Wildlife of Canada's Arctic region

See more Wildlife. See best of Manitoba in Canada.

Polar bears, arctic foxes, caribou, snowshoe hare, beluga whales, wolves, moose and seals are just some of the animals who thrive in the freezing tundra and pack ice of northern Canada and the Arctic Circle. They have adapted to the seasonal environment and take advantage of both the winters, when much of the bay freezes, and polar bears hunt on the ice, and the warmer weather when the ice melts revealing salt marshes that support huge water fowl nurseries. Visitors to the region will also be wowed by the Northern Lights and impressed by the vast, silent, open, untouched spaces.

Canada’s polar bears are a dangerous lot and have been known to hunt the gentle beluga whale as well as seals and walruses.

Much of this region is too far north and too frozen to have been seriously effected by logging or mining, so 90% of it remains in its virgin state. It is only in recent years that concerns about the bay being frozen for shorter periods have caused conservationists to worry about the habitat of these southern most polar bears and their animal contemporaries.

The best times to see polar bears is between January and April, the best time for whale watching between June and August and the best time to see the Northern Lights is between September and October and January through May.

Review by editor World Reviewer Staff

‘Where to go in January’

Lara Piegeler has some great ideas for January holidays to keep the january blues at bay and welcome in the new year with some January cheer... or at least some January distraction from all the Christmas cheer. January, begin as you mean to go on! (Travel article) Read more »

‘Churchill, Canada: Polar bear capital’

By Diana Preston for The Telegraph First published August 24 2008 "Don’t forget to look both ways,” advised our guide, a retired Mountie, as... Read more »

Review by press.

Have you been here? Why not add your own review or report an error.

Add photo Fullscreen map