As Pixar's latest film Finding Dori hits the screens across the UK, Manitoba's remote northern town of Churchill in Canada plays summer home to one of the sea's most awesome creature: the beluga whale.

 The western Hudson Bay population of beluga whales is estimated at 57,000 and many of these enter the Churchill and Seal River estuaries during July and August for feeding and breeding. No wonder Manitoba is the best beluga whale watching spot in the world!

 Travellers to Churchill are spoilt for choice when it comes to interacting with these fascinating sea mammals. Adrenaline seekers who wish to keep their feet dry get straight into the centre of the action by Zodiac operated by experienced river pilots who maneuver the boat within a few feet of a friendly pod.

 The most adventurous type who want to get up close and personal can jump into the frigid northern waters and snorkel with these sea canaries, attracting them further by singing underwater.  A kayak trip on the calm waters of the Churchill River will suit paddlers of any level whilst standing up on paddle boards has become the latest trend in beluga watching in Churchill.

 Fancy looking at the bigger picture? Helicopter tours allow visitors to see thousands of beluga whales at a glance as you fly along the coast taking in the beautifully barren subarctic landscape. For visitors travelling in groups or with young children, a trip by passenger boat provides the safest and most comfortable option as you float alongside pods of beluga and listen to their conversation via hydrophones.

 Belugas (meaning “the white one” in Russian) are born grey and starts losing its colour from the age of six. Its white skin is then used to camouflage among the ice of the Arctic to hide from its predators: the polar bear and the killer whale.

 The bump on its head, also known as a melon, changes its shape depending on the sound it produces. From whistles and chirps, to cackles and squawks, a beluga produces 11 different sounds, earning it the nickname 'sea canary.'

   What makes viewing these whales in the wild so popular is, without a doubt, their happy-go-lucky personalities. Naturally curious and playful, belugas will often swim under boats, kayaks, and paddleboards, nudging people off course.  Highly sociable they usually travel in pods of 10 whales, however as they migrate to the warmer water

 near Churchill for the summer months, belugas gather in tens of thousands to entertain the locals and tourists, making a memorable summer arctic safari.

 Beluga day excursions in Churchill can be booked through local operator Sea North Tours, while Manitoba companies Churchill Wild, Frontiers North Adventures, Lazy Bear Expeditions and The Great Canadian Travel Company offer multi-day summer safari adventures.

 Various UK tour operators such as Thomas Cook, Trailfinders, Travelbag and Windows on the Wild also offer beluga watching adventures as part of their packaged holidays.

-END-

For information and images or videos about Manitoba please contact:

Eve Gardiner – eve@firstpr.co.uk

Sebastian Sarrasin – sebastian@firstpr.co.uk

Tel: 0208 877 4523

August 2016