Utah's Hogle Zoo
Conserving Polar Bears
Polar bears are considered marine mammals due to the amount of time they spend on sea ice, where they hunt for food. Without expansive sea ice, polar bears cannot successfully hunt, mate or raise cubs.
There are only around 25,000 polar bears in the wild today. Polar bears were listed as a Threatened Species under the Endangered Species Act in May 2008. This listing was based on the loss of sea ice in the arctic region threatening, and continuing to threaten, polar bear habitat.
The decreasing amount of sea ice available for polar bears to hunt on, alongside increasing human growth and development in Arctic areas has led to an increase in bear– human conflict in some northern areas.
We have a long standing partnership with Polar Bears International (PBI), the world’s leading polar bear conservation group.
Churchill, Manitoba is known as the “polar bear capital of the world.” Nestled on the western coast of the Hudson Bay, at the mouth of the mighty Churchill River, Churchill has a population of fewer than 1000 year-round human residents.
It is a winter home to polar bears, who come for the sea ice and seal hunting as the Hudson River pours into the bay, it is the first area to freeze over. This early-year creation of sea ice is very attractive to polar bear- and they come in the hundreds to hunt seals from their icy plateaus, at times out-numbering human residents of the town.
These areas of seasonal ice are where the polar bears are most endangered. With longer stretches of time between ice melt and ice formation, the bears are being pushed to the limits of their fat reserves. The Canadian Wildlife Service has estimated more than a 20% decline in numbers of polar bear in the Hudson Bay area over the last 30 years. The bears start arriving from October and soon their numbers can reach almost that of the human population in Churchill. After a long summer of fasting, polar bears gravitate towards food sources. If the sea ice has not formed by the time they arrive, there is a chance they will head into the town of Churchill to seek out alternative food sources.
A major prong of wildlife conservation is the reduction of human-wildlife conflict. A preliminary way to reduce conflict is early detection of wildlife approaching human settlements. UHZ and partners are working with Churchill’s Polar Bear Task Force in an early detection system that residents of Churchill can rely on to inform them of approaching bears. Successful in its work- the Polar Bear Task Force is successful in its work but staff and time intensive.
We are testing Utah manufactured military detection radars on their ability in spotting polar bears long before they reach the edge of Churchill. The radars are mounted onto buildings and provide long distance warning signals of approaching wildlife, 24 hours a day. The system was tested on bears in Alaska Zoo, to get a better idea of how polar bears would appear on the radar screen. Paired with cameras, the system can then track polar bears in real time, providing information valuable in early response decision making.
This will give wildlife managers more time to discourage bears from entering the area, with the aim to reduce human- bear conflicts.
In Oct 2019 the radar was installed on the rooftop of the town’s community center aimed at popular bear corridors through the town. It is hoped eventually such systems can be used for the detection of a wide array of wildlife, which can then be deterred from coming closer to human settlements, decreasing human-wildlife conflict.
We recently concluded a ten year joint study with Polar Bear International (PBI) and Brigham Young University (BYU). Conducted on the north slope of Alaska, this long term monitoring project aimed to uncover information on polar bear females and their cubs in the early months after giving birth.
The results from this study are currently being analyzed but check back in soon to find out- when do young polar bears typically emerge from dens? How sensitive to disturbance are denning polar bears? As well as other denning behavior.
As an Arctic Ambassador Centre (AAC), UHZ is committed to increased action, on both an institutional and community level, to reducing the emission of greenhouse gases. This goal is achieved through public education on climate change and acting as a leader in the community in reducing carbon emissions.
The Zoo is home to two young polar bears that are ambassadors for their species and a tangible way to teach the public about climate change.
A Polar Bear International program, Climate Alliance aims to bring together like-minded organizations that are leading the effort to reduce CO2 in their communities.
Focusing on staff engagement and the Zoo’s role within the community, those within the Climate Alliance engage in online learning, attend training with experts and spread ideas and action plans to reduce our CO2 emissions throughout the Zoo and spread our messaging throughout the community.
UHZ Conservation Director has been collaborating with PBI to grow the Climate Alliance program for six years. She is also the institutional representative for the Bear Taxon Advisory Group.
The Zoo is home to two young polar bears that are ambassadors for their species and a tangible way to teach the public about climate change.
