It might be springtime, but we’ve still got snow on the brain at Earth Rangers! Last year’s northern project is in the books, and our partners have some amazing updates to share!
Beluga Whale
The last time we checked in, researcher Matt Gilbert was busy planning a field season to continue his work on Arctic char. These widely distributed fish are an important part of the beluga’s diet, so understanding how they might be affected by climate change is really important. Thanks to the support of hundreds of Earth Rangers like you, Matt was able to purchase equipment and supplies (including a super cool underwater camera!) that he used during his field season, spending part of the summer last year in Nunavut hard at work with his field crew, researching how char respond to warming waters.
A wary seal keeps an eye on nearby researchers – “Just lookin’ for my lunch!” 
Matt’s teammate Ella showing off a huge char she caught!
Arctic Fox
Last summer, researcher Jeanne Clermont was excited to finally get back to the field! She took her small team to Bylot Island, Nunavut, to collect and analyze the data they got from the GPS collars they’d fitted the arctic foxes with in previous years. Using data about how the foxes moved helped her figure out if the fox was running, walking, resting, or digging; she then combined this with information about when and where the foxes did these things, giving us a better idea of areas to protect that are the most important for feeding foxes! Check out these amazing photos from the field – thanks for sharing, Jeanne!
“I see you….!” 
Adorable baby foxes waiting patiently for their parents 
A fox with a GPS collar ready to help!
Polar Bear
Polar bears are found across much of the Arctic, but researcher Larissa Thelin focused her work on one of the most under-researched subpopulations of polar bears: the ones found in the Davis Strait, between Canada and Greenland. Her goal was to combine information about changing sea ice cover with data about where one of the polar bear’s primary prey, the harp seal, was found. By doing this, Larissa hopes to better understand where harp seals might go as climate change causes sea ice to decrease, and then determine what this might mean for hungry polar bears on the hunt for food. With tons of data to comb through, Larissa’s hard work continues!
Over 2,000 Earth Rangers helped support the incredible work of our northern project researchers, and we’re excited to announce that we’re supporting three new northern projects again this year! Purchase an Adoption Kit to help make a difference today!
Wow Nice job