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Geographical

Official magazine of the Royal Geographical Society (with IBG)

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Stunning images of polar bears by Florian Ledoux

21 May 2024
3 minutes

‘The ice serves as an open-air art museum, an ever-changing masterpiece sculpted by the hand, power, and finesse of nature,’ writes photographer Florian Ledoux
‘The ice serves as an open-air art museum, an ever-changing masterpiece sculpted by the hand, power, and finesse of nature,’ writes photographer Florian Ledoux

Florian Ledoux uses drones to create spectacular images and footage of Arctic landscapes and polar bears


To create these images, Florian and his team travel to the Arctic for weeks at a time, living in specially designed ‘pods’. It’s a way of working that allows the photographer to fully immerse himself in the landscape and the home of the bears. He then uses drones equipped with cameras with powerful zoom lenses to document behaviours sometimes never seen before.

Florian Ledoux
Florian Ledoux

Florian is well aware that polar bears are a symbol of climate change, but he finds hope in their resilience and adaptability. When a place is protected, he says, bears can adapt to new conditions. It wasn’t thought possible for bears to hunt reindeer, but he has seen them do it – and captured it on film. ‘The positive message of my work is to believe that there is hope. Because if we can reconnect ourself to nature we can protect it. When you love something, you protect it, you don’t destroy it.’

Florian spends several weeks at a time living in the Arctic within a specially designed pod that allows him to stay close to the polar bears
Florian spends several weeks at a time living in the Arctic within  a specially designed pod that allows him to stay close to the polar bears
A polar bear waits patiently for a meal. Hunting, in its various forms, is way of life for polar bears and a major preoccupation. They spend half of their life searching for food and only two per cent of hunts are successful
A polar bear waits patiently for a meal. Hunting, in its various forms, is way of life for polar bears and a major preoccupation. They spend half of their life searching for food and only two per cent of hunts are successful
Polar bears can swim for many hours to get from one ice floe to another. Their large front paws are specially adapted for swimming.They use them to paddle through the water while holding their hind legs flat like a rudder
Polar bears can swim for many hours to get from one ice floe to another. Their large front paws are specially adapted for swimming.They use them to paddle through the water while holding their hind legs flat like a rudder 
Florian observes the bears for hours every day, allowing him and his team to document courtship displays, mothers nursing their cubs, hunting and, above all, to reveal the emotions that the animals feel
Florian observes the bears for hours every day, allowing him and his team to document courtship displays, mothers nursing their cubs, hunting and, above all, to reveal the emotions that the animals feel
The total population of about 26,000 wild polar bears is divided into 19 units or sub-populations. Of these, just one sub-population is increasing, five are stable and four are in decline
The total population of about 26,000 wild polar bears is divided into 19 units or sub-populations. Of these, just one sub-population is increasing, five are stable and four are in decline

Check out Florian’s website for videos of the polar bears

Filed Under: Wildlife Tagged With: Photography

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Published in the UK since 1935, Geographical is the official magazine of the Royal Geographical Society (with IBG).

Informative, authoritative and educational, this site’s content covers a wide range of subject areas, including geography, culture, wildlife and exploration, illustrated with superb photography.

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