A project involving 91��ɫ, 3M and Polar Bears International presents field research deploying the first-ever fur tracking tags on polar bears, a less invasive method advancing wildlife research and coexistence; the report publishes on Arctic Sea Ice Day

TORONTO, July 15, 2024 – Studying polar bears just became a lot easier with new “burr on fur” trackers which confirmed scientists’ belief that subadult and adult males spend most of their time on land lazing around, conserving energy until the ice returns.

A multi-institutional research team led by 91��ɫ and including the University of Alberta, Environment and Climate Change Canada, Manitoba Sustainable Development, Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry, and Polar Bears International, used three different “burr on fur” prototypes to study their effectiveness.

The paper, “,” published in the journal Animal Biotelemetry, details the first peer-reviewed examination of these new tracking devices that adhere to the fur of polar bears.

Studying polar bears is a difficult feat with current radio collars only suitable to be used on female bears leaving out a swath of the population, but new technology is providing researchers with a new tool which has confirmed the behaviour of adult male polar bears while on land waiting for the ice to form again.

Efforts to develop less-invasive tracking options and tools that could work on polar bears of both sexes and nearly all ages have been ongoing for years with varying success. Collars have been and remain the primary means of studying polar bear movements. More recently, ear tag transmitters have been used as a lighter-weight alternative. While both technologies serve an important role in helping study and conserve polar bears, researchers continually strive to develop methods that are both minimally invasive and provide quality data.

This led to a new tracking initiative known as “Burr on Fur,” which began as a challenge from Polar Bears International to 3M scientists, the global science and manufacturing company behind Post-It notes, to create a temporary, simple method for affixing small tracking units to polar bear fur. Three “Burr on Fur” prototypes were recently tested on wild polar bears along the coast of Hudson Bay, Canada, alongside traditional ear tag transmitters.   

The shortcomings with traditional tracking methods: The ear tag and “Burr on Fur” devices fill an important niche for scientists and wildlife managers. The new tags allow researchers to follow the movements of adult male and subadult polar bears, two groups that can’t be studied using traditional satellite collars. Adult males can’t wear collars because they slip off their cone-shaped necks and heads, and subadult bears grow too rapidly for safe collar use. Traditional ear tags are an alternative to collars. However, they currently require recapture to remove and, although rare, can pose a risk of injury to the ear. The new Burr on Fur tags are designed to be temporary, minimally invasive, and can be applied to both sexes and nearly all ages of polar bears.

“Successfully attaching telemetry tags to polar bear fur has never been done before, and we’re excited to share the results of this innovative work,” said Tyler Ross, lead author of the paper and a researcher at 91��ɫ's Faculty of Science. “The fur tags showed great promise and give researchers the ability to study the behaviors and movements of polar bears that we have very little data on, like subadult and adult male bears.”

The study: 58 wild bears were tagged using ear tags and three distinct fur tag designs to compare both the duration of time the tags remained active while attached to the bears and the accuracy of the trackers. Applied alongside a traditional ear tag, which relied on an Argos Transmitter, the three fur tags were:

• The Pentagon Tag: this five-sided device included five holes punched into its corners, allowing tufts of fur to be pulled through. It utilized an Argos Eartag Satellite Transmitter.
• The SeaTrkr Tag: an oval-shaped tag that had 10 holes punched to allow 10 fur-tuft attachments. This design used an Iridium-linked Telonics GPS SeaTrkr-4370 transmitter.
• The Tribrush Tag: a triangle tag outfitted with tubes along its borders, through which pipe brushes ensnared the fur, twisting it inside the tubes. This tag used the same Argos transmitter as the Pentagon tags.

The research took place from autumn 2016 to 2021 with bears handled near Churchill, Canada, by the Polar Bear Alert Program and researchers at the University of Alberta, supplemented with operations by researchers at Environment and Climate Change Canada, Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry, 91��ɫ, and Manitoba Sustainable Development in 2021-22 near the Manitoba-Ontario border.

