitoba, Canada. Here, staff participate in additional training, conservation activities, and observing polar bears in their natural habitat. Several staff members from Utah’s Hogle Zoo have become Arctic Ambassadors. Read about their stories and experiences below.
Educator Suzanne
“We flew to Churchill to stay in the Frontiers North Tundra Buggy Lodge outside town. We were joined there by PBI staff, scientists, and our NNOCCI trainers. On the way to the lodge, we were lucky to see a female bear out on the coastline, sleeping and waiting for the ice to form.
Our days in Churchill were busy with drives on the tundra, classwork, and presentations. Dr. Joanna Sulich was also with us in the buggies and shared a presentation about the bears she studies in the Svalbard archipelago. We also had the opportunity to visit the Itsanitaq Museum of Inuit culture, and we met with indigenous knowledge keeper Florence Hamilton from the Dene tribe, and Metis nation member Dave Daley (and his sled dogs).
One of the most fascinating parts of the trip was our visit to the polar bear holding facility in Churchill, where problem bears are held before relocation. Wildlife officer Chantal explained Churchill’s unique bear management system and how they work with bears moving through town. Churchill was built on the bank of the river, in between where the bears like to hang out for the summer, and Button Bay where the ice first forms in the fall. In her 2 years in Churchill, Chantal has moved bears out of the town 400 times!
There was so much to absorb before and during this trip, and I look forward to using some NNOCCI strategies and PBI information in my training classes and public interactions. Seeing bears, caribou, foxes, ptarmigan, and all the other plants and animals on the tundra has given me an appreciation for the delicacy of the ecosystem and I hope that everyone can collectively work together to help sustain it.”
Keeper Kimmy
“I was fortunate to attend the 2022 Climate Alliance workshop in Churchill, Manitoba as a Utah’s Hogle Zoo representative. The workshop, hosted by Polar Bears International and the National Network for Ocean and Climate Change Interpretation, was comprised of team members of both organizations and animal care professionals from all over North America. Our goal was to learn more about climate change, what solutions are most effective for us to take, and how to communicate information to zoo guests that we interact with every day.
Churchill, Manitoba is a town of about 900 residents that sits on the shoreline of Hudson Bay in sub-Arctic northern Canada. The Hudson Bay and areas surrounding Churchill are critical polar bear habitats. It is estimated that 2/3 of the estimated 25,000 polar bears in the wild visit the Hudson Bay/Churchill area annually.
While in Churchill, our Climate Alliance group spent time on the tundra, learning and seeing how climate change is affecting the sub-Arctic habitat firsthand. We were very lucky in our wildlife sightings and saw four different polar bears. It was a life-changing experience to see the wild counterparts of the animals I work with at the zoo in their natural habitat.
My memories of my time in Churchill and my bond with the people I met will stay with me for a long time. I enjoy sharing my experience with zoo guests during polar bear keeper chats and I hope that my trip will inspire others to make changes in their lives to ensure a future for all Arctic wildlife. “
Keeper Kaleigh
“Attending the Arctic Ambassador Program with Polar Bear International caused something inside me to shift. It gave us professionals a chance to exchange ideas and support each other. We simultaneously made deep and personal connections with each other, polar bears, and Churchill. This combined and combusted into a renewed sense of what we are doing, our responsibility to this place, and what we’re working so hard to save.
Protecting polar bears isn’t just about saving a beautiful, unique, specialized species. It’s about saving an entire ecosystem, culture, ourselves, and future generations. Krista Wright (Executive Director, PBI) said it best, “You can’t fence in the sea ice.” Despite how otherworldly the tundra feels, polar bears and Churchill are not separate from us. Polar bears need us. Polar bears need you. Sea ice needs you. You can change everything by changing just a little. I want to be a part of that. Hogle is a part of that. “
Educator Hayley
“I was so excited to visit Churchill and to learn from the experts at Polar Bears International. As an educator, my journey centered around the best ways to communicate climate change issues in a way that inspires hope and action. It’s such a relief to me that there are science-backed ways to teach about this complicated issue in a solutions-focused way without relying on doom and gloom or shame.
My training with Polar Bears International and the National Network of Ocean and Climate Change Interpreters have molded how I think and teach environmental issues. In the years since I visited, I’ve been able to apply that knowledge to programs and staff training. Big problems require big solutions – but with all of us working together we’ll be able to secure a safe future, not just for polar bears but for everything impacted by our changing climate. I’ve seen the conversation start to change and I know that future generations will thank us for becoming champions for wildlife by taking a proactive approach to responsibly managing our natural resources.”