SVALBARD - NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC EXPEDITION TO THE ARCTIC
Seeking to capture polar bears in their natural habitat, I signed up for an expedition to the Arctic with National Geographic. The small ship with only 150 passengers was built to go into icy fjords in search of wildlife. During our one-week circumnavigation of the island of Spitsbergen in the month of July, we encountered rough and frigid weather and ice-covered fjords and inlets, challenging conditions that are typical in the far north. However, we were fortunate to have a number of polar bear sightings, some from afar, but also a particularly memorable encounter with a mother bear with her two cubs. Our ship got close enough so that I was able to observe and photograph them with my zoom lens, but not so close as to disturb them. As the Arctic ice is melting and the habitat of the polar bears is endangered due to climate change, where will they go?
National Geographic Explorer
Looking for polar bears on ice flows
First sighting: Sleeping polar bear on the far ice flow
On Thin Ice
Polar Bear Family Reflection
Polar Bear Reflection
Endangered Habitat: On Melting Sea Ice
Arctic Excursion
Arctic Terns
Arctic Tern in Flight
Arctic Tern in Flight
Sculptural Ice Flow
Coastal Spitsbergen by Zodiak
Where Will They Go?
Polar bear family #1
Melting Sea Ice
Glacier Melt #3
Polar bear family #2
National Geographic Explorer in Woodfjord, Svalbard