Paul Nicklen

Uncharted, Franz Josef Land, Russia, 2017;

Archival Pigment Print on Baryta Paper

A polar bear searches the fractured sea ice of Franz Josef Land, a remote Arctic archipelago and vital refuge for the Barents Sea population. Here, drifting ice links the islands to rich hunting grounds, creating a habitat that is constantly shifting with the seasons.

Paul Nicklen is a Canadian photographer, filmmaker, marine biologist and conservationist renowned for documenting the world’s oceans and polar regions. Raised on Baffin Island in the Canadian Arctic, his early experiences among Inuit communities gave him a deep understanding of wildlife and extreme environments. After working as a marine biologist, Nicklen became an assignment photographer for National Geographic, producing powerful images that reveal both the beauty and vulnerability of the natural world.

In 2014, he co-founded SeaLegacy with Cristina Mittermeier, using photography and storytelling to advance ocean conservation. His many honours include Wildlife Photographer of the Year and multiple World Press Photo awards.

Polar bears rely on sea ice to hunt, travel and reach important maternal denning grounds. As the Barents Sea warms, the ice forms later, retreats earlier and becomes fragmented. Some bears are adapting by travelling further, changing where they den or spending more time on land. Yet their future remains tied to a frozen habitat that is becoming increasingly unpredictable.

RENEWAL IN ACTION

Protecting the Last Ice

Canada’s Tuvaijuittuq Marine Protected Area encompasses part of the High Arctic’s Last Ice Area,  the region expected to retain year-round sea ice for longest as the climate warms. By preventing new industrial activity, the reserve provides a vital refuge for polar bears, seals and other ice-dependent wildlife.