Throughout Polar Bears International’s history, Frontiers North Adventures — the company known in part for its Tundra Buggies® — has supported our work in Churchill, Manitoba, Canada, almost every step of the way. In fact, we were founded in 1992 by a group of polar bear enthusiasts on a Tundra Buggy, led by photographer Dan Guravich, who developed such a passion for the bears that they started a nonprofit focused on their conservation.
What began as an informal relationship between PBI and Frontiers North became a formal partnership 25 years ago. Here, John Gunter, the company’s CEO and co-owner, and Krista Wright, our executive director, share their thoughts on this unique alliance and the role it plays in polar bear conservation.
Polar Bears International was born on a Tundra Buggy during the annual polar bear migration. How did that history lead to the partnership that Frontiers North has with us today?
John Gunter: What I really like about Polar Bears International’s origin story is that it underscores the power of a person visiting a wild place, falling in love with it, and then converting that inspiration into action. From the beginning, we shared PBI’s passion for polar bears and realized early on that we could work together to benefit them, with Frontiers North providing access to the bears, and PBI bringing scientific expertise and the conservation angle. Those two strengths, combined, have been incredibly powerful.
Frontiers North’s commitment to Polar Bears International includes providing infrastructure that supports our programs. What has that meant over the years?
Krista Wright: It’s an unusual alliance when you think about it — a conservation group and a tour company — but it’s one with an incredible impact. The Tundra Buggies provide us with a unique opportunity to bring polar bears to people around the world through our Polar Bear Cams and educational Tundra Connections® webcasts. Frontiers North also provides access to the bears for research projects, hosts our annual Climate Alliance training for zoo professionals, and works with us and the town of Churchill on bear-safe measures. It’s hard to imagine our work in Churchill without them.
The partnership has included a number of tech innovations, including the Polar Bear Cam. Can you tell us about that, including how it led to the creation of a special, media-focused Tundra Buggy?
John: We started testing the idea of a Polar Bear Cam back in 2000, when the concept of wildlife cams was new. By then, the original Tundra Buggy had been retired from active duty, so we dusted it off and breathed new life into it as “Tundra Buggy One,” a roving broadcast studio dedicated to the cam.
Our first cam was primitive, but we began partnering with Polar Bears International two years later, and they added a whole new layer of expertise. Then, in 2012, explore.org reached out about partnering with both of us, and we haven’t looked back. Not only does explore.org provide funding for the cams, but they’ve also helped enormously with the technology and reach. Now over two million people around the world tune in every year.
Tundra Buggy One not only made the Polar Bear Cams possible but it also provided Polar Bears International with a way to experiment with live educational webcasts, now called Tundra Connections, that bring polar bears and scientists to classrooms around the world. How important is that program to PBI’s outreach?
Krista: Soon after we began on the cam, we started exploring the concept of live webcasts, taking advantage of the technology on Tundra Buggy One. At the time, online educational programs were starting to take off, but trying to broadcast live from a location as remote as the tundra near Churchill — with polar bears outside — was a novel idea.
Our early efforts were one-on-one webcasts with limited reach. But the technology was quickly changing, and we were soon able to reach multiple classrooms all at once. By the time COVID hit in 2020, we had a well-established, free, impactful program across STEM categories. Today, our Tundra Connections webcastsare one of the cornerstones of our educational outreach, reaching students and lifelong learners around the world.
Tundra Buggy One’s media capabilities also make it possible for journalists to air live broadcasts during the polar bear migration. How has that made a difference?
Krista: The first major live broadcast from the tundra was the BBC’s three-part “Arctic Live” series in 2016. More recently, Good Morning America broadcast live in 2022, and the BBC returned in 2023. The great thing about Tundra Buggy One is that it provides visiting journalists with an in-depth experience in Churchill, including access to the bears and time with PBI scientists. It’s helped foster tremendous growth in our media coverage. Last year alone, we were featured in over 4,000 media stories in outlets like the BBC, Associated Press, CBC, The New York Times, and many more.
Frontier North’s commitment to sustainability goes beyond its work with Polar Bears International. In fact, it is a Certified B Corporation™. Can you tell us what that means?
John: Certified B Corporations are committed to using their businesses as a force for good — they’re part of a global community of businesses that believe success isn’t measured by profit alone. The certification is rigorous and takes place every three years. It looks at things like environmental impact, employee well-being, and community involvement, and the certification gets harder to achieve over time — companies have to show continual improvement. The folks on our team understand the importance of the certification, and we make a lot of space for it in our business processes.
Last year, Frontiers North and Polar Bears International retired the original Tundra Buggy One and launched a new EV version. Why did you make the switch?
Krista: When Frontiers North created its first electric Tundra Buggy, we immediately thought about building an EV version of Tundra Buggy One, which had become so antiquated we couldn’t even find repair parts. Switching to an EV buggy was in line with our values, and we wanted to show that EVs can work well in cold places and are cost-effective. The original Tundra Buggy One is now in front of Polar Bears International House, our interpretive centre in Churchill, and is open to the public as part of our outreach.
Looking back over the past 25 years, do you have any parting thoughts or special memories?
Krista: My memories centre around all the amazing people I’ve met over the years that make up this larger community of both organizations — whether they’re staff, volunteers, Tundra Buggy drivers, scientists, or guests. Through our relationship with Frontiers North, I’ve had the chance to work alongside a number of passionate people.
John: I completely agree. For me, it’s the relationships and the people I’ve had the opportunity to get to know and count as friends, and what we’ve been able to accomplish together, with conserving polar bears as our North Star.