Nov. 17- 18, 2010 – Ole Nielsen (DFO Science) contacted Vince Crichton (Manitoba Conservation Manager, Game Fur & Problem Wildlife). This is the first that Vince had heard of dead seals. But noted Darryl Hedman flew coast and saw over 300 bears on shore - saw 18 dead seals that had been killed so he says by bears - when I asked him how the bears were catching seals he said they are likely getting caught on the flats when tide goes out and bears just taking advantage of easy meal - maybe something wrong with seals that they are getting caught like this. Ole also contacted Bob Windsor (CO in Churchill) who noted polar bears are feasting on seals along the shore. He says the seals look like they might be caught at low tide... And that is when the bears are nailing them.
Tara (DFO Science) spoke with Mike Macri and Bob Windsor in Churchill. They both confirm there have been no reports of any killer whale sightings in the area, as it’s too late in the seasons for Killer Whales. Also the local polar bears are also very fat, and several appear to be 'stock piling' the seals they catch (i.e. some people have witness and photographed the bears stock piling or buried seals inland instead of eating them). Mike was on a flight a week ago and saw a fat polar bear kill a seal, walk away and kill another seal on the shore, drag it back to the first, and then walk away without eating either. And another sow with cubs had a dead seal and was not eating it. Another seal was seen moving along RX road about 1-2 km from shore. Ole Nielsen
Observations From Members