cover image The World of the Polar Bear

The World of the Polar Bear

Norbert Rosing. Firefly Books, $40 (176pp) ISBN 978-1-55209-068-8

On his first visit to Canada, in February 1983, the German author arrived in Churchill, Manitoba, during a blizzard after a 1000-mile journey by train from Winnipeg. Despite the cold (his film and camera froze), Rosing was bitten by the Arctic bug and became fascinated by polar bears. Now a prize-winning nature photographer, he has made repeated visits to the Hudson Bay area, sometimes three times a year, continuing to study and photograph Arctic wildlife and habitat. Rosing discusses in lively detail the Arctic summer, tourism in Churchill, the northern lights, the polar bears of Hudson Bay and Arctic foxes. He introduces a man who breeds Canadian Eskimo dogs and tells a remarkable story of a polar bear who played with a sled dog. In the final chapters, Rosing offers advice on photographing bears.. He gives a superb introduction to both wildlife and phenomena of the Far North. The text is accompanied by dozens of dazzling color photographs. (Nov.)