Polar Bear Holding Facility
Known as the "polar bear jail", this facility holds bears that wander into town before they are flown back out onto the ice by helicopter, a unique feature of Churchill's coexistence with bears.
Converted from a former military warehouse, the facility contains about 28 bear enclosures. Polar bears that repeatedly approach the town are tranquilised, held temporarily (they are not fed, to prevent them becoming dependent on humans), and then flown by helicopter back to the north once the bay has frozen over. The facility is not open to the public, and visitors can only take photographs from outside, but it is an important stop for understanding Churchill's Polar Bear Alert Program. It is located near the airport and is often passed on city tours.
Opening hours
Exterior visible all day
Nearby sights
- Miss Piggy Plane Wreck
- Itsanitaq Museum
- Churchill Station & Parks Canada Visitor Centre
- MV Ithaka Shipwreck
- Cape Merry Battery
- Churchill River Beluga Whales
- Prince of Wales Fort
- Churchill Northern Studies Centre