JoAnne Simerson-Polar Bears: Our History and Their Future

This talk will share what makes a polar bear a polar bear, the relationship of people and polar bears, and the impact of climate change on both of us. The hope will be to inspire you to understand the simple changes we need to make to assure a future for all.

JoAnne Simerson spent 37 years working in zoos and aquariums caring for, training, and setting up behavior management programs for many species. As she progressed in her profession she was drawn more and more to bears, and specifically polar bears. They impressed her with not only their intelligence, but the creative approach they used in life.

JoAnne has spent 18 falls in Churchill Manitoba during polar migration time, many summers in the Arctic pack ice above Norway, and several springs in Canada at polar bear dens observing moms and cubs emerge. She has worked with Polar Bears International for 18 years as a volunteer for many of their conservation outreach programs and held positions on their Polar Bear Sustainability Alliance and Polar Bear Wellbeing Program. Now retired, JoAnne travels regularly to the Arctic, Alaska, and Africa as a wildlife photographer.