TITLE: The Arctic Wanderers

I saw my first polar bear in Svalbard in 2009 and since then I have been fascinated & captivated by this apex predator. It is one of the species that I have travelled the furthest to catch a glimpse of these bears from Svalbard to Alaska & most recently Baffin Island.

Seeing these bears in the vast, pristine, icebound wilderness of the Arctic never fails to enthral me. Whilst it’s always emotional to see mothers & the coys, it is the male polar bear as the ultimate arctic wanderer who I admire for their raw endurance.

Roaming across hundreds, sometimes thousands, of kilometers, adult males lead largely solitary lives, driven by the relentless pursuit of food and mates. Weighing up to 1,500 pounds, they rely on vast sea ice expanses to hunt their primary prey, seals, often stalking breathing holes with stealth and patience honed by generations of survival.

Male polar bears, particularly, are vulnerable due to their high energy demands and wide-ranging movements. Without consistent ice coverage, they struggle to maintain the fat reserves needed to endure long fasting periods on land, where food is scarce. Furthermore, fragmented ice reduces their access to mates, disrupting breeding patterns and threatening future generations.

As climate change accelerates, these wandering giants embody both the majesty of the frozen North and the urgent need for global action to preserve the fragile ecosystems they depend on. These images are a testament to the beauty & resilience of these Arctic Wanderers.

AUTHOR: JULES OLDROYD (United Kingdom)

After 30 years working in the TV for C4 & National Geographic, I took a leap of faith & decided to follow my passion & become a full-time wildlife photographer.
However, during my time at National Geographic where I led the programming strategy for Nat Geo channels internationally, I was able to soak up all the expertise around me & collaborate with some of the world’s best photographers, explorers & filmmakers. I watched, I listened & I learnt from the best.
I look for an unmistakable sense of place in my photography. In my compositions I am constantly seeking to capture the raw beauty & majesty not only of the wildlife in front of me, but equally important to me is the environment around it.
I am also increasingly looking for those subjects & environments where I know black & white will enhance the final image, as I love its timeless beauty & elegance.
10% of my print sales goes to support various conservation charities in Africa.