From the Conservation and Research team to our staff at the Zoo, we are dedicated to supporting the polar bears in our care, as well as their counterparts in the wild. Through our research efforts, collaborations with external partners, and providing the highest quality of care for the bears at the Zoo, we are proud to help protect Arctic species and inspire others to take action.

One of our partnerships in polar bear research and advocacy is with Polar Bears International (PBI), an organization dedicated to preserving the survival of both polar bears and the Arctic they call home. We are part of PBI's Arctic Ambassador Centre Network, a collaborative community of nearly 50 centres across Canada, the US, and Europe. Being a part of this network enables us to collaborate on research, education, and programming to address the challenges polar bears face in the Arctic. 

Wild polar bears in Churchill, Manitoba.

As part of the Arctic Ambassador Centre Network, we build partnerships with other organizations and participate in polar bear research that would otherwise be challenging to conduct in the wild. Last summer, we helped train a radar system nicknamed "Bear-dar" to identify and track the movements of our polar bears. As our bears roamed their habitat, the system was gathering the information needed to operate in the north. By testing the technology with our bears, we can help keep both the bears and people in northern communities safe. (Check out the recent updates on this project on our website.)

Members of the Arctic Ambassador Centre Network are also offered opportunities for their staff to travel north to Churchill, Manitoba and participate in their Climate Alliance Program. In recent years, we've had three animal care staff travel north to join in on their in-person programming to develop action plans to implement back home.

A recent group of participants with the Climate Alliance Program in Churchill, Manitoba.

There are easy steps you can take today at home to join us in helping polar bears in the wild:

• Improve your energy efficiency at home and at your workplace by installing energy-efficient appliances, turning down the AC in the summer and the heat in winter.
• Challenge your commuting habits. Look for opportunities to walk or bike to places you need to go, such as work or the grocery store. Even carpooling for an event or to drop off your kids at school can make a difference.
• Adopt a plant-based lifestyle. Even having one plant-based meal a week for dinner can make a significant impact.
• Grow native and wild plants. They use fewer resources than non-native plants and help support local wildlife, such as bees and butterflies.
• Talk about polar bears with your family and friends. Being honest about your feelings regarding the Arctic is a crucial step in effectively bringing about change.
• Support the work of Assiniboine Park Zoo. From visiting the Zoo and seeing our polar bears to donating to our Wildlife Conservation Fund, you are helping support our Conservation and Research team and their partners' initiatives to further critical studies and overall polar bear conservation.

Learn more about our work with the polar bears on our website!