Frontiers North Adventures (Frontiers North), a
leader in sustainable polar bear tourism and non-profit Polar Bears
International (PBI) are celebrating 25 years of their alliance.
The collaboration set a global standard for how ecotourism
operators and
conservation scientists united to support vulnerable species and habitats.
Polar Bears International was born on a Tundra Buggy in 1992, founded by
grassroots photographers and wildlife enthusiasts inspired to form a dedicated
non-profit aimed at the polar bear migration. Over the past 25 years, that
passion has evolved into a powerful alliance connecting cutting-edge research
to responsible travel.
Since 2001, Frontiers North has contributed more than $5.7
million CAD to directly support PBI’s essential conservation and polar bear
coexistence work on the ground in Churchville.
John Gunter, CEO and co-owner of Frontiers North Adventures
said in a statement, “What I really like about Polar Bear’s International’s
origin stories is that it underscores the power of a person visiting a wild
place, falling in love with it, and then converting that inspiration into
action.
He added, “From the beginning, we shared PBI’s passion for
polar bears and realized early on that we could work together to benefit them,
with Frontiers Borth providing access to one of the largest aggregations of the
bears anywhere in the world, and PBI bringing scientific expertise and the
conservation angle. Those two strengths, combined, have been incredibly
powerful.”
Highlights of the alliance include:
- Global Educational Outreach: Using the roving
broadcast studio Tundra Buggy One, the alliance pioneered free, live Tundra
Connections webcasts in 2009. The STEM-focused educational program brought
scientists and polar bears directly from the tundra into the classrooms of
millions of students and world-wide lifelong learners,
- Polar Bear Cams: After a 2-year pilot
program by Frontiers North, PBI entered the collaboration, resulting in an
explosion of live cam popularity. In continued partnership with explore.org,
more than two million people each year can experience polar bears from the
tundra.
- Climate Alliance: For over two decades,
Frontiers North has provided dedicated space, housing and ground transportation
at the Tundra Buggy Lodge for PBI’s Climate Alliance training, building a
highly trusted community of messengers equipped to shift the public discourse
around climate change.
- Pioneering Sustainable Tech: In 2025, the
alliance took a major step forward by retiring the original Tundra Buggy One
and launching a custom, zero-emission EV. Powered by clean hydroelectric energy,
the project demonstrates the viability of electric vehicles in extreme cold
while providing a quiet, low-impact viewing experience respecting the bears’
natural habitat.
Krista Wright, Executive Director of Polar Bears International
said in her statement, “This alliance has an incredible impact. The Tudra
Buggies provide us with a unique opportunity to bring polar bears to people
around the world through programs like our Polar Bear Cams and Tundra
Connections webcasts. Frontiers North also provides access to the bear for some
of our research projects, hosts our annual Climate Alliance training for zoo
professionals, and works with us and the town of Churchill on bear-safe
measures. It’s hard to imagine our work in Churchill without them.
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