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Life on the Ship

By John Whiteman · October 21, 2009 · comments 5 comments
ABOARD THE USCGC POLAR SEA, ON THE BEAUFORT SEA-- For captures, we need calm winds, good visibility, thick continuous ice, and a good bear location. Those factors came together to allow us to recapture an adult female... {Read More »}


Hot Days in the Arctic

By John Whiteman · August 7, 2009 · comments No comments yet
OLIKTOK POINT, ALASKA-- Last week I made the trip back up to the Arctic coast. Along with two other students from the University of Wyoming who are helping with captures and sample processing, I flew from Denver to Anchorage on Thursday night, then onto Deadhorse... {Read More »}


How Fat Is a Polar Bear?

By John Whiteman · May 15, 2009 · comments No comments yet
DEADHORSE, ALASKA-- In the last dispatch, I wrote of polar bears getting by without food. In that situation – no food – the bears must be using body stores of fat for energy. Some bears can carry almost 50% of their body mass as fat... {Read More »}


Springtime in the Arctic

By John Whiteman · May 1, 2009 · comments 7 comments
DEADHORSE, ALASKA-- Spring has arrived in this part of the Arctic. In the last ten days, temperatures have risen from -20 to +45 Fahrenheit –… {Read More »}