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Wapusk National Park

Wapusk National Park is a 11,475 sq. km protected park in the northeast corner of Manitoba, Canada. It is Canada's 37th National Park, representing the Hudson's Bay Lowlands Natural region. No roads or visitor facilities disturb this true wilderness park, created to preserve the fragility of the tundra environment.

Wapusk is the Cree name for the White Bear, which has come to symbolize this area.

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Location

Wapusk is located about 45 km southeast of Churchill, Manitoba, on the western shore of Hudson Bay.

Wildlife

Wapusk National Park protects the largest polar bear denning area in North America. Scientific research into the particular metabolism and play behaviour of the bears is ongoing. Beluga whales are another of Hudson Bay's indigenous species, and as visible here as in any aquarium.
It is possible to see almost two hundred species of birds in summer and fall. The warm season may be short, but it brings forth a staggering array of wildflowers. Hudson Bay carves deeply into the Canadian north, bringing the frigid waters of the Arctic Ocean to the northeast coast of Manitoba. It is such a massive body of water that it creates its own microclimate, making this landscape, south of the 60th parallel, feel like the Arctic. It is a semi-arid desert, receiving only 12 inches of precipitation annually.

Water covers about half the land surface, and the area boasts the most extensive mantle of peat in North America.

There are roughly 10,000 Beluga Whales living in Hudson Bay. About 3,500 are considered part of the Churchill population. They move into the river estuaries shortly after the ice breaks up, probably looking for warmer environments for their newborn calves.

The Siberian native “Ross's Gull” is just one of the rare birds that has been sighted here. Tundra swans nest in the shallow ponds that dot the plain. Ptarmigan and Great Grey owls can be seen out on the tundra. Small ponds and marshes are ideal spots to view Red-necked phalaropes, terns and widgeons. In June, over 100 species arrive in spring breeding plumage. Birding here is particularly rewarding because it is possible to view many species at close range, without any obstacles like trees getting in the way.

Arctic terns are common, but have the distinction of migrating from pole to pole twice yearly, consequently receiving more hours of sunlight than any other bird. They are colony nesters, defending their territory from interlopers. Although nests are built on gravel scrapes where there is little cover or camouflage, the entire colony minds each nest, flocking to attack any outsiders that venture too close. Other species take advantage of this army of defenders by building their nests amongst the terns. Ross's gulls, Little gulls and semi-palmated plovers are tolerated; ravens, jaegers and people are not.

The only Snow goose colony in Manitoba has its nesting grounds at La Perouse Bay. Scientists are currently monitoring this population because it appears to be eating itself out of house and home. From the air it is possible to see large tracts of red barren ground where the geese have cleared all vegetation.

There are more than 400 native plant species. In summer, the flowering plants carpet the tundra with a dizzying array of shapes and colours. Miniature orchids tuck into spaces behind rocks or hummocks, anywhere they can catch a bit of sun and avoid the scathing wind. The dominant colour seems to be purple, possibly owing to the length of the sun's rays. Even the Indian Paintbrush here is purple, not red, orange or yellow as it is in Western Canada. Mackenzie Hedysarum grows in great profusion and attracts myriad insects.

Even the rocks are colourful, painted with a bright orange lichen called Xanthoria Alleganis. Like everything else in the near arctic, it is extremely fragile. It grows very slowly, taking anywhere from 300-1200 years to reach the size of a quarter.

Bears

Polar bear mating occurs out on the ice during the spring. As the ice melts, the bears are forced on shore. The warm water currents from the Churchill River cause ice dams to form southward along the coast in the fall; consequently, it is here that the bears return each summer to await the winter freeze. During the autumn months, pregnant females make their dens, digging a hole in the face of an esker, which will be sheltered by snow once winter comes. Cubs are born in March and stay with the mother for two years. Should the cubs survive, the female will not be available to mate again for 2-3 years.

It is rare to see males and females together on land. Males will attack unprotected cubs in order to make the females available to breed. The population at Churchill, numbering some 1200 bears, seems to have staked out territories for mothers with cubs, mature males and immature males - the teenagers who engage in fascinating play fights to the delight of spectators.

People

The aboriginal inhabitants of the region today are Inuit, Dene and Cree, three nations who were trading together at this gathering place long before the white man arrived.

The early European explorers were attempting to navigate the North West Passage to reach the treasures of the Orient. The first group to camp along the Churchill was part of a Danish expedition, commanded by Captain Jens Munk. They arrived in the winter of 1619, but being unprepared for an Arctic climate, all but three of the sixty-four men perished.