Father dies protecting children from polar bear

A father was hailed a hero after he died protecting his children from a polar bear.

Polar Bear on Ice Yukon. Source: AAP

A man was killed by a polar bear at a popular hunting and fishing spot in Nunavut, the northernmost territory in Canada, while protecting his children.

Aaron Gibbons, 31, encountered the polar bear on Sentry Island and put himself between the bear and his children.

Mr Gibbons died at the scene, before another adult shot and killed the bear, according to RCMP.

The incident has shocked Arviat, a small community of 2,500 people, in Nunavut's west.

Canada Beach of Churchill Polar Bear information sign. Source: AAP

"Aaron died a hero, he protected his children," Gibbons' cousin, Eric Anoee, told CBC News.

"It's [the] right word to say right now."

There hasn't been a polar bear related death in Nunavut for 18 years, but elders from the area told the media polar bears have been visiting the community and have become less afraid of humans in recent years.

As a result, in 2010 the WWF helped launch a bear patrol program to monitor the community's perimeter and streets during the winter months.

The patrol program allows trained participants to relocate a polar bear if it encroaches on a community.

WWF said this has helped decrease the number of bears killed by humans.