stay tuned for the travel essay on watching these two make their way across the pack ice toward us. update: now published!
{no photo of this, but the little guy stopped to take a bathroom break, that’s why mama is now ahead of him}
{here, mama is testing the ice for thickness}
{playtime!}
{mama keeps going, and baby does get up. their paths diverge…}
{baby walk toward us}
{he seems to notice us for the first time}
{this. this has to be my favourite, and best, photo.}
{baby walks alongside his mother’s pawprints}
{notice her collar. she’s being tracked, although that information is not public record, but more for researchers. there are no markings otherwise that tell us who she is. females have collars, but males are spray painted, as the collars are too large for them to keep around their necks}
{after poking her head into the water, checking for seals, mama continues along the iceline}
{baby climbs up on a snowpile. he falls, rolling down the far side, but soon reappears on top before clambering back down to follow his mom}
{and they leave us. just a detour in their hunting ritual}
{all photos from sarah elisabeth johnson, 2015}
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this photo essay should be viewed with the travel essay: polar bears, one.