Bear witness: Whidbey environmental educator captures wild art

Published 1:30 am Friday, October 17, 2025

Though the word “polar bear” may conjure images of a solitary animal on a snowy tundra, a photograph captured by a Freeland resident shows their social nature on a temperate day.

Last month, Laina Stonefelt traveled to Churchill, Manitoba, an incredible opportunity for an environmental educator such as herself. Located on the coast of the massive Hudson Bay, the subarctic region is a popular destination for those hoping to glimpse polar bears.

“I’ve always been drawn to northern landscapes, and the incredible wildlife that lives there in such extreme conditions,” Stonefelt said.

From about 50 feet away on the beach, she noticed a bear and her cubs on the shoreline, moving to the water to cool off on the 70-degree September day. With her 400 millimeter lens, she snapped a photo of the family swimming through the water.

“Experiencing the polar bears in the wild for the first time, it was an absolutely breathtaking moment,” Stonefelt said. “It was a mix of awe and humility and gratitude and something that I’ll never forget. There’s a quiet power in them but also a sense of vulnerability when you understand how deeply their lives are tied to the subarctic.”

Loss of their habitat has been directly impacted by climate change, and there are some who speculate that in the Hudson Bay area, polar bears won’t be there anymore past 2045.

Stonefelt submitted her photo to America’s Favorite Photos, an online competition where the winner is selected by public voting. She got first place in the first and second rounds, ultimately placing 13th in the semifinals that concluded this week.

Whether trekking the Himalayas in Nepal or photographing sea birds on Runde, a small island in Norway, Stonefelt enjoys taking unforgettable, once-in-a-lifetime trips. But at home in the Pacific Northwest, there’s just as much to see.

“There’s lots just right here on Whidbey Island,” she said. “You just have to kind of have curiosity and wonder for any of the wildlife that’s out there and you can just go out your back door and find a caterpillar and start taking pictures of it.”

She started out taking photos of bugs, birds and her own cats, getting more into the hobby over the last decade. Born and raised on Whidbey, Stonefelt is currently the environmental education coordinator for the Langley-based Whidbey Watershed Stewards, which operates the Maxwelton Outdoor Classroom. Stonefelt enjoys teaching the kids about the animals she gets to see.

Apart from polar bears, she also saw beluga whales on her most recent trip. Known as the “canaries of the sea” for their constant whistles and clicks, the sociable cetaceans follow boats around. One even “booped” Stonefelt on the nose.

“That was a moment that just felt very sacred, just being allowed to be close to those animals and witness them and interact with them like that felt like a real gift,” she said.