“Our results are an important step in better understanding the movements and behavior of polar bears, especially adult male bears, which are difficult to track because they can’t be fitted with satellite collars. Temporary, fur-mounted tags could also help track the movements of bears relocated after potentially coming into conflict with people, making these tags an important tool for conserving polar bears and keeping northern communities safe,” says 91��ɫ Associate Professor and Sustainable Environmental Management Coordinator of the Faculty of Environmental and Urban Change and the report’s co-author.

Results: The top-performing fur tag was the SeaTrkr Tag, which remained attached to the bears for an average of 58 days and had superior accuracy due to its use of GPS/Iridium technology. In second place, the Tribrush Tags remained attached for an average of 47 days. However, for the Tribrush Tag, the times varied widely, with one falling off after only two days while another lasted 114 days – the longest of all the tags.

Because they are permanently attached to the bears’ ears, the traditional ear tags remained in place for 137 days on average, while the shorter-term fur-based trackers proved to be reliable for shorter periods. The fur tags proved useful for monitoring bear behavior, and show great promise for future use in tracking polar bears, especially those that must be relocated after approaching too close to communities. Further testing and refinement are also being conducted on bears in zoos and aquariums through zoo and aquarium partners, allowing researchers to further refine the designs and see how they perform throughout different seasons. In the most recent round of zoo testing, a refined tag stayed on a bear for 75 days.

Important Data about Male and Subadult Polar Bears: The new data adds to our growing understanding of subadult and adult male polar bear movements and behaviors, which have been historically understudied because they cannot be safely collared for long periods. Findings confirm that adult and subadult male bears reduce their activity while on land, consistent with prior studies that showed bears spent approximately 70 to 90 per cent of their time resting during the ice-free period in Hudson Bay.     

Implications: While the ear tags remained attached to the bears longer, the temporary and easily affixed fur tags give scientists a new tool for enhanced tracking of bears for purposes of both applied research and managing human-bear interactions. The tracking tech could be applied to other types of bears, supporting efforts to reduce human-bear conflict, and future applications could include testing on other species with fur. While traditional tracking methods, such as collars, will remain critical for longer-term studies, the fur tags will prove a as the climate warms. 

“The collaboration between Polar Bears International, 3M, academic institutions, and governmental partners is a testament to our commitment to improving Arctic wildlife research and conservation technology,” says Geoff 91��ɫ, Senior Director of Research and Policy at Polar Bears International, adding, “These advancements will have tangible implications for wildlife management, aiding in tracking polar bears and promoting improved human-bear coexistence. We’re eager to further refine and deploy this pivotal technology.” 

About Arctic Sea Ice Day: These findings publish on July 15, which is , an annual event created by Polar Bears International to spark actions and conversations about the rapidly melting Arctic ecosystem, including its global significance and how people can help slow this warming trend. The Arctic is now warming nearly than the rest of the planet, causing the sea ice to melt, which causes polar bears to spend longer periods fasting on land.

Polar Bears International invites people to access the full report and urges the scientific community to consider the implications of these findings for further research and application in conservation and coexistence efforts.

About 91��ɫ

91��ɫ is a modern, multi-campus, urban university located in Toronto, Ontario. Backed by a diverse group of students, faculty, staff, alumni and partners, we bring a uniquely global perspective to help solve societal challenges, drive positive change, and prepare our students for success. 91��ɫ's fully bilingual Glendon Campus is home to Southern Ontario's Centre of Excellence for French Language and Bilingual Postsecondary Education. 91��ɫ’s campuses in Costa Rica and India offer students exceptional transnational learning opportunities and innovative programs. Together, we can make things right for our communities, our planet, and our future.

Media Contact:

Sandra McLean, 91��ɫ Media Relations, 416-272-6317, sandramc@yorku.ca

About 3M

3M (NYSE: MMM) believes science helps create a brighter world for everyone. By unlocking the power of people, ideas and science to reimagine what's possible, our global team uniquely addresses the opportunities and challenges of our customers, communities, and planet. Learn how we're working to improve lives and make what's next at . 

