Polar Bears of Kaktovik, Alaska (40 images)

In the far Northern reaches of North America, Polar Bears converge on the small village of Kaktovik, and its surrounding island of Barter Island, to await the "freeze-up" of the Beaufort Sea in October. When the sea freezes up, the bears head out on the ice to hunt seals and other prey over the long, dark winter. Until then, they gather on the spits of land off the coast of Barter Island to wait. We saw as many as 23 bears in the area at one time. Mothers with cubs young and...
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In the far Northern reaches of North America, Polar Bears converge on the small village of Kaktovik, and its surrounding island of Barter Island, to await the "freeze-up" of the Beaufort Sea in October. When the sea freezes up, the bears head out on the ice to hunt seals and other prey over the long, dark winter. Until then, they gather on the spits of land off the coast of Barter Island to wait. We saw as many as 23 bears in the area at one time. Mothers with cubs young and older, large males and sizes in between. Interactions between bears ranged from tender to vicious. We hope you enjoy this gallery of images and make a connection with this magnificent threatened species.
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