Several fat polar bears sighted in southern Labrador early this week

Seven polar bears came ashore this week, either passing through or exploring, in Black Tickle, Labrador. It’s not that unusual an occurrence but the take home quote sure is:

“They look really healthy … they have been eating good, these ones have.”

Lucky for them – residents in my novel – EATEN – were not so lucky.

Black Tickle polar bear visits 7 March 2017_CBC news 8 March

A bear onshore along eastern Hudson Bay late last month was also described as fat.

Quotes from the CBC News report (8 March 2017: “7 polar bears visit stormbound Black Tickle“) below.

Black-tickle-map-Labrador 2016

As residents of Black Tickle on the coast of Labrador dig out from a four-day snow storm, they’re keeping their eyes peeled for four-footed visitors.

Seven polar bears were spotted in or around the community on Tuesday [7 March], causing lots of excitement for newcomers such as the local teacher and nurse, and a visiting entertainer, Sherman Downey.

Downey and another man came within 100 metres of one bear.

Keefe said people in Black Tickle are used to polar bears, which have been coming around for years.

“They come pretty close. We’ve had them here right amongst the houses, walking along. We’ve had them here over the years lie down next to people’s houses in the nighttime. We’ve had em here walk up the steps of a man’s bridge.

Most bears will avoid human contact, he said, and the ones passing by this week look well fed.

“They look really healthy … they have been eating good, these ones have.” [my bold]

Read the whole thing here.

Previous posts on Labrador and Newfoundland polar bear visits 2014 here, 2015 here, and 2016 here.

Sea ice extent Canada 2017 March 7CIS

Ice concentration map below, from the Canadian Ice Service:

Newfoundland NE daily ice conc 7 March 2017_CIS

Comments are closed.