Introduction: Kingdom of the Polar Bears: The Cub's Journey (01:05)
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A mother polar bear will lead her two cubs on a journey from the birthing den to the hunting grounds.
Polar Expedition (05:56)
Dennis Compayre will follow the mother and her cubs for one year. The family begins its trek to the pack ice in Hudson Bay; the cubs can only walk a few miles each day. Compayre investigates how the changing world impacts polar bear populations.
Predators and Prey (04:00)
The three-month-old cubs have distinct personalities; mom is their sole protector. On day six of the trek, the family encounters wolves, but the wolves opt for caribou. Compayre loses track of the bears but continues toward to the ice.
Winter in Hudson Bay (03:30)
Half a million square miles of ice provide approximately six months of hunting for polar bears. The mother and her cubs reach the pack ice and the mother hunts for seal, teaching her cubs in the process. Seals keep their pups in ice chambers.
Pack Ice (05:59)
Compayre cannot access the polar bears' hunting grounds. The mother catches a baby seal and the cubs get their first taste of blubber. Compayre tracks the bears from a plane and sees pockets of open water. A fresh kill attracts the mother and cubs.
Hunting Grounds (05:53)
The mother bear approaches a male and his kill. Increasing ice melt means the bears have less time to hunt. Polar bears swim long distances in spring to reach land; the mother leads her cubs across the water. Summer approaches and hundreds of bears will come ashore.
Melted Pack Ice (02:31)
A freak storm puts swimming polar bears at risk; Compayre watches for the bear family to come ashore. The mother arrives with only one cub.
Summer in Hudson Bay (04:12)
Arctic terns have become a new food source for polar bears. Over 50,000 belugas return to the bay every summer to feed on capelin fish; capelin also draw in other larger fish. Good polar bears know how to forage for food.
Opportunistic Hunting and Climate Change (05:02)
A polar bear drags a seal ashore, attracting the attention of another bear; a fight ensues. Camouflage helps keep some animals safe as the seasons change. DNA samples and video footage proves that polar bears are resilient and resourceful.
Hudson Bay Polar Bears (06:00)
Over one third of the world's beluga whale population gathers in the bay every summer; bears hunt whales in the shallow waters. Compayre locates large male breeders on an isolated island, ensuring the bear population is secure. He locates the mother and her cub. (Credits)
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