# @thetorontozoo on Instagram

- **Type:** Image
- **Original URL:** https://www.instagram.com/p/Da0xPJ9n9hr
- **Gondola URL:** https://gondola.cc/posts/67874708-thetorontozoo-instagram
- **Thumbnail:** https://img.gondola.cc/tr:w-,h-,fo-auto/postThumbnails/8700dad787.jpg
- **Posted:** 2026-07-15T19:01:48.000+00:00
- **Account Owner:** Toronto Zoo (@thetorontozoo) — https://gondola.cc/thetorontozoo

## Caption

From Scarborough to Churchill: Reflections from a Polar Bear Guardian 🐻‍❄️📝 

"My name is Erica, and as one of your Guardians of Wild at the Toronto Zoo, I spend my days caring for our four Polar Bear ambassadors. Last fall, I had the incredible opportunity to travel north to Churchill, Manitoba, the Polar Bear Capital of the World, as a field ambassador through polarbearsinternational's (PBI) Climate Alliance Program. From caring for polar bears here at the Zoo to standing in the Arctic surrounded by wild bears in their natural habitat, it was an experience I'll never forget. 🐻‍❄️ 

During my week along the western shores of Hudson Bay, I witnessed firsthand the changing Arctic as sea ice season began to form. Every conversation, every landscape and every wildlife encounter reinforced an important lesson: from Scarborough to Churchill, we're all connected, and the choices we make today shape the future of wildlife and people alike. 

One of the biggest takeaways from this experience was that climate change isn't just an Arctic issue. As Arctic sea ice continues to decline, polar bears have less time to hunt seals, making it harder for them to build the energy reserves needed to survive and raise cubs. The same greenhouse gases driving these changes are also contributing to more extreme weather, heat waves and changing winters here in Southern Ontario. 

As Guardians of Wild, climate education is an important part of our work. Through meaningful conversations with our guests, we hope to build awareness, inspire action and demonstrate that every positive choice, whether it's reducing fossil fuel use, supporting clean energy or protecting natural spaces, can help create a healthier future for wildlife and our communities.

Together, we can all play a role in protecting polar bears and the habitats they depend on. Small actions, multiplied across communities, can make a meaningful difference for generations to come.” 

#GuardiansofWild 💙🐻‍❄️

## Stats

- **Views:** 0
- **Likes:** 1,154
- **Shares:** 0
- **Comments:** 3

## Tags

guardiansofwild

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