The competition between the fur traders from the North West and Hudson Bay Companies was keen and sometimes violent. The two companies built several trading posts in the Red River Valley area and helped to establish Southern Manitoba as an important center of the fur trading business in Rupert’s Land.
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Thalarctos maritimus - Polar bears are not white and they do not hibernate. Cubs are white, but adults have a noticeable yellowish tint. Individuals take temporary shelter in ice dens during extreme weather and pregnant females will retire in midwinter to give birth; usually two cubs are born. Polar bears are stealth hunters able to patiently stake out breathing holes for the opportunity to grab an emerging seal. They are able to sustain themselves from fat reserves for extended periods between successful hunts or when sheltering in dens.
