Polar Bears (02:41)

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Three explorers are in Churchill, Canada where polar bears gather each year and wait for sea ice to freeze. Residents are warned to stay off rocky outcroppings near Hudson Bay.

Siberia, Russia (08:16)

Despite the harsh conditions, the population of the Russian arctic is increasing. Large stores of gas have been discovered under the surface; the revenue has transformed the area.

Polar Bear Fur (02:26)

The bears have a double layer of fur that helps keep them warm. Scientist Steve Amstrup explains how they have adapted over thousands of years.

Trash Removal In Churchill (06:33)

Workers collect trash every day so polar bears are not attracted by the smell. The city has bear-proof trash and recycling containers.

Cape Dorset (08:31)

The community of Inuit people on the Hudson Bay has lived off the land for generations. They have a whale hunting tradition, which some members are trying to keep alive.

Polar Bear Diet (02:46)

Polar bears primarily hunt seals for their blubber. Professor Andy Deorcher explains the high energy content contained in the blubber.

Norwegian Fisherman (07:14)

Fishermen take advantage of open arctic waterways. Having once relied on cod, king crabs are now a lucrative catch for fishermen near the Russian border.

Polar Bear Cubs (03:03)

Polar bears are mostly solitary animals, but they find mates while hunting on the sea ice. Cubs stay with their mothers for about two and a half years.

Polar Bear Jail (07:41)

Churchill has a polar bear holding facility for bears caught in town. They remain in the facility until they can be returned to the tundra by helicopter.

Credits: Operation Arctic: Episode 3 (00:31)

Credits: Operation Arctic: Episode 3