Abstract 314 – Virtual Bear Viewing as a Conservation Tool

Alysa G. McCall, BJ Kirschhoffer, Candice Rusch, Brian Byrd, Mike Fitz, Geoffrey S.
York, Krista Wright, Kieran McIver

Education and outreach can be powerful tools in wildlife conservation. Targeted outreach can
increase support for conservation actions by impacting attitudes and furthering awareness
about environmental issues or species, and may be especially effective when visual elements,
like photos or videos, are incorporated.
Polar Bears International (PBI) first deployed live Polar Bear Cams near Churchill, Manitoba in
2007, allowing the public to view the annual polar bear gathering. After an initial success, PBI
partnered with Explore.org to operate and grow the impact of these cams. We now virtually
reach millions of people around the world each year who tune in to watch polar bears roam the
tundra and to learn about the species. PBI also uses the Polar Bear Cam footage to complement
educational programming and as a platform to inspire action on climate change.
Explore.org now has over 100 live wildlife cameras deployed around the world, including
several at Brooks Falls in Katmai National Park in Alaska, where local brown bears feast during
the annual salmon migration. These Brown Bear Cams allow viewers to closely follow individual
bears and have led to the viral “Fat Bear Week” which has captured attention and created joy
across the globe.
Many people will never get to see bears in the wild but by live-streaming incredible moments
and incorporating key messaging into such outreach, we can help people build connections
with bears, increase our organizations’ impact, broaden conservation support, and turn awe
into action.