Polar Bear Media Guide: What to Read and Watch Before Your Expedition
Lead Scientist Cate Collins offers her top picks for reading and watching before your One Day Polar Bear expedition to Churchill, Manitoba.
So, your expedition is approaching and you want to learn more about polar bears! Below, we will explore the blogs, books, and shows that will help you dive deeper into the world of these incredible Arctic predators, and understand how they survive in one of the harshest environments on Earth.
Blogs
You’ve found our blog, awesome! We have plenty of posts about polar bears: their adaptations, fun facts, and how climate change is affecting them. Explore our posts to learn even more!
If you’re eager to go further, check out Polar Bears International. Based in Manitoba, Canada, they’re the leading organization dedicated to polar bear conservation. Their site offers educational content including blogs, webcasts, live polar bear trackers, and more, all focused on protecting polar bears and the sea ice they depend on.
Here’s a great place to start: Polar Bear Facts
Books to Read
Let’s dive into some must-read books. Two Canadian researchers who’ve done groundbreaking work on polar bears have written excellent guides to their biology and behavior:
Polar Bears: A Complete Guide to their Biology and Behaviour by Andrew E. Derocher
A researcher at the University of Alberta who has been studying polar bears for over 40 years, Derocher offers a highly readable guide to polar bears packed with fascinating insights for a general audience.
Polar Bears: The Natural History of a Threatened Species by Ian Stirling.
Stirling, a longtime researcher with the Canadian Wildlife Service and professor at the University of Alberta, shares decades of scientific study in this comprehensive, textbook-style look at polar bear ecology and conservation.
If you’re more interested in striking imagery, check out this one:
Nanuq: Life with Polar Bears by Paul Souders
A breathtaking photo book documenting the lives of Inuit peoples living alongside polar bears. Note that it includes some graphic wildlife imagery showing polar bears feeding on their prey.
Books for your Cubs
There are plenty of wonderful children’s books to inspire curiosity about polar bears and life in the North!
Non-Fiction
Mission: Polar Bear Rescue by Nancy Castaldo
A National Geographic Kids book that introduces young readers to real-life polar bear adventures and the challenges these big bears of the Arctic face. It includes gorgeous photography, hands-on activities, and inspiring stories that encourage kids to take action for conservation.Polar Bears by Laura Marsh, National Geographic Kids
Engaging for early readers, this book introduces children to the world of polar bears through simple text and stunning photos, where they can learn all they ever wanted to know about polar bears.
Storybooks
The Curious Polar Bear (Twinkl Original eBook)
A charming rhyming story about a cub exploring the Arctic for the first time. The vivid illustrations and descriptive language make it a wonderful way to introduce children to polar bears and the world they live in!The Polar Pack by Madeleine Rogers
Through rhyme, pictures, and fun 3D cut-outs, kids can learn about five animals that inhabit the polar regions: penguin, polar bear, snowy owl, walrus, and reindeer.The Polar Bear Son: An Inuit Tale by Lydia Dabcovich
A touching retelling of a traditional Inuit folktale about a lonely woman who raises a polar bear as her own son. A heartfelt story of love, loss, and family.Snow Bear by Piers Harper
With its soft, textured “fur” and gentle story, this book follows Little Snow Bear as he ventures outside of his den for the first time and discovers the beauty, and challenges, of his snowy world.
TV & Movies
If you prefer to watch instead of read, there are plenty of great options!
Polar Bear Town (2015, Merit Motion Pictures and Earth-Touch)
Set in Churchill, Manitoba, the “Polar Bear Capital of the World”, this documentary series follows the lives of locals who share their community with migrating polar bears and beluga whales.Our Planet (2019, Netflix)
Narrated by David Attenborough, this visually stunning series captures polar bears navigating the challenges of a changing Arctic landscape.Polar Bear (2022, DisneyNature)
Narrated by Catherine Keener, this beautifully shot film follows a mother bear reflecting on her life while raising her young cub.
For Kids
Octonauts (2010-,Netflix/CBBC, 2010)
A fun, educational series with several Arctic-themed episodes featuring polar bears and the challenges of life on the ice.
Don’t worry if you’re short on time, the expedition itself is highly educational, featuring an inflight lecture with our naturalist and insights from the incredibly knowledgeable tundra buggy drivers, so you’ll be sure to learn plenty throughout the day.
That’s a wrap, happy reading and watching! We hope this inspires you to keep learning and stay curious. Your upcoming expedition is the perfect chance to see these remarkable bears in their natural habitat and discover how they survive in the harsh, unforgiving Arctic.
About Gold Star Canadian Tours
At Gold Star Canadian Tours, we focus on providing the worlds best travel experiences to authentically Canadian destinations. Our flagship tour is a convenient 1-day Polar Bear Expedition with dedicated non-stop charter flights from major airports directly to Churchill, Manitoba. With Gold Star Canadian Tours, the wonders of the Arctic are closer than ever. Your Adventure Awaits!
