I’ve long since decided that I want to travel to the Arctic. The pandemic definitely threw a wrench into those plans but has also given me more time to plan (and dream). Churchill, a town 1,000km north of my hometown, is where I have my sights set. Known as the “gateway to the Arctic”, Churchill is internationally renowned for its wildlife including polar bears that wander through the town as part of their seasonal migration to Hudson Bay and beyond.

Last winter I binged Arctic Vets, a CBC program detailing rescue and conservation efforts at Assiniboine Park Conservancy. The Conservancy provides homes to rescued and rehabilitated animals that will not survive if released, while also granting the public an opportunity to learn about and be inspired to preserve the majestic creatures we share the planet with. While visiting recently, I had the opportunity to interact with harbour seals—and even became an honorary trainer of one!

Gabbers is a harbour seal born with a developmental disability that was rescued in British Columbia in 2015. Along with six other harbour seals that share the compound, he now acts as an ambassador for his species helping visitors understand firsthand the impacts of climate change on their natural environment.

The Journey to Churchill exhibit at Assiniboine Park Conservancy mimics actual sights in the northern Manitoba town, including signage warning of polar bears in the area (©Deborah Clague, 2021).

Learning how to train a seal at Assiniboine Park Conservancy (2021).

Lunch time, feeding Gabbers some fish. Gabbers was rescued in 2015 by the Marine Mammal Rescue Centre in British Columbia (2021).