About Polar Bears International

Polar Bears International’s mission is to conserve polar bears and the sea ice they depend on. We also work to inspire people to care about the Arctic, the threats to its future, and the connection between this fragile ecosystem and our global climate. Polar Bears International is the only nonprofit organization dedicated solely to wild polar bears and Arctic sea ice, and its staff includes scientists who study wild polar bears. The organization is a recognized leader in polar bear conservation. For more information, visit .

Media Contacts

Annie Edwards, for Polar Bears International, +44 07307 139782, annie@fabricmedia.net

Melissa Hourigan, for Polar Bears International, +1 720-608-1919, melissa@fabricmedia.net

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Living its values. For the first time, 91��ɫ achieves two top designations as Canada’s greenest and most diverse employer for 2024.

This is the 12th consecutive year 91��ɫ has made the cut for and selected by Mediacorp Canada Inc., organizers of the annual Canada’s Top 100 Employers project.

The honour recognizes employers who lead the nation in creating a culture of awareness for the environment and whose sustainability practices have become part of their public identity. It include developing unique initiatives and programs, and successfully reducing their footprint with the help of employees.

In addition, 91��ɫ also received award announced March 4, a first for the University, which recognizes exceptional workplace diversity and inclusiveness programs across the country. Not only has 91��ɫ launched a Decolonizing, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (DEDI) Strategy, but its DEDI values are infused into its Framework and Action Plan on Black Inclusion and the .

“Being recognized as Canada’s Best Diversity and Canada’s Greenest Employers is possible because of the values and dedication of 91��ɫ employees, staff and faculty alike,” says Laina Bay-Cheng, interim vice-president of Equity People and Culture. “I hope 91��ɫ and all our colleagues can take pride in how hard we work to be a place where so many different people, all taking so many different paths in their careers and lives, can thrive and feel like they belong.”

91��ɫ continues to be a champion of sustainability. A year ago, the University hired its first chief sustainability office in its Office of Sustainability to focus more attention on its sustainability goals and actions. Since then, it has shortened its initial goal to reach net-zero emissions by a decade, now 2040. It also started a $1 million Sustainability Innovation Fund to provide funding to faculty, staff and students to pursue projects to advance climate action – which supports the United Nation’s (UN) Sustainable Development Goal 13) on 91��ɫ’s three campuses toward positive change.

“91��ɫ’s collaborative and holistic approach to sustainability has played a large part in why we continue to excel in sustainability leadership. This work wouldn’t be possible without the support of students, faculty, instructors and staff,” says Mike Layton, 91��ɫ’s chief sustainability officer.

A University-wide challenge to elevate 91��ɫ’s contributions to the UN’s SDGs 17 (global partnerships for sustainable development) was also included in its University Academic Plan 2020-2025. With two TTC stops on its Keele Campus and an investment in using electric golf carts, bikes, and hybrid and electric vehicles, 91��ɫ has helped its community move away from single-occupant trips to more sustainable options. Its ZeroWaste program has increasingly diverted waste from landfill sites for more than three decades, reaching 70 per cent of waste diversion.

91��ɫ also has an Eco-Campus dedicated to teaching and researching neotropical conservation, eco-health, community well-being and sustainable livelihoods through it's 400-acres Las Nubes Forest Reserve in Costa Rica.

91��ɫ’s continued commitment to sustainability and diversity, is reflected in the 2023 Times Higher Education (THE) Impact Rankings, where it ranked among the world’s top 40 universities out of more than 1,500 for advancing the SDGs. That includes being ranked 21st in the world for SDG 1 – No Poverty, 25th in the world for SDG 10 – Reduced Inequalities, and 12th in the world for SDG 11 – Sustainable Cities and Communities.

As Layton says, “Community adoption of green initiatives and a continued desire to support the University in expanding its impact to create a more sustainable future is integral. This recognition is a reflection of community efforts.”

