Episode Details

Churchill, Manitoba is a small, rural Canadian town that lives with neighboring predators and loves it. That is because the predators — a polar bear population — attract the visitors who saved the town’s economy after a military base there closed. Tourists wanting to see the bears bring millions of dollars into the local economy. 

马尼托巴省的丘吉尔是加拿大的一个乡村小镇，与邻近的掠食者一起生活并热爱它。这是因为掠食者——北极熊种群——吸引了游客，在军事基地关闭后，游客拯救了该镇的经济。想要观赏熊的游客为当地经济带来了数百万美元的收入。 

However, the bears are entering the town more often in search of food. Researchers say the sea ice where the bears normally hunt is shrinking. 

然而，熊越来越频繁地进入城镇寻找食物。研究人员表示，熊通常捕食的海冰正在缩小。 

Geoff York is with Polar Bears International, a nonprofit environmental group based in Manitoba. York said: “You're seeing more bears because there are more bears on the land for longer periods of time to be seen” and they are willing to take more risks, getting closer to people. 

杰夫·约克 (Geoff York) 就职于北极熊国际组织，这是一家总部位于马尼托巴省的非营利性环保组织。约克说：“你会看到更多的熊，因为陆地上有更多的熊，而且可以看到的时间更长”，而且它们愿意承担更多的风险，与人类更加亲近。 

There are about 600 polar bears in this Western Hudson Bay population. Environmentalists say that is about half what it was 40 years ago. Humans in Churchill outnumber the bears although not by very many. 

西哈德逊湾地区约有 600 只北极熊。环保人士称，这大约是 40 年前的一半。丘吉尔的人类数量超过了熊，尽管数量不多。 

It has been more than 10 years since a polar bear attacked anyone in Churchill. But townspeople look out for each other and tourists with a warning system and guards. There is even a polar bear jail.

丘吉尔地区已经有十多年没有北极熊袭击任何人了。但镇上的人们通过警报系统和警卫互相照顾和照顾游客。甚至还有北极熊监狱。

Sergeant Ian Van Nest is a Manitoba province conservation officer. He recently guarded the streets of Churchill in his truck. It was the beginning of polar bear season in Churchill.