Ramsey Cook

[Andrew Derocher @AEDerocher]

Another of the tracked bears on land is heading to the sea ice with a pair of cubs! @environmentca researchers spotted her moving from her den. It's been a cold winter so they should find some solid ice to cross. Most other bears NE of Cape Churchill & staying west.

[Ramsey Cook @Rams_Cook]

@AEDerocher Wondering if that’s the same bear in the last two previous years heading east again

[Andrew Derocher @AEDerocher]

Hudson Bay polar bears are hanging out in the west this year. The area to the NE of Cape Churchill is always a prime use area. We're not sure what the bears get out there but it's likely a good area for seals.

[Andrew Derocher @AEDerocher]

Hudson Bay polar bears are hanging out in west/central area. Cold weather recently will have consolidated the sea ice nicely. In 2022, when the bears stayed to the west, they did a lot better than in years when they move more: an area we're studying with the movement data.

[Andrew Derocher @AEDerocher]

Hudson Bay polar bears still well offshore. Some of the on land bears should be in dens with 1-2 month old cubs now but they'll be heading to the ice in the 6 weeks or so. It's been pretty cold over the Bay for a while so that bodes well for the bears!

[Andrew Derocher @AEDerocher]

Hudson Bay polar bears we're tracking by satellite are well offshore - it's not prime seal hunting until the spring but the bears slow mass loss with some kills over winter. Bears on land are pregnant (or dropped tags).

[Andrew Derocher @AEDerocher]

Hudson Bay polar bears are well spread over the Bay. Here’s wishing them a few hearty & chubby seals this Holiday Season.

[Andrew Derocher @AEDerocher]

Very neat new paper on snowy owl migrations. Some amazing tracks!

[Alyssa Bohart @AMBohart]

Heartbreaking news out of Nunavut. Thinking about researchers past and present who have lost colleagues and friends in accidents. My condolences to everyone grieving.

[Ramsey Cook @Rams_Cook]

@AEDerocher @AmyJohnson2112 That’s pretty cool!!!!

[Andrew Derocher @AEDerocher]

3 W Hudson Bay polar bears tracked by satellite are ashore. Others are clinging to the last bits of ice. Another seal would be a bonus as there's precious little to eat ashore. Climate change remains the long term threat: 1 normal year doesn't alter the trends.

[Ramsey Cook @Rams_Cook]

@RobertS68405349 Water levels high this year? Haven’t flown down that way yet

[Ramsey Cook @Rams_Cook]

Pretty cool how they always congregate back to Coast shores of Manitoba

[Andrew Derocher @AEDerocher]

W. Hudson Bay polar bears still out on the ice. Good news for the bears. More ice time = fatter bears = fewer conflicts with humans.

[Andrew Derocher @AEDerocher]

Sea ice loss in a part of the Arctic where we have almost no monitoring of polar bears. Nonetheless, sea ice is the primary habitat of the bears & early melt is correlated with lower body condition => reduced survival rates & lower reproductive success.

[Andrew Derocher @AEDerocher]

W Hudson Bay polar bears still out on the ice that's packed together by winds. The longer they stay on the ice, the fatter they'll be. Ponder that pregnant females need to fast for about 8 months & raise cubs through to spring when they return to the ice. Survival of the fattest.

[Ramsey Cook @Rams_Cook]

The bear that was Far East is making her way back!! Hahah cool

[Andrew Derocher @AEDerocher]

W. Hudson Bay polar bears are still well offshore but homing back on their summering area. Fidelity is incredibly high to Manitoba & even to specific points or lakes once back. Incredible navigation skills.

[Andrew Derocher @AEDerocher]

Heading home (except 1 bear). As our analyses have shown, polar bears head closer to their summering areas as the ice breaks up. It's still cool in W. Hudson Bay & the longer the bears can stay on the ice & hunt, the better it is for them.

[Andrew Derocher @AEDerocher]

W. Hudson Bay #polarbears moving closer to shore & clumped on western side (except bear far to SE). One bear is just off Churchill. Fairly typical pattern but a bit more concentrated this year. Break-up is moving along quickly now.

[Ramsey Cook @Rams_Cook]

@Jeremy_Roenick “Hell on wheels” is a good tv series, 👍