Polar bear roaming near Longyearbyen

Posted on 1. September 2014 by Rolf Stange

A polar bear has been observed roaming around near Longyearbyen for more than a week. Since 21st August, the bear has been seen in Hiorthhamn, on the north side of Adventfjord, a few kilometres away from Longyearbyen, where more than 2000 people live.

There is a number of weekend huts in Hiorthhamn, and some of them have suffered damage by the polar bear, which is always looking for food, besides generally being a curious animal anyway. It has since been seen in side valleys (Mälardalen, Hanaskogdalen), and most recently in Adventdalen near Janssonhaugen, where it seems to have found a dead reindeer, securing food for some days. It is, however, not 100 percent certain that it is really one and the same polar bar.

There is significant traffic in all these areas: tourists are on tour there, and so are students and locals in their free time. Additionally, it is reindeer hunting season.

Everybody moving around on his own is reminded that potentially aggressive polar bears have to be expected anywhere and at any time outside the populated settlements. A suitable, heavy calibre weapon is necessary for tours even close to Longyearbyen. Additionally, a deterrent such as a signal pistol with special noise-making ammunition to scare polar bears away does not only make a lot of sense, to solve dangerous situations without doing harm to a bear, but it is also legally binding now to have a deterrent. Pepper spray is, however, not recommended by the authorities in Spitsbergen, although it can make an important contribution if used, for example, from the relative safety of a hut to get rid of a very curious or even aggressive bear without doing harm to it. It must, however, not be relied on as the only means of “safety”.

The polar bear near Longyearbyen has, so far, not been aggressive. Generally speaking, polar bears are usually not aggressive towards man, but there are exceptions to the role, such as a very hungry bear. Also in Pyramiden, a Russian settlement largely deserted since 1998, polar bears have been seen several times during the summer, also in central parts.

This polar bear has been roaming for more than a week near Longyearbyen. Here at a weekend hut in Hiorthhamn on the other side of the fjord.

Source: Svalbardposten

Do you agree that spitsbergen-svalbard.com is a great resource for any arctic enthusiast?

Everything is available for free, no paywall, no registration, no paid advertising, and all this in spite of constant costs and effort. Please help us to keep it that way, without paywall and paid ads, and support us through Steady!