Preventing Polar Bears from Entering Town
The Polar Bear Alert Program takes proactive measures to minimize bear incursions:
- Reducing Attractants: Staff work with the Town of Churchill to ensure garbage is managed effectively. Bear-proof bins and timely garbage removal reduce the chances of attracting polar bears.
- Live Traps: During the fall or periods of heightened bear activity, live traps are set around the community’s edges to intercept bears before they enter town.
By combining constant vigilance, public reporting, and preventative measures, the Polar Bear Alert Program successfully minimizes conflicts between humans and polar bears, fostering a safer environment for all.
Trapping the Bears …
The Polar Bear Alert Program employs innovative and humane methods to prevent polar bears from entering Churchill, Manitoba. One of the most effective tools in this effort is the use of live traps, designed to safely capture and relocate polar bears that venture too close to the community.
The Design of the Live Traps
Polar bear traps are custom-built, live-holding devices crafted from large metal culverts mounted onto trailers. Each trap is designed with:
- A Heavy Metal Screen: Welded securely onto one end of the culvert to ensure the bear remains safely contained.
- A Door Mechanism: Mounted on the other end, allowing staff to release the bear into a holding facility.
- The traps are baited with seal meat attached to a trigger mechanism. When a polar bear enters the trap and pulls on the bait, the door drops down, safely enclosing the bear inside the trap.
Relocating Captured Polar Bears
Once a polar bear is captured, it is transported to the Polar Bear Holding Facility for secure handling. Here’s how the transfer process works:
- Positioning the Trap: The trap is backed up to the door of an individual holding cell and securely chained to the wall.
- Opening the Cell Door: The cell door is partially opened to create a visible space for the bear to enter.
- Releasing the Bear: The trap door is raised, and the polar bear, seeing the larger space of the cell, exits the trap and enters the holding cell.
- Securing the Cell: Once the bear is inside, the cell door is lowered and securely locked.
The Importance of Live Traps
These live traps are crucial in minimizing human-polar bear conflicts. By capturing and safely relocating bears, the program protects both the bears and the residents of Churchill. This humane method ensures that polar bears are managed responsibly while maintaining their natural behaviors and habitats.
The use of live traps is just one of the many proactive measures taken by the Polar Bear Alert Program to foster coexistence between humans and polar bears in this unique Arctic community.