It’s a commitment that will help foster a greener, more diverse future.

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TORONTO, May 25, 2022 —  at 91��ɫ has received $1 million from the Ontario’s Ministry of Education in support of a summer work-study program for high school students from racialized backgrounds.

Thanks to the grant, k2i’s summer STEM program, , which launched in summer 2021 with $500,000 in ministry funding, will return for a second summer session this June.

The program is free to participants and is designed to further k2i’s commitment to addressing systemic racism, discrimination, and inequality in education by providing more equitable opportunities in STEM fields. Grade 11 and 12 students from three GTA school boards and one northern school board, will engage in real-world engineering projects alongside Lassonde undergraduate mentors, staff, and faculty.

With the aim of creating such opportunities and fostering a welcoming community, this summer’s Work-Integrated Learning Program will focus on physics – a discipline that has disproportionately low enrolment among racialized students. 

Programs like Bringing STEM to Life are integral to the University’s commitment to diversifying the STEM fields, says Lassonde Dean Jane Goodyer.

“Lassonde has made a priority of establishing partnerships with outside stakeholders, including those in primary and secondary education, to create positive change and increase diversity in STEM,” Goodyer said. “As these fields form the foundation of Canada’s knowledge base, we have an obligation to ensure underrepresented voices – particularly those of Black and Indigenous youth – contribute to a greater diversity of thought and experience within STEM. A broader and more diverse body of knowledge is necessary to building a more just and sustainable future.”

The 2022 program will be delivered in two modules

Work-Integrated Learning – Physics (W-IL Physics): This program is open to students who finished Grade 10 science (academic or applied) in the 2021-2022 school year, who will have the opportunity to work in a paid role towards Grade 11 university physics or Grade 12 college physics credits.

Work-Integrated Learning – Indigenous Engineering, Technology, and Innovation in Design (W-IL Indigenous Engineering): This program is open to students entering Grade 11 or 12, who will have the opportunity to work in a paid role towards a Grade 11 or 12 Interdisciplinary course credit in Indigenous Engineering, Technology, and Innovation by Design. This program is customized and co-designed with an Indigenous math and Ojibwe educator from the Algoma District School Board. Officially launching this summer, it will be offered again during the 2022-2023 school year.

The Lassonde undergraduate students who serve as mentors will have the opportunity to develop skills in leadership, equity, diversity and inclusion (EDI), program design and implementation, teaching, and project management.

“We are committed to working with K-12 education sector partners to create programs that make an impact,” says Lisa Cole, Director of Programming, k2i academy. “Programs like this are designed to help remove systemic barriers in unique ways. Our hope is that youth currently underrepresented in STEM will be inspired and supported, and will go on to pursue further STEM pathways.”

Quick facts:
Bringing STEM to Life: Work-Integrated Learning will include:

• 140 high school students
• Four school boards (Toronto District School Board, Peel District School Board, 91��ɫ Region District School Board, Algoma District School Board)
• Six physics teachers from the partnering school boards
• 50 undergraduate STEM and STEM-related mentors and mentor leads
• 10 Lassonde Research Faculty advisors and mentors

More about the k2I academy:

The k2i academy engages with youth by bringing STEM to life, connecting directly to school boards and their classrooms, offering innovative work-integrated learning programs, and partnering with community organizations to provide unique, hands-on STEM learning opportunities. Through partnerships and collaborations with provincial and federal funders as well as individual and corporate donors, k2i academy offers programs at no cost to youth and their families and work with community-based STEM organizations to reach the youth who need us most. The k2i academy is a key component of the Lassonde School of Engineering  committed to addressing UN Sustainable Development Goals in Quality Education and Reducing Inequities.

