Our Planet: Top 5 Wildlife Encounters

1. Polar Bears

Weighing up to 600kg, polar bears are fearless and powerful hunters. See them near Churchill, Canada on the shores of Hudson Bay as they wait for the sea to freeze over so they can hunt seals. As many as 1,200 polar bears gather here each year.

2. Humpback Whales

From spy-hopping to tail-slapping, they’re fascinating to watch. With luck, you’ll witness a breach – 30 tonnes leaping from the sea – or bubble-net feeding when they corral shoals of fish.

3. Brown Bears

Widespread across North America and parts of Europe, brown bears live in forests and mountain wilderness areas. Kuhmo in Eastern Finland is home to Eurasian brown bears, while Canada’s British Columbia is a stronghold for North American grizzlies. A heavyweight version, known as the Kodiak bear is found in the Kodiak Archipelago of south western Alaska.

“We saw around 20 bears in total – from solitary females, a mother with cubs and most exciting of all, two males battling it out for the affections of one poor female, chasing around the hillside and leaving us in no doubt as to just how powerful these mighty creatures are”.
Liz, exploring Great Bear Rainforest

4. King Penguins

The second largest penguin species can be distinguished by their sleek black and white bodies speckled with vibrant orange flashes on the side of the head and the top of the chest. The vast rookeries of South Georgia offer truly one of the most impressive spectacles in the world of wildlife.

5. Orca

Instantly recognisable from their distinct colouring, iconic dorsal fin and highly social behaviour, orcas inspire both awe and wonder whether watching them hunt or witnessing playful antics.

“There were between thirty and forty orcas surrounding the boat. I couldn’t believe what we were seeing, and I felt an absolute thrill at the sight of these great cetaceans, at times within just ten metres of the boat. There were big males with huge dorsal fins which must have been over a metre and a half long, and also young orcas with a yellow-hued skin.”
Doug, Orcas and Aurora trip in Iceland