2024 Churchill trip

This November, NorthSTAR students had the

incredible opportunity to travel to Churchill, Manitoba, as

part of the annual NorthStar trip. The journey offered a

chance to experience the wonders of the North while

contributing to important research on polar bears.

The primary focus of the trip was to gather usable photos

and data for polar bear research, particularly for analyzing

their body condition and attempting to catalog them. Of

course, the polar bears were a highlight of the trip, but the

students enjoyed many other memorable experiences

along the way.

The group was given a guided tour by the Churchill Junior

Rangers and explored the historic site of Cape Merry on

the shores of Hudson Bay. They attended a fascinating

presentation on the Sayisi Dene people and the rich

Indigenous history of the region. The students also went

dog sledding, where some were even lucky enough to feed

the delightfully friendly Gray Jay birds.

The adventure continued with a ride on the famous Tundra

Buggies, which took the group through Wapusk National

Park in search of polar bears. The students were thrilled to

witness bears sparring—a rare and breathtaking sight. In

addition to observing these majestic creatures, they

successfully captured multiple photos for their research,

even though identifying individual bears remains

challenging. (After all, polar bears don’t wear name tags,

and they all share the same snowy white coat!)

The trip concluded on a perfect note. While cloudy skies

obscured the aurora borealis during the first few nights, the

final evening brought clear skies, revealing a dazzling display

of the northern lights—a truly magical way to end the

adventure.