Photo: Kieran McIver / Polar Bears International

Mobile radar tower

Bear-dar: Early Detection Radar

Keeping Polar Bears and People Safe and Separate


Polar Bears International is collaborating with Spotter Global to create an early alert radar system dubbed "bear-dar," designed to alert communities and remote camps when a bear is approaching. With polar bears spending extended periods on land due to our warming climate, there's a growing urgency to enhance safety measures that safeguard both people and polar bears.

Implementing early warning systems like bear-dar could be a game-changer in improving safety measures. By providing communities with advance notice of polar bear activity, these systems enable them to take appropriate precautions and avoid potentially dangerous encounters. This not only protects people's lives but also plays a significant role in polar bear conservation by reducing the likelihood of conflicts that might harm either humans or bears.

Additionally, such collaborations highlight the importance of interdisciplinary approaches to addressing complex environmental challenges. By combining expertise from conservation organizations like Polar Bears International with technology companies like Spotter Global, innovative solutions can be developed to mitigate the impacts of climate change on vulnerable species like polar bears while ensuring human safety.

Photo: Kt Miller / Polar Bears International

Bear-dar FAQ

Radar on top of the PBI Bear-dar mobile radar tower

Photo: Erinn Hermsen / Polar Bears International

Thank You

We extend our heartfelt gratitude to the Assiniboine Park Conservancy and the Assiniboine Park Zoo for their invaluable contribution in enhancing the radar’s accuracy by training its AI system to better identify polar bears. We also thank Utah’s Hogle Zoo and the Royal Bank of Canada’s Tech for Nature Fund for their generous funding support. Lastly, we are deeply grateful to our donors, whose contributions have made the Bear-dar project possible.

About Spotter Global

Spotter Global's compact radar technology is a game-changer in enhancing safety and security across various domains, including protecting human populations and wildlife like polar bears. The ability of their radars to track objects and detect movement in restricted areas, coupled with automated warning notifications, demonstrates a proactive approach to preventing conflicts and ensuring the safety of communities and wildlife.

The expansion of Spotter's offerings beyond critical infrastructure to cover a wide range of areas and verticals showcases the versatility and adaptability of their radar systems. This adaptability is crucial in addressing diverse security challenges, whether protecting military forces, critical infrastructure, or wildlife habitats.

Spotter Global's commitment to quality, customer security, and manufacturing its products in the USA underscores its dedication to providing reliable and effective solutions. Their collaboration with Polar Bears International highlights the potential for technology to contribute to conservation efforts and address the complex challenges posed by climate change.

For those interested in learning more about Spotter Global's advanced compact radar technology and its applications, visiting their website at SpotterGlobal.com would be a great starting point to explore their innovative solutions further.

Bear-dar Early Warning System Software Interface

Photo: Handcraft Creative

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Polar bear tracks in snow

Photo: Robert Sarren

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