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91��ɫ is a modern, multi-campus, urban university located in Toronto, Ontario. Backed by a diverse group of students, faculty, staff, alumni and partners, we bring a uniquely global perspective to help solve societal challenges, drive positive change and prepare our students for success. 91��ɫ's fully bilingual Glendon Campus is home to Southern Ontario's Centre of Excellence for French Language and Bilingual Postsecondary Education. 91��ɫ’s campuses in Costa Rica and India offer students exceptional transnational learning opportunities and innovative programs. Together, we can make things right for our communities, our planet, and our future.

Media Contact: 
Matt LaForge, 91��ɫ Media Relations, 437-242-1547, mlaforge@yorku.ca

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MISSISSAUGA, May 18, 2022 – Alectra Inc. and 91��ɫ’s Faculty of Environmental and Urban Change (EUC) announce the establishment of the ‘Alectra Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (ED&I) Undergraduate Awards’ to provide scholarship opportunities for Black and Indigenous students accepted into an EUC undergraduate program.

“We are proud to have Alectra as one of our partners and are very grateful for their sustained and active involvement with the 91��ɫ community, especially in support of students, research and transformational initiatives,” said Alice Hovorka, Dean of the Faculty of Environmental and Urban Change at 91��ɫ. “The Alectra EDI Undergraduate Awards will empower students to become champions of justice and sustainability – and will increase equitable access to post-secondary education. In EUC, we are committed to providing accessible education, embracing diversity and empowering all students as changemakers in their own lives and in the lives of others. The Alectra EDI Undergraduate Awards will ensure sustainable pathways and financial support to historically underrepresented students.”

"At Alectra, we believe that making positive change requires dynamic and diverse thinking,” said Brian Bentz, President and CEO, Alectra Inc. “We’re excited to support the efforts of 91��ɫ’s Faculty of Environmental and Urban Change to expand opportunities for under-represented students to thrive in a program devoted to addressing the serious urban and environmental challenges that are facing us today.”

Alectra will contribute $84,000 (over four years) to support two domestic undergraduate Black and/or Indigenous students with full tuition, a flex fund, textbooks and supplies for their full-time degree at 91��ɫ’s Faculty of Environmental and Urban Change.

The Alectra EDI Undergraduate Awards will create opportunities for Black and Indigenous students and create positive change in our communities and the world around us.
In 2020, Alectra began to launch a series of broad-based ED&I initiatives and has supported local anti-racism programs delivered through activism, community building and education. The partnership with 91��ɫ’s Faculty of Environmental and Urban Change is the first undergraduate scholarship program for racialized students that Alectra has sponsored.

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About Alectra Inc.
Serving more than one million homes and businesses in Ontario’s Greater Golden Horseshoe area, Alectra Utilities is now the largest municipally-owned electric utility in Canada, based on the total number of customers served. We contribute to the economic growth and vibrancy of the 17 communities we serve by investing in essential energy infrastructure, delivering a safe and reliable supply of electricity, and providing innovative energy solutions.
Our mission is to be an energy ally, helping our customers and the communities we serve to discover the possibilities of tomorrow’s energy future.

About the Faculty of Environmental and Urban Change
91��ɫ’s new Faculty of Environmental and Urban Change (EUC) has been created as a call to action to respond to the most pressing challenges facing people and the planet. We bring together world class scientists and scholars, who are producing research on the climate crisis, biodiversity loss, intensive urbanization and how these dynamics impact the most vulnerable among us. We offer academic programs empowering our students as changemakers through interdisciplinary thinking, experiential learning, and global perspectives. As a community, we believe that making positive change requires bold and diverse thinking, ambitious action, and community engagement. In EUC, we are mobilizing knowledge for a just and sustainable future.

Media Contacts:
Ashley Trgachef, Media Spokesperson, Alectra
ashley.trgachef@alectrautilities.com | Telephone: 416.402.5469 | 24/7 Media Line: 1.833.MEDIALN

Sandra McLean (she/her) 
Senior Media Relations Officer, Media Relations and External Communications  
C 416-272-6317 
sandramc@yorku.ca | www.news.yorku.ca 
Communications & Public Affairs Division | YORK UNIVERSITY 

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