(C) Gary Coulbourne [ Taken Near: 11-15-1997 ]

The legendary polar bear "Jail," in Churchill, Manitoba, is a place where "problem bears" are kept isolated until they can be relocated. The jail itself contains 20 cells, enough to hold 16 single bears and four family groups. Bears that cause trouble used to be shot, however now the bears are tranquilized and placed "in jail". These jailed bears are held here without food and water for a considerable length of time. During the fall, the bears are in a forced state of fasting, where they do not generally eat or drink for many weeks. They do not need to. Their bodies have adapted to be able to withstand the pressures of fasting until the ice freezes enough for them to head out onto the ice and once again begin hunting the seals which make up the majority of their natural diet.