Jenny Varley

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Kaktovik 2107

After one cancelled flight we arrived a day late in Kaktovik. Kaktovik is an Iñupiat village on Barter Island on the north slope of Alaska, and has a population of around 250. It has become known as "the polar bear capital of the United States" because each autumn several tens of bears arrive on the island. There are three reasons for this; the sea freezes early here because of the amount of fresh water arriving from the Jago River; the ice near Barter Island is a favoured spot for Ringed Seals, the Polar Bears preferred prey and finally the village can harvest three Bowhead Whales a year and after butchering the carcasses the remains are dragged to a bone pile outside the village. It is this source of ready food that attracts the bears in considerable numbers.

We travelled with WildPhotos Safaris, but unfortunately Daryl Balfour was not able to guide us. However we were expertly looked after by Greg Ferguson, and then guided by Jack Kayotuk and Steven Kazlowski. We went out twice a day on Jack's small boat to view the bears from the sea, and we saw over twenty bears including three mothers with triplets, several sows with twins, big males, and several juveniles. The snow had not arrived so the bears were all to some extent dirty, ranging from off-white and blotchy through orange to almost Brown Bear-coloured!! We had a couple of grey days but then some wonderful sunshine at times.

All the bears we saw appeared to be well fed and in good condition, and many were very playful - adults and cubs alike. It was remarkable seeing small cubs-of-the-year approaching much larger bears to play, and we saw no aggression at all in spite of a considerable density of bears, particulary near the bone pile.

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The bone pile outside Kaktovik Village.  The village can take three Bowhead Whales a year, and once butchered the remains are dragged to this pile.
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The bone pile outside Kaktovik Village. The village can take three Bowhead Whales a year, and once butchered the remains are dragged to this pile.

polar bearBowhead WhaleBone pileKaktovikAlaska

  • The bone pile outside Kaktovik Village.  The village can take three Bowhead Whales a year, and once butchered the remains are dragged to this pile.
  • A polar bear on the spit just before sunset on our first night.
  • Even adult polar bears can be very playful when there is an abundance of food around.
  • A nice plump polar bear in very good condition.
  • A cub-of-the-year in golden early morning light.
  • Twin cubs-of-the-year enjoying a water fight!
  • Shaking everything about after a swim!
  • Two of the dirtiest polar bears we have ever seen arrived on a grey evening.
  • Dirty bear playtime, but they didn't seem to get any cleaner!
  • Greetings!
  • It is hard to believe that this is a polar bear, but once the snow arrives it will be able to clean up.
  • Heading along the shore of the spit.
  • Checking who is behind.
  • Begging for food or just playing?
  • Enjoying a tasty morsel they found on the shoreline.
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