One Week in the Arctic!

Today marks my one week "anniversary" here at the CNSC. Time has passed so quickly. I guess if you are really busy, like the team has been, time seems to speed up.

Yesterday we had an excellent lecture from Dennis and Sean, who work for the Canadian government tracking polar bears. Unfortunately, we are here at the wrong time of the year to see any of these great, white, creatures. The males are still out on the ice feeding off the ring seals that live there. The females are on land, in dens, preparing their young for the harsh life of a polar bear. The females are starting to take the young cubs out onto the ice, though. This is why Dennis and Sean are here - to tag these young cubs so they can be tracked throughout their lives. It was very interesting and I will share what I learned with you when I get back.

Today, we will be building an igloo! No, I'm not brave enough to sleep in it. I will, however, help with the building. Then, this afternoon it's back out to the snow and ice to take more samples. It's supposed to be REALLY cold today. We'll see how Mrs. Barrett handles that! I can see myself kvetching already.

Question of the day: What is the lifespan of a polar bear?