Polar bears arrive in Churchill, Manitoba, as safety work gets under way

Polar bears are arriving by the hundreds near Hudson Bay, waiting for the water to freeze so they can hunt seals on the ice. Polar Bear Week runs during the first seven days of November.

Why it matters

Hudson Bay takes about a month longer to freeze than it once did, which has brought more contact between people and bears. The western Hudson Bay population has declined by almost half since 1979, according to Polar Bears International.

This year, researchers working with Brigham Young University are using drones to herd bears away from dangerous areas. The noise of the drone pushes the animals in the direction the team wants.

Work at the town's waste site, which attracts bears, includes an electric fence and a camera system the nonprofit calls "Bear-vision." It is described as a doorbell camera that warns when a polar bear is near.