By Karim Hammam
An international team of specialists is trialling artificial intelligence-powered "doorbell cameras" to alert communities in the Arctic to approaching polar bears, as climate change increases the frequency of dangerous encounters. The system, called Bear-vision, has been developed by the conservation charity Polar Bears International to provide a cost-effective early warning tool for residential and commercial properties.
Technology evolves from earlier radar systems
Bear-vision builds on previous "Bear-dar" systems that combined radar with video equipment to detect movement across the Arctic landscape. The new AI-driven cameras are designed to be more accessible and affordable, sending notifications whenever a bear draws near.
Deployment at Churchill waste site
The first Bear-vision unit is being installed at a waste site in Churchill, a northern coastal town on Hudson Bay in Manitoba, Canada. Polar bears congregate there while waiting for the bay to freeze so they can hunt seals, a period that also attracts thousands of tourists. The deployment aims to help local residents monitor the site after a 2024 fire destroyed the facility, leading bears to scavenge through rubbish and raising concerns about toxic ingestion and food-conditioning.
Community collaboration and other deterrents
Krista Wright, executive director of Polar Bears International, emphasized the long-standing partnership with the Churchill community on human-polar bear coexistence. The charity is also testing drones, ultrasonic sound, conductive materials and a new odour-based bear spray formula in collaboration with Brigham Young University and Churchill’s Polar Bear Alert Programme. Electric fences and Bear-dar technology have also been deployed, and experts from Churchill toured a similar waste management facility in Greenland.
Climate change extends ice-free season
Polar Bears International highlighted that melting sea ice driven by climate change now leaves polar bears stranded on land for approximately one month longer than previous generations. The annual Polar Bear Week 2026 begins this Sunday to mark the seasonal gathering, underscoring the growing need for measures that ensure safe coexistence between the town and the animals.
