Swoop Arctic, the polar cruise specialist, is working to help raise awareness of the challenges faced by the polar bear from global warming and climate change.
The company is a member of and follows the guidelines set down by the Association of Arctic Expedition Cruise Operators (AECO).
These aim to ensure responsible, environmentally-friendly and safe tourism in the region.
In addition, for every feedback questionnaire completed by its passengers, Swoop Arctic donates $5 to Plastic Oceans, a not-for-profit organisation working towards ending plastic pollution.For the best chance of seeing the polar bear in its natural habitat, Swoop Arctic recommends travelling between May and August to the Norwegian archipelago of Svalbard, where there is said to be more polar bears than people.
Here one also finds dramatic scenery, fjords, glaciers and snow-capped mountains that provide a backdrop to the pack ice on which the polar bears reside and the icy waters where they hunt.
The break-up of ice during the summer months allows expedition cruise ships to venture further in to the fjords to known polar bear hot spots.
Other destinations in which it is possible to view polar bears in the wild include :
- Canada's Northwest Passage from August to September
- Churchill in Northern Canada between mid-October, and
- mid-November and Wrangel Island in the Russian Arctic during August.
Greenland also has a polar bear community, however, the creatures tend to reside in inaccessible locations and other destinations offer a greater chance of observing them.
Useful links
www.swoop-arctic.com/adventures/polar-bears#when-to-see-polar-bears