Polar bears are normally not seen by most people, but that could change with the introduction of a new system, based on Google Street View.
Using a custom-made "tundra buggy," the new development is aimed at bringing a "bears-eye view" to classrooms and homes around the world. The vehicle traveled around Churchill, Manitoba in Canada, known as the "Polar Bear Capital of the World." This small town lies on the western shore of the Hudson Bay.
The project was developed as a collaboration between Google and Polar Bears International (PBI), a conservation group. An all-terrain vehicle, specially outfitted for the frozen conditions, was sent out into the frigid wilderness, equipped with a Google Street View Camera. This device is capable of capturing a 360-degree view of the tundra. As the camera recorded the environment, several curious bear ventured up to the vehicle to investigate.
In honor of International Polar Bear Day on 27 February, Google released the first official images taken with the new system.
Polar bears are endangered species in the wild, but occasionally wander into the town of 813 people. There, they are kept in safety until they can be returned to the wild. Poetry of the indigenous Inuit people call the animals Pihoqahiak, meaning "the ever-wandering one." These powerful animals walk hundreds of miles every year, searching for food and mates.
Throughout ten days during October and November 2013, the high-tech camera recorded the creatures as they gathered on the Hudson Bay. The animals were seen there, waiting for the water body to freeze over. When ice is sufficiently thick each winter, the bears head out onto the frozen water in search of seals.
The influence of humans on the environment are affecting lives of these cold-loving animals. A decline in the coverage of sea ice is forcing the animals away from traditional migration routes.
"During the warmer months, the polar bears are forced ashore by melting ice. While climate change may seem like a gradual process, often difficult to discern, the impact is real and evident in the polar bear capital. In Churchill, climate change has shortened the time that the bay remains frozen, reducing the polar bears' hunting season by approximately four weeks," Karin Tuxen-Bettman, of Google Earth Outreach wrote on the project Web page.
Some estimates say two-thirds of all polar bears could disappear in the next 35 years. By recording these detailed images, environmentalists hope to use the data as a baseline from which to measure changes in the future.
To experience the views of polar bears on the tundra, head to the Google Maps page for Churchill. Polar Bear International also operates a polar bear tracker, using Google Maps.
