Re-Opening to Visitors

We are thrilled to announce that, as of June 26th, we have been allowed to open to the public once again. The summer is typically the busiest time of year for us, and we expect this year to be no different. For our visitors, we aim to provide the same great experience as before the pandemic, but with a few small changes. In accordance with public health guidelines, the Welcome Centre, gift shop, and Viewers Building remain open, but with limited capacity. The Heritage Village, restaurant, and kids pool must remain closed. Daily scheduled keeper talks are also unavailable until restrictions are further lifted. Animal care staff are available throughout the day, as they go about their duties with the bears. They will be happy to speak with you to answer any questions you may have.

The COVID-19 pandemic has affected us all in many ways. For The Habitat, it meant that our doors have been closed to the public on several occasions, most recently since the beginning of April. While the bears’ daily lives have remained unchanged, the continuing closures have taken a toll on our revenue. As a registered not-for-profit charity, we rely heavily on the income we receive from visitors. The Town of Cochrane has continued to support us through this challenging time, but it has not been easy as they are feeling the financial strain of the pandemic too. The animal care staff and management have remained onsite throughout the whole pandemic, ensuring that the highest level of welfare is maintained for the bears in our care. Thankfully, they do not seem to have noticed the lack of visitors and their behaviour remains unchanged.

We will continue to post updates on both our Facebook page and website to keep you informed of when restrictions may change again. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to reach out to us at (705) 272 2327 or email frontdesk@polarbearhabitat.ca. You can also send us a message through Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/Cochrane-Polar-Bear-Habitat-100618818800431.