How can you possibly do a credible program on Canadian polar bears, without a single mention of the most knowledgable scientist on the subject, namely Mitch Taylor? He works out of Iqualuit, not Firt Churchill. A very biased program as usual. The polar bear is not in any way endangered. And AGW is a myth.

I just watched the Polar Bear Fever documentary. Great show. I did find the retiree in his 'tin can' to be quite the hypocrite however. He dismissed the concerns of the Inuit with a smug shrug of his shoulders as he drives all over the continent in a huge polluting RV. He said that the people who have contributed the least to global warming will suffer more from it - and then basically says so what. What a hero.

So many people jump on bandwagons for "cute" animals without even thinking about how people are affected. I've yet to see such fanfare for the not-so-cute cod fish which is also affected by warmer waters. No rock stars cuddling a fish, no movies or plush toys.

Yes, the polar bear is an indicator of what is happening to the north. And it is great that the world is finally waking up to the affects of global warming. But don't dismiss people as if they don't count. Every species is important, even humans.

What do the scientist know about the north and its animals? Living up north all my life and spend alot of my time out on the land the polar bears have increased alot since i've been going out. Not only through my experience but, also hearing from the people who spend alot of their time out on the land. I hear across the territory. They are very healthy in some area its even too dangerous to camp and more people are attacked because the numbers are increasing.

Nunavut is a huge territory and the scientist come up to Nunavut and study tiny part of Nunavut for very short period of time. I think the scientist should go with the Inuit hunters for year round and actually experience the true nature of polar bear and there lifely hood from day to day.

Polar bears don't just rely on sea-ise and seals they can actully eat just about anything. We have so much unoccupied land and lake which are full of fish. Do you think they will stay in the water once the sea-ice melts?These animals are very smart and they can adapt to any kind of environment maybe like the ones in Florida and Germany. Just think how warm those places are seems like our poor polar bears are adapting pretty well.

We get very little support from our government and why is it that one of our resources is trying be taken away from us? You southerners don't like to be controlled by others so why do you try to control us and our way of life/food?

Dear Inuk Hunter,

I thought that your comments were very interesting because of your experiance up north. However, I do feel that the Polar Bear is an important advocate for a not so green thinking population. I think that the important thing is getting as many people on the wagon of change and if the cute and cuddly Polar bear is doing so, and raising awareness, why mess with a good thing?

I just watched "Polar Bear Fever" and while I was touched by the piece there was very little air time on the impact to the Inuit people if polar bears are added to the endangered species list.

I must say to the Inuk Hunter that I support the assertion that scientific research on northern wildlife is woefully inadequate and we in the south should insist that our Canadian government include Inuit involvement in the research process.

However, with all due respect for your culture and hunting traditions it is a very hard sell in the south to accept the marketing of hunting tags for polar bear trophy hunting.

No one wants to dictate but as the documentary points out that fuzzy baby polar bear is an iconic symbol. Perhaps Inuk hunters would consider leading photography expeditions over trophy hunts as a strategy to deal with the line in the snow.

Isn't it ironic that 10,000 tourists annually fly to the arctic contributing to global warming and promoting a quicker end to the polar bears' existence.

The polar bears are becoming a poster child for Climate Change. I think that using these animals as a tool to gain awareness for this issue just because some think they are cute and cuddly is wrong. (They may look cute and cuddly but they are not, they would eat you for lunch happily and smell rather bad so cuddling is not recommended.) Address the issue of Climate Change upfront. Both Canada and the US are lacking in their addressing of the issue but it is something that everyone can address in their daily lives. Don't say you are trying to save the polar bears because they are threatened because of 'Global Warming' and then fly up to Churchill on a jet or drive around America contributing to the very problem.

Polar Bear hunting is managed in Canada by co-management boards. Tags are allocated to the community hunter organizations where they decide how many will be used for subsistence and how many for guided sport hunts. The hunting of Polar Bears in Canada will continue regardless of the US's decision on the listing of polar bear. However it will be an economic hit to Inuit guides and outfitters. Environmental groups don't seem to give any consideration to the people of the north, the people directly affected. Environmental Lawyers fight for the listing visit Churchill for the first time to see a polar bear after working on the issue for how many years? Why would they not visit Alaska and talk to the Inuit people in their own country before taking on such a case? It seems their only reason for visiting the north was to see a polar bear, not to gain insight or information from the residents and people who deal with polar bears daily. It's just too bad that Inuit are again the victims of a decision they have no control over.

