The High Arctic is an ice-bound desert that supports a fragile ecosystem. Environmentalists warn it's under threat from global warming as summer ice melts reach record levels.
The High Arctic —
The High Arctic is an ice-bound desert that supports a fragile ecosystem. Environmentalists warn it's under threat from global warming as summer ice melts reach record levels.
Anisha Shah
The MS Expedition was originally built as a car ferry, but now traverses Arctic and Antarctic waters as a cruise ship operated by Canada-based G Adventures, which offers environmentally sensitive trips.
MS Expedition —
The MS Expedition was originally built as a car ferry, but now traverses Arctic and Antarctic waters as a cruise ship operated by Canada-based G Adventures, which offers environmentally sensitive trips.
Anisha Shah
Polar bears are guided by their superior sense of smell which can detect prey more than a kilometer away.
Polar bears —
Polar bears are guided by their superior sense of smell which can detect prey more than a kilometer away.
Anisha Shah
Raft expeditions allow passengers to get closer to the ice and the animals it supports. Trips to spot polar bears are accompanied by marksmen since the bears are known to hunt humans.
Raft expeditions —
Raft expeditions allow passengers to get closer to the ice and the animals it supports. Trips to spot polar bears are accompanied by marksmen since the bears are known to hunt humans.
Anisha Shah
Pungent and blubbery, walruses live year-round in the waters off Norway's northernmost Arctic islands. Their tusks can grow up to a meter long.
Walruses —
Pungent and blubbery, walruses live year-round in the waters off Norway's northernmost Arctic islands. Their tusks can grow up to a meter long.
Anisha Shah
Harp seals can be found around Norway's northernmost islands. On the ice, they're hunted as food by polar bears, in the water they're prey for whales. They're also hunted commercially by Norway, Canada and Russia.
Harp seals —
Harp seals can be found around Norway's northernmost islands. On the ice, they're hunted as food by polar bears, in the water they're prey for whales. They're also hunted commercially by Norway, Canada and Russia.
Anisha Shah
Multi-year ice -- often formed over centuries -- is a rich source of nourishment for the entire Arctic food web. Its recent decline spells trouble for the region's fauna.
Multi-year ice —
Multi-year ice -- often formed over centuries -- is a rich source of nourishment for the entire Arctic food web. Its recent decline spells trouble for the region's fauna.
Anisha Shah
In 2015, the multi-year ice has receded far north, allowing us to press deeper into the Arctic than expected.
Deeper Arctic —
In 2015, the multi-year ice has receded far north, allowing us to press deeper into the Arctic than expected.
Anisha Shah
Recent years have seen the Arctic become a target for oil exploration. Last year oil giant Shell abandoned as uneconomic an exploratory drilling program in Alaska, but a resumption isn't ruled out.
Oil prospects? —
Recent years have seen the Arctic become a target for oil exploration. Last year oil giant Shell abandoned as uneconomic an exploratory drilling program in Alaska, but a resumption isn't ruled out.
Anisha Shah
"Agreeing to Arctic drilling is a bad decision and a mistake," says Susan Adie, wildlife activist and G Adventures operations manager. Sub-sea oil exploration could, she says, present a threat to the rare beluga, blue and bowhead whales that use these waters.
Whale worries —
"Agreeing to Arctic drilling is a bad decision and a mistake," says Susan Adie, wildlife activist and G Adventures operations manager. Sub-sea oil exploration could, she says, present a threat to the rare beluga, blue and bowhead whales that use these waters.
Anisha Shah
The midnight sun casts a golden glow, hovering just above the horizon as it struggles to climb the earth's curvature at this latitude.
Midnight sun —
The midnight sun casts a golden glow, hovering just above the horizon as it struggles to climb the earth's curvature at this latitude.
Anisha Shah
Another Arctic denizen, the guillemot, clings to limestone rocks that resemble landscapes from "Jurassic Park."
Guillemots —
Another Arctic denizen, the guillemot, clings to limestone rocks that resemble landscapes from "Jurassic Park."
Anisha Shah
The High Arctic landscape also hosts reindeer, Arctic foxes and kittiwakes.
Reindeer —
The High Arctic landscape also hosts reindeer, Arctic foxes and kittiwakes.
Anisha Shah
Trips ashore from the MS Expedition are punctuated by lectures from chief field researchers. They're driven by the concept that welcoming and educating visitors to the region will help to preserve its future.
Education —
Trips ashore from the MS Expedition are punctuated by lectures from chief field researchers. They're driven by the concept that welcoming and educating visitors to the region will help to preserve its future.
Anisha Shah
In 2015, Arctic ice cover fell to the fourth lowest extent in the satellite record, with temperatures hitting the second highest recorded, according to the National Snow and Ice Data Center.
Record melt levels —
In 2015, Arctic ice cover fell to the fourth lowest extent in the satellite record, with temperatures hitting the second highest recorded, according to the National Snow and Ice Data Center.
Anisha Shah
"Ten years ago this would have been an astonishing summer of ice melt," says Ted Scambos, NSIDC's lead scientist. "Now it is just another season in a decade of low years."
'Low years' —
"Ten years ago this would have been an astonishing summer of ice melt," says Ted Scambos, NSIDC's lead scientist. "Now it is just another season in a decade of low years."
Anisha Shah
"The almost complete melt-away of the multi-year ice in recent summers has really knocked the core productivity of the whole ecosystem," says Jamie Watts, ship leader and marine life enthusiast.
Ecosystem —
"The almost complete melt-away of the multi-year ice in recent summers has really knocked the core productivity of the whole ecosystem," says Jamie Watts, ship leader and marine life enthusiast.
Anisha Shah