© WWF-US / Elisabeth Kruger
Every year, polar bears in Hudson Bay walk up to 5,000 kilometres across Arctic sea ice in search for food to raise their cubs. But the sea ice on which they depend is changing, and in some cases disappearing altogether.
In 2013, seven-year-old Sean Hutton founded the first Polar Bear Walk to help polar bears that make their home on this shrinking expanse of sea ice. Since then, thousands of students, families and communities have taken part across the country.
On February 27, join World Wildlife Fund Canada in symbolically walking alongside the polar bear to celebrate International Polar Bear Day. Whether you walk one kilometre or five kilometres, raise one toonie or one hundred, together we can make a difference for the future of polar bears.
Anyone can host a Polar Bear Walk. WWF is here to help you every step of the way with our tips and resources below.
Fundraise offline onlyIf you’re a Living Planet @ School teacher, or would like to become one, sign up below to access resources to help make the walk a valuable learning experience for your students.
Sign up nowRegister today and raise $350 by March 31, 2020* to earn a ballot in the draw to win a Q&A session with Brandon Laforest, WWF-Canada polar bear expert, and a visit from our Panda mascot!
Every $350 you raise by March 31, 2020 equals an additional ballot entry. In other words, the more you fundraise, the better your chances will be to win!
*Anyone who self-donates will not be eligible for a tax receipt due to CRA guidelines that restrict the provision of a tax receipt for those who may receive a benefit for their donation, including being entered into a prize draw.
© Staffan Widstrand
Pick a day to walk
We encourage you to walk on International Polar Bear Day (Feb. 27) or another day that same week.
Invite your school, friends, family and community to walk with you
Register your event online and create your event page or fundraise offline
Our downloadable resources are here to help.
Collect toonies and fundraise for Arctic Conservation
Ask every walker to donate at least one toonie. Small change can make a big difference for wildlife. And, to say thank-you for going above and beyond for nature, there are great prizes and rewards for our fundraisers. The more you raise, the greater rewards you can earn. See the Fundraising Tips and Rewards resource for support.
Select a meeting place and start walking
You may want to organize one or more meet up areas near your school or in your community so you can walk together.
Take pictures and share your walk with us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram using @wwfcanada, #InternationalPolarBearDay, #PolarBearWalk



© Florian Schulz / visionsofthewild.com
Polar bears need sea ice to find food and mate, and as climate change warms the Arctic, their habitat is disappearing. As sea ice continues to shrink, polar bear populations will dwindle. Researchers estimate that the number of polar bears is likely to decline by at least one third by 2050.
Thankfully, we still have time to act – before polar bears are in crisis.
At least two-thirds of the world’s polar bears live in the Canadian Arctic, giving Canadians a special responsibility for these iconic bears.
By joining the Polar Bear Walk, you can help create a better future for polar bears and other Arctic wildlife. Every toonie you raise and kilometre you walk will support WWF-Canada’s work to slow the impact of climate change and reverse the decline of wildlife.
Sean loves polar bears and founded the first Polar Bear Walk when he was just seven years old. Since then, Sean’s neighbours, friends, school and community in Guelph, Ont. have continued to join the Polar Bear Walk to take action for nature.
After a real-life encounter with polar bears in Churchill, Man. in October 2016 – something Sean describes as a “dream come true” – he is more determined than ever to help polar bears thrive.
No matter where you live, you can join Sean and others from coast to coast to coast for WWF-Canada’s national Polar Bear Walk.