The Polar Bear Habitat will reopen to the public on February 27. COVID-19 protocols apply.
Yes, you can visit!
Habitat staff is thrilled to welcome you back. Here’s what you need to know:
We will all have to work together to keep each other safe and healthy. Below, you can find the Habitat’s plan for reopening, the measures that are being implemented to promote safety, and what is expected of you as a guest.
The Habitat is adhering to guidelines set out by the Porcupine Health Unit as well as the Government of Ontario in its new public health protocols.
Thank you in advance for your cooperation and understanding!
proudly located in cochrane, ontario
Located on the 49th parallel, Cochrane is just 250km (155mi) from the range of the Southern Hudson Bay subpopulation of polar bears.
OPEN ALMOST EVERY DAY OF THE YEAR
Closed on New Year's Day (Jan. 1) and Christmas Day (Dec. 25). Closed at 12pm on Christmas Eve (Dec. 24) and New Year's Eve (Dec. 31).
summmer hours
Victoria Day to Thanksgiving
9am to 5pm
winter hours
Thanksgiving to Victoria Day
10am to 4pm
proudly located in cochrane, ontario
Located on the 49th parallel, Cochrane is just 250km (155mi) from the range of the Southern Hudson Bay subpopulation of polar bears,
OPEN ALMOST EVERY DAY OF THE YEAR
Closed on New Year's Day (Jan. 1) and Christmas Day (Dec. 25). Closed at 12pm on Christmas Eve (Dec. 24) and New Year's Eve (Dec. 31).
SUMMER HOURS
9am to 5pm
Victoria Day to Thanksgiving
Last admission is one hour before closing.
wintER HOURS
10am to 4pm
Thanksgiving to Victoria Day
Last admission is one hour before closing.
Now required
reserve your visit
Head over to the online store to book a time slot for you and your social circle.
more on RESERVATIONS
All guests, including current members, are required to make a reservation in advance to visit the Habitat. A confirmation email will be sent indicating the reservation date/time.
Reservations will be limited and spaced 15-minutes apart to allow visitors to maintain social distance. The first group will be scheduled at 10am and the last at 2:45pm, seven days a week. Once inside, guests can stay until the Habitat’s will closing time at 4pm.
Starting Thursday, July 23, it will be mandatory in Cochrane and the surrounding communities to wear a face covering in public indoor spaces. Please bring one with you and be prepared to wear it as required when you visit.
Please arrive within the 15-minute window on your reservation confirmation. If you’re early, please wait outside or in your vehicle until your scheduled entry time. If you arrive after the 15-minute window, you may be rescheduled into an open time slot, however, if there is no availability, your visit may be rescheduled.
For help with booking, please contact customer care.
memberships extended
Any membership that was valid at the time of the Habitat’s temporary closure (March 14) will be extended by four months.
So, if your membership was set to expire March 20, it will be extended until July 20. If your membership was set to expire July 20, it will be extended until November 20.
Even if you are a current member, you must reserve your time slot in advance to ensure social distancing measures are upheld. You will be denied entry to the Habitat without a booking confirmation.
Members, please email or call 705-272-BEAR (2327) to arrange your entry time.
KEEPING EACH OTHER HEALTHY
safety measures
- Limited capacity allows increased social distancing
- Advanced bookings limit large groups indoors
- Increased cleaning and sanitation in indoor and high traffic areas
- Hand sanitizer stations around the facility
until further notice
Some amenities and attractions will remain closed
WADING POOL
There are no plans to open the human pool at this time.
BEAR EXPERT TALKS
Animal Care Staff will not be offering scheduled sessions to help limit gatherings.
experiences
These exclusive opportunities require close contact, so they remain unavailable.
HERITAGE VILLAGE
Guests may walk through, but they are not permitted to enter buildings. Snack Shack and train rides will not open at this time.
discover polar bears
plan YOUR VISIT
admission
-
Family day pass $45
Two adults and two students or children
-
Adult day pass $16
For those 18 to 64
-
Senior day pass $14
For those 65 and older
-
Student day pass $12
For those 12 to 17
-
Child day pass $10
For those 5 to 11
-
Children 4 and under Free
Day pass also includes admission to Cochrane Heritage Village (buildings open seasonally) and the Cochrane Snowmobile Museum.
membership
-
Family membership $60
Two adults and two students or children
-
Adult membership $25
For those 18 to 64
-
Senior membership $23
For those 65 and older
-
Student membership $20
For those 12 to 17
-
Child membership $17
For those 5 to 11
-
Children 4 and under Free
Members receive unlimited admission for one year.
admission
-
Family day pass $45
Two adults and two students or children
-
Adult day pass $16
For those 18 to 64
-
Senior day pass $14
For those 65 and older
-
Student day pass $12
For those 12 to 17
-
Child day pass $10
For those 5 to 11
-
Children 4 and under Free
Day pass also includes admission to Cochrane Heritage Village (buildings currently closed due to COVID-19) and the Cochrane Snowmobile Museum.
overview
When you arrive at the Habitat, you will enter at the Welcome Centre. Here, you will receive your day pass or membership as well as a campus map and information about the bears’ locations and activities.