And a side note: Jim Cripwell, I wouldn't be throwing around who is the most Knowledgeable Polar Bear Biologist. Luckily we have many knowledge scientist that worked on Polar in Canada. Andy Derocher is a knowledgeable scientist when it comes to Polar Bears and a member of the Polar Bear Specialties Group. Having said that I am not impressed with how Andy is portrayed in this special, but he's has spent a lot of time not only in Churchill but in other parts of the Arctic working on polar bears and works with the local people.

Dear Beachcomber,

Us Inuit use the Polar Bear for;Food/Photography/Trophy hunt we also use the skin for clothing and mattress. I think it would be humiliating to our lifestyle if we just start using the Polar Bear for photography expeditions. I don't think you would be very happy if, we just start using what you eat daily such as pig,cow or chicken for photography purpose only!

Namen
Nunavut

There's no need to kill the polar bear for food or clothing anymore. If the Inuit killed in the way they used to in the old days, without western technology arctic animals wouldn't be in danger.

Inuits are now killing them for money, not for survival. How can they call it a trophy and feel so proud of killing it when they just shoot them. The way they murder these animals for money will make them disappear soon, leaving them with no source of food or income at all, because polar bears aren't the only species made endangered by this.

If they proposed a way to protect them and also benefit their people I think it would be worth listening to, but they are treating this matter in a very selfish and careless way. I think the Inuit ancestors would be horrified to see what is happening. They were a noble people who never took more than they needed and found ways to use every little bit, wasting nothing, and respecting the animals as equals. They didn't murder, they killed with respect, appreciating the sacrifice made for their survival.

The modern "Inuit" should be adhering to their ancestors beliefs, otherwise they're just some more capitalizing, sport hunting, western bigot responsible for the world's current state of decline.

dear cbc-team,

thank you for this extraordinary documentary, and thank you for putting it online for people to see worldwide. hopefully, the world will recognize the importancy of your message.

sincerely,
nene

Although it is great to look at what is happening to the polar bear, no-one at CBC seems interested in putting it in context (e.g. there were only half the bears a mere 50 years ago).

What really irks me is the assumption that man is causing global warming and that global warming will kill off the polar bears. Where is the science behind these assertions ? The UN data and graphs that Dr. Mann put together has been proven false and finally dropped by IPCC with no explanantion three years AFTER two Canadians who proved that the data was not looked at correctly and his graph was wrong(maybe purposely to promote the UN global warming hype ?).

Why won't the CBC also state that the global warming theory is coming under increasing attack by many of the worlds real scientists (not just listen to those paid by governments to try to prove the theory). There is no proof that the global warming cycle is abnormal and it certainly is not caused by man --- CO2 does NOT cause increased temperatures, unless you (like the UN) conveniently turn all known scientific data on its head (just as the UN did for years when they lied about the last twenty years being the warmest on record).

Reputable scientists know better ---- when is the CBC going to do the proper thing and look at all of the available science (or is the CBC to afraid to look for the truth like all those global warming fanatics are ... well intentioned, but way off base in the truth department). It is, like you said in the documentary, all about the money. Spending it on trying to control the earth's natural warming or cooling cycles will accomplish absolutely nothing ... spending money of feeding people will do something. But then that would go against what the UN really stands for (population control by ANY means possible, including starvation by spending billions on unecessary exploits) and maybe the CBC buys into that UN and anti-human philosophy as well ?

I would imagine that I have just watched a rerun of this documentary. There are up to this point some varied opinions. I compliment Inuk Hunter and his very eloquently spoken words of truth!

We kadluna are so ready to dismiss the knowledge, wisdom, experience and understanding of the world's indigenous people's for that almighty god of science. The indigenous people of this planet have been telling us for decades that something has been wrong with the planet, but we chose not to listen. Continuing on with our conspicuous consumption of the world's resources only pausing when this consumption itself becomes threatened.

The indigenous people's way of life anywhere on this planet has always been one of subsistence, taking only what is necessary for survival. We need to learn to listen to those whose experience and wisdom can help to bring us back into balance with the planet.

I think all of this is a sad mess for the Inuit. This past winter I had been browsing pictures of polar bears and ran across some picture of hunted polar bears. It made me so angry that I sent a nasty email to the outfitter (guided hunt) that had the picture online. Well, let me tell you...after getting a response email I felt really stupid that I was so ignorant to the importance of polar bear hunting and how it benefits the people of the land. People will believe anything until they know the truth. Taking a tradition away from people is wrong. There are always two sides to any story.