Welcome to Churchill, Manitoba, Canada, the self-proclaimed Polar Bear Capital of the World. Each year, about a thousand polar bears pass through the small town, outnumbering human residents. In October, the bears gather here to wait for the Hudson Bay to freeze over so they can venture out onto the ice to hunt for seals. The annual gathering of polar bears here is a big event for the residents of Churchill. They maintain a hotline for bear sightings and even run a polar bear "jail" that temporarily holds "pesky" bears to keep locals (and their food) safe.
© Marco Pozzi Photographer/Getty Images
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