From the Welcome Centre, you might catch a glimpse of a bear in the Arctic or Davis Enclosure, and then you can take a short walk over to the Viewers’ Building, which is home to several educational exhibits about polar bears. Follow the path around past the Baffin Enclosure, the Sakaw Bear Holding (no public access), the Chukchi Enclosure, and continue on for more views of the Davis Enclosure. At the far end of the loop, you’ll find the East Greenland Enclosure.
You may also walk through the Heritage Village, which depicts life for Cochrane’s first generation. However, the buildings remain closed at this time.
Before you leave, be sure to check out the Bear Store gift shop inside the Welcome Centre.
overview
When you arrive at the Habitat, you will enter at the Welcome Centre. Here, you will receive your day pass or membership as well as a campus map and information about the bears’ locations and activities.
From the Welcome Centre, you might catch a glimpse of a bear in the Arctic or Davis Enclosure, and then you can take a short walk over to the Viewers’ Building, which is home to several educational exhibits about polar bears.
Follow the path past the Sakaw Bear Holding and you’ll find the Chukchi Enclosure, and continue on for more views of the Davis Enclosure. At the far end of the loop, you’ll find the East Greenland Enclosure.
Before you leave, be sure to check out the Bear Store gift shop inside the Welcome Centre.
membership
-
Family membership $60
Two adults and two students or children
-
Adult membership $25
For those 18 to 64
-
Senior membership $23
For those 65 and older
-
Student membership $20
For those 12 to 17
-
Child membership $17
For those 5 to 11
-
Children 4 and under Free
Members receive unlimited admission for one year.
seeing the bears
There are a number of opportunities to see polar bears at the Habitat, as each of the five enclosures shares at least one outdoor fence line with a public path.
Additionally, the Viewers’ Building has glass viewing areas into two enclosures, including an underwater view of the pool in the Arctic Enclosure.
However, the enclosures total more than 24 acres of natural space, including areas that are not visible to the public. The bears also have access to the indoor bear rooms, and they sometimes choose to spend their time there, too.
You may have to be patient to get the best views. But they’re worth it.
seeing the bears
There are a number of opportunities to see polar bears at the Habitat. Each of the five enclosures shares at least one outdoor fence line with a public path. Additionally, the Viewers’ Building has glass viewing areas into two enclosures, including an underwater view of the pool in the Arctic Enclosure.
(NOTE: Viewers’ Building is currently closed to the public.)
However, the enclosures total more than 24 acres of natural space, including areas that are not visible to the public. The bears also have access to the indoor bear rooms, and they sometimes choose to spend their time there, too.
You may have to be patient to get the best views. But they’re worth it.
Camp at the Habitat
Camp just outside the Welcome Centre for just $25 per night or $160 per week (plus HST). No electric hookups. Dumping station and potable water available seasonally (not available after Thanksgiving).
For more details, please call 1-705-272-BEAR (2327).
QUESTIONS ABOUT YOUR VISIT
Behavioural records indicate that the bears at the Habitat are most active during the fall months through January.
They generally sleep throughout the night, and they tend to be most active in the morning.
A typical visit can vary a great deal depending on the people and the bears involved.
Many guests take an hour or two to walk the grounds, find and photograph each bear, attend a Bear Expert Talk, explore the educational material in the Viewers’ Building, and shop in the Bear Store.
However, if the sole mission is to see a polar bear, it can be done in less than 30 minutes.
While most guests who visit get a chance to see polar bears, it cannot be guaranteed.
The enclosures at the Habitat have a wide public viewing area, they also have a number of areas that are not visible to the public. Additionally, the bears typically have access to at least one indoor room, where they are not visible to guests.
For Ganuk, Henry, Inukshuk, and Eddy, the Habitat is home. As much as possible, they make their own choices about their environment and activities, and they are not on a set schedule. That means staff can’t always predict their behaviours.
Animal Care Staff might feed each bear five or six times a day depending on the bear’s activity and interest level. Feedings can be indoors, scattered inside enclosures, or at the mesh barrier along the enclosures. When possible, staff will notify guests if a feeding will be visible.
The bears always have at least one water source available for swimming during the summer months, and the pool in the Arctic Enclosure is prevented from freezing in the winter. Depending on the time of year and the bear’s individual preferences, a bear might swim multiple times a day, and sometimes the bear will go days without swimming.
Outside food and drinks are permitted, and a number of picnic tables are provided on campus for guest use. Please be sure to clean up after yourself.
NOTE: Under no circumstances are guests permitted to feed the polar bears.
Yes! The paths around the Habitat are dirt and gravel but are even and well-maintained. That said, the winter months can present a challenge for wheels, as Cochrane tends to get quite a bit of snow.
The Habitat has an all-terrain vehicle to help guests reach various destinations around the campus, subject to staff availability.
Dogs are not permitted on the grounds.
If you are traveling with your dog, please ask at the front desk about our secure outdoor crates.
If you rely on the services of a support dog, please contact us before your visit and staff will make every attempt to make alternate arrangements.