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A new webcam has gone live and it highlights playful polar bears in Canada’s largest polar bear habitat.
The Cochrane Polar Bear Habitat in Ontario is home to two polar bears, Ganuk and Henry. The habitat is the only captive bear facility in the world solely dedicated to polar bears and provides a sanctuary for orphaned cubs and captive bears.
Now, thanks to the organization EarthCam, people around the world can watch the two bears in their enclosures as four separate cameras have been installed.
“This is just another tool the Polar Bear Habitat has enabled so people can see our bears in a very natural, transparent way. Although they’re not always doing something camera worthy, they definitely have their show moments,” said Habitat Manager, Karen Cummings. “We have to warn you though … watching polar bears can be addictive. We don’t recommend allowing your staff access to watch during work hours – they may not get any work done.”
The cameras will not only give people insight about the animals, it will also give staff an opportunity to monitor and collect data on polar bear behaviour and enable them to incorporate any necessary changes to their care.
“We are able to utilize these cameras by observing the bears without interacting, and possibly influencing their actions. This will help us to improve our management plans and ultimately the behaviours of our bears,” said Conservation Coordinator, Dylan McCart.
The cameras allow for more educational and training opportunities with school partners, and greatly assist in the facilities’ safety and security needs.
The camera feeds will be available on the Cochrane Polar Bear Habitat website at www.polarbearhabitat.ca and on www.earthcam.com as their “Polar Bear Cams”. The cameras are accessible between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. EST daily.
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