The Google Maps Street View team traveled to the Canadian Arctic to capture images of polar bears, offering the rest of the world the chance to see where they live, Live Science reported.
The first images from their expedition were released on Thursday, which is International Polar Bear Day.
The team first ventured out in October 2013 to shoot panorama images of the bears on a remote Canadian tundra in Churchill, Manitoba. During the 10 day trip the team took photographs of polar bear cubs, bears lounging in the snow and play fighting, Live Science reported.
"The Street View project lets viewers explore the tundra and see the polar bear migration, no matter where they live," Krista Wright, executive director of the conservation nonprofit Polar Bears International, told Live Science.
The team drove around in an all-terrain vehicle called the "tundra buggy" that was mounted with a 360-degree camera, CNET reported. Polar bears gathered around to inspect the vehicle, which was specially designed to travel on the frozen land.
"The bears tend to be curious- there are some times when they come up to the truck," Wright told Live Science. One bear stood up on its hind legs while leaning against the buggy.
"We call it 'buggy love,' " Wright said.
Project leader Karin Tuxen-Bettman told Live Science that following the bears was a thrilling experience.
"When you're outside looking at a polar bear, for me, personally, I felt so much excitement, but I also felt a little scared. They're huge, but also very fragile. I kind of wanted to hug them."
Polar Bears International hope the images will help them understand how changes in the climate will affect the area in the future, CNET reported. Polar bears are in danger of losing their natural habitat because of melting sea ice in the Arctic.
See more polar bear pictures from the Google Maps team here.
