Arviat tests feeding stations to divert polar bears - Action News
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Arviat tests feeding stations to divert polar bears

Wildlife officers in Arviat, Nunavut, are trying a different technique this year to try and keep polar bears out of the community during freeze-up offering them meat.
Polar bears attempt to get at meat wrapped in steel mesh at a "diversionary feeding station" near Arviat, Nunavut. Wildlife officers in the Nunavut community are trying out the technique this year to help keep polar bears out of the community during freeze-up. (James Tagalik)

Wildlife officers in Arviat, Nunavut, are trying a different technique this year to try to keep polar bears out of the community during freeze-up offering them meat.

Some "diversionary feeding stations" are made of barrels with seal meat locked inside. Other stations have meat wrapped in steel mesh. The bears have to work hard to get at the meat.

An Arctic fox tries to get at seal meat contained in a barrel at a polar bear diversionary feeding station outside Arviat, Nunavut. (James Tagalik)

"We heard this project was being used in places such as Alaska, where they might have similar bear problems such as we do here," said Wildlife officer JonathanPameolik. "We've heard that they had success in those areas so we thought that we'd try it here, too."

The goal is to lure the bears further away from the community. Bear patrols in Arviat have been called in recently to scare off up to seven polar bears a day.