Bears

Wapusk National Park is famous for its high concentration of polar bear maternity dens. However, few people know that these polar bears also share their turf with two other bear species: barren ground grizzly bears and black bears. This makes Wapusk the only park where it’s possible to see all three species of North American bears!

The polar bear (Ursus maritimus) is the largest living species of bear in the world. In 2011, trail cameras were placed throughout Wapusk; since then, three different field camps have captured more than 350 visits by polar bears every month! Find out more about the iconic polar bears.

Barren ground grizzly bears (Ursus arctos) were once thought to be extinct in Manitoba, but have been observed in Wapusk since the mid-1990s. Interestingly, the remote cameras have documented a grizzly bear passing by one of the camps within Wapusk on nearly the exact same date each spring for a few consecutive years! The timing suggests that this individual bear might be denning nearby. All sightings have been of single bears; to date, no cubs have been observed. Find out more about barren ground grizzlies.

The smallest of the three species, the black bear (Ursus americanus), has also been captured on remote cameras in the park. Black bears are true omnivores (they eat everything!) and have the widest range distribution of any of the North American bears. They typically inhabit forests but have been observed at camps far out on the tundra in Wapusk. Their name is a bit misleading, as black bears can be a variety of colour phases: including black, brown, blond, cinnamon, blue-grey and white. Find out more about black bears.

Safety in bear country

Remember: while bears may be beautiful creatures to watch, they are also large, highly unpredictable and can be extremely dangerous. Once you arrive in Churchill, you could have an unexpected encounter with a bear at anytime, anywhere. Please read the bear safety brochure.