Exploring The Polar Bear Capital of the World

Rahul and Family in Glacier Bay, Alaska. 2009.

As you receive this newsletter, I’m embarking on the trip of a lifetime. My dad has had Churchill on his bucket list for as long as I can remember. It’s a tiny Arctic town in Manitoba with a population of less than 1,000, known for its polar bears and beluga whales. For context, it drove just 25,000 visitors in 2023 compared to the 4.5 million seen at Yellowstone during the same year. 

I’ve always been fascinated by bears. It started with a family trip to Yellowstone when I was five. I desperately wanted to see a grizzly or even a black bear, but didn’t get that lucky. I guess you could say the bears left me wanting more… at least a glimpse. Over the years, I’ve been fortunate to see brown bears, grizzlies, and black bears in the wild across Alaska, the lower 48, and Canada.

Aside from that, I’ve gone down more rabbit holes (bear dens?) than is healthy. I gleefully dive into the daily emails from Quora linking to debates like “Grizzly vs Polar Bear vs Kodiak.” I won’t even get into the arguments with my friend who swears he could outrun a bear. Much to my delight, Khalin can’t get enough either. We watch Nat Geo documentaries together: polar bears hunting seals or beluga whales (the friendly-looking melon heads), grizzlies fighting off wolves. He absolutely loves it and boldly proclaims, “I’m a polar bear, I have to eat the seal!” Never mind the fact that he’s a vegetarian.

At some point, I realized this wasn’t just about seeing a bear or admiring how badass they are. Bears aren’t just symbols of the untamed wild. They often play a critical role in the ecosystems they live in, as noted in studies by wildlife biologists. Grizzlies drag salmon into the forest, enriching the soil with marine nutrients. Black bears spread seeds and balance insect populations by digging through dead wood for larvae. These may seem like small acts, but they affect everything around them, including us. Healthy forests and functioning ecosystems support the air we breathe and the food we eat.

Polar bears, because of the simplicity of the Arctic ecosystem, aren’t considered keystone species. But they serve as both bellwether and umbrella species. Changes in their health, survival, and reproduction are early signs of broader shifts like melting sea ice, diminished prey, and a changing Arctic.

Special shoutouts to my sister Rajani, who took it upon herself to plan this expedition over a year ago, and my eldest sister Rashmi, the unofficial photographer of KHALiN. Unfortunately, our mom isn’t able to make it as she recovers from knee surgery. I’m excited to be joined by my nephews, Shaan and Thalin, as well as my niece, Amara. Huge thank you to my amazing wife, Aydah, who is holding it down at home with Khalin (who I wish was old enough to join) and Lana del Ruff.

I’m obviously thrilled at the possibility of spotting a polar bear with my dad, sisters, and the next generation. But this trip also serves as a reminder about the fragility of life, even for the largest predator on the planet.

Stay locked in on IG (@khalinbrand). I’ll be sharing updates from this adventure.