Bear Facts
Bear Attacks
Page 1 of 2
Churchill, Manitoba, the "Polar Bear Capital of the World," was established in 1717. Since that time, only two townspeople have ever been killed by polar bears, despite numerous encounters.
The first death occurred in 1968. Local teenagers followed polar bear tracks through a fresh snowfall, found the animal, and proceeded to toss rocks at him. The bear attacked and killed one of them. The bear was shot.
The second took place in 1983. A local was scavenging in the newly burned ruins of the Churchill Hotel. He found some unspoiled meat in the freezer and stuffed his pockets with it. Unfortunately, a polar bear in the vicinity was intent on doing some scavenging of his own. The man was killed. The bear was subsequently shot.
In Churchill's early days, any bears that wandered through the town were shot as food for sled dogs.
During World War II, an air base was built eight miles east of Churchill. Polar bear skins were highly prized at the time. Servicemen hoped to bag a bear and ship the trophy home.
Today, most Churchill residents are fond of their polar bears, despite occasional damage. When a bear ambled into the Royal Canadian Legion hall, the club steward shouted, "You're not a member! Get out!" The bear did.
While attending a school concert, one Churchill family lost some leftover chicken to a bear. The animal broke into their trailer, scarfed up the leftovers, and beat a retreat before the family returned.
At the town's Harbour Board kitchen, a polar bear strolled in and made off with a bag of garbage. He completely ignored the pork chops sitting out on the counter.
A trapper scared a bear from his porch by banging two pie plates together. The animal had been attracted by the savory smell of fish stew.
A tiny woman chased a polar bear from her porch by whacking it on the rear with a broom. The animal fled, never to return.
Churchill's polar bear holding facility, built in 1982, was designed to house problem animals who wander too close to town during the fall migration in search of food. The bears are either air-lifted farther north or held in the facility until the sea-ice returns to Hudson Bay, where they can once again hunt seals. The facility has greatly reduced polar bear-human encounters.
In all of Canada, only eight people have been killed by polar bears in the past 30 years.
In the U. S. (Alaska) during the same time period, only one person was killed.
In all of recorded history, only 19 people have been killed by polar bears in Russia.
In all instances in which a human was killed by a polar bear, the animal in question was undernourished or had been provoked.
Sources: Lords of the Arctic by Richard C. Davids (Macmillan Publishing, 1982); Dan Guravich.; news accounts.
The first death occurred in 1968. Local teenagers followed polar bear tracks through a fresh snowfall, found the animal, and proceeded to toss rocks at him. The bear attacked and killed one of them. The bear was shot.
The second took place in 1983. A local was scavenging in the newly burned ruins of the Churchill Hotel. He found some unspoiled meat in the freezer and stuffed his pockets with it. Unfortunately, a polar bear in the vicinity was intent on doing some scavenging of his own. The man was killed. The bear was subsequently shot.
In Churchill's early days, any bears that wandered through the town were shot as food for sled dogs.
During World War II, an air base was built eight miles east of Churchill. Polar bear skins were highly prized at the time. Servicemen hoped to bag a bear and ship the trophy home.
Today, most Churchill residents are fond of their polar bears, despite occasional damage. When a bear ambled into the Royal Canadian Legion hall, the club steward shouted, "You're not a member! Get out!" The bear did.
While attending a school concert, one Churchill family lost some leftover chicken to a bear. The animal broke into their trailer, scarfed up the leftovers, and beat a retreat before the family returned.
At the town's Harbour Board kitchen, a polar bear strolled in and made off with a bag of garbage. He completely ignored the pork chops sitting out on the counter.
A trapper scared a bear from his porch by banging two pie plates together. The animal had been attracted by the savory smell of fish stew.
A tiny woman chased a polar bear from her porch by whacking it on the rear with a broom. The animal fled, never to return.
Churchill's polar bear holding facility, built in 1982, was designed to house problem animals who wander too close to town during the fall migration in search of food. The bears are either air-lifted farther north or held in the facility until the sea-ice returns to Hudson Bay, where they can once again hunt seals. The facility has greatly reduced polar bear-human encounters.
In all of Canada, only eight people have been killed by polar bears in the past 30 years.
In the U. S. (Alaska) during the same time period, only one person was killed.
In all of recorded history, only 19 people have been killed by polar bears in Russia.
In all instances in which a human was killed by a polar bear, the animal in question was undernourished or had been provoked.
Sources: Lords of the Arctic by Richard C. Davids (Macmillan Publishing, 1982); Dan Guravich.; news accounts.