Onset of Winter in the Arctic (02:15)

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Three explorers have spent 11 days near Churchill, Canada where polar bears gather each year and wait for sea ice to freeze. Temperatures drop and polar bear activity increases.

Polar Bear Cops (04:47)

The residents of Churchill, Canada adapted to life alongside polar bears. The city has a bear guard to protect residents. Specialized vehicles take tourists into the tundra to see the bears.

Ice Patrol in Greenland (07:30)

A patrol is looking for rogue icebergs to protect shipping in the area. The icebergs broke off from glaciers that make up Greenland's ice sheet. Oceans Melting Greenland is a team of NASA scientists that studies the effects of rising ocean temperatures.

Glacial Melt (04:03)

Glaciers are melting at an alarming rate throughout the arctic. Arctic expert David Barber says 60% of sea ice has disappeared in the last 30 years; polar bears are a threatened species.

Permafrost Melt (07:33)

A research center in Fairbanks, Alaska studies the permanently frozen ground that holds the arctic together. As an effect of global warming, the ice has begun to thaw. Residents of a whaling community explain how it affects their daily lives.

Bear Behavior (04:16)

Young male polar bears practice fighting skills while waiting for the sea ice. Professor Andy Derocher says the activity is typical since there is nothing for the bears to fight about.

Reindeer in Sweden (09:09)

In northern Sweden, the Sami people have herded reindeer for generations. Nearby is one of the largest underground iron mines; the reindeer's migration path moved around it.

Murmansk, Russia (09:12)

Murmansk is inside the Arctic Circle and is an important port city; it does not have a problem with icebergs. Large icebreakers make travel through the arctic easier.

Credits: Operation Arctic: Episode 2 (00:33)

Credits: Operation Arctic: Episode 2