Nat Hab's 2024 Guest Photo Contest

Species: Polar Bear | Location: Kaktovik, Alaska, Usa, United States Of America

A female polar bear and her two young cubs are approaching the bowhead whale bone pile.

The local Inupiat community of Kaktovik are allowed to take up to three bowhead whales each year, subsistence hunting, to keep their families fed. Once the whales are processed, the carcasses are taken out of town where the polar bears clean-up the remains. Most polar bears fast for at least part of the summer when the absence of sea ice limits their ability to hunt seals. As the planet warms and sea ice takes longer to freeze fast, the bears are forced to spend more time on land. The community bone pile provides some sustenance for the bears and tourists dollars for the community. Nothing goes to waste.

Kaktovik is on an island located in the far northeast of Alaska along the Beaufort Sea, isolated from any roads by the Brooks Range to the south. The only way to get there is by air, or sea when it's not iced over. This photo was taken on a Nat Hab trip guided by Drew Hamilton on August 29, 2017 at 8:08pm.

About The Photographer

The beauty and diversity of animals and their behaviors have always captivated me, which has led to my lifelong commitment to conservation and habitat protection. As a photographer, I hope to share the marvel that is nature and wildlife with others. Traveling with Nat Hab over the years gave me the opportunity to learn about animals, conservation issues and photography.