Report from the high Arctic

Walruses were among the many Arctic animals that will be featured in Dr. Rudland’s slide show on Nov. 19 at PH Secondary. Rand Rudland photo

The Pender Harbour Wildlife Society presents Dr. Rand Rudland – with a slide show on high Arctic wildlife – on Nov. 19 at 7:30pm at PH Secondary.

Traveling from Anadyr in north-eastern Russia, through the Bering Strait, and high into the Chukchi Sea on the Russian icebreaker “Kapitan Kalebnikov”, Dr. Rudland visited Wrangell Island, one of the remote sanctuaries of the still thriving eastern population of polar bears. Encountering over 50 bears, many walruses, hundreds of humpback whales and millions of seabirds, this was truly an uplifting experience. Dr. Rudland will present a slide show on the daily routines and wildlife sightings during his two-week adventure as ship physician aboard the “Klebnikov”. 

Retiring after 40 years of a diverse family medicine practice centred on the Sunshine Coast, with forays across the Canadian Arctic to provide medical services in fly-in northern communities like Coral Harbour, Baker Lake, Rankin Inlet and others, Dr. Rudland has experienced first-hand the impacts of climate change on Canada’s northern communities and landscapes. He has taken the opportunity, and challenge, to travel as ship physician aboard the “World Discoverer” and the “Spirit of Enderby” to such remote destinations as Antarctica, South Georgia, eastern Russia, Solomon Islands, Vanuatu and Papua New Guinea. Working with Whiskeyjack Nature Tours he has led natural history tours to the Yukon and the western Canadian Arctic, as well as to Central America. His passion is wildlife photography, and hopes that his images and experiences help to expose and educate his audiences on the climate emergency we are presently facing. 

This is a free event open to the public.  

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