Rare polar bear footage shows life in melting Arctic

An intimate glance at the life of a creature that has intrigued the ages. A video diary from the view of the polar bear itself during the summer months on the shores and in the water of Hudson Bay. We were amazed by the diversity of behaviors. The U.S. Geological Survey put cameras on 20 bears over a three-year period in Wapusk National Park. The bears wore the cameras for three weeks and were weighed before and after. The question was whether bears can withstand longer periods summering on shore by changing their behavior. Bears are seen eating birds and chomping on caribou carcasses. Some spent the summer lounging while others went great lengths to find food, swimming up to 175 kilometers. 19 of the 20 bears in our study still lost weight regardless of what was available to them or how they changed their energetics during that time. Since the 80s, life on shore for polar bears along western Hudson Bay has increased about three weeks due to shrinking ice. As their time on ice depletes, researchers are worried so will populations. There's nothing on land that's going to help them out. Polar bears exist because they have access to sea ice where they have access to seals to feed on and that blubber-rich diet that they rely on is what makes it possible for that species to exist. The footage also gave a rare glimpse at the social nature of the mystical bears like these three males hanging out together on land and in the water. They're not aggressive with each other. They appear playful in the water, interacting. It shows that they're very social. A heartwarming snapshot in a much bleaker, bigger picture that many are worried could have heartbreaking consequences. Jamie Dahl, Global News, Calgary.