Avo­id dis­tur­ban­ce in sen­si­ti­ve tun­dra are­as such as Mid­ter­hu­ken!

The sum­mer­se­a­son has begun in Spits­ber­gen. After a rela­tively ear­ly snow melt, ships have arri­ved to take tou­rists into remo­te are­as, and birds have retur­ned to start their bree­ding sea­son.

The ear­ly sum­mer is a very busy time in the Arc­tic for all kinds of crea­tures, ani­mals and humans ali­ke. Both birdcliffs and the tun­dra are hum­ming with life, thou­sands of geese are now buil­ding up reser­ves after the spring migra­ti­on to get rea­dy for bree­ding, eider ducks and many other birds, tun­dra- and cliff bree­ders, to just about the same.

The Sys­sel­man­nen (gover­nor) reminds ever­y­bo­dy to exer­cise gre­at care when tra­vel­ling in the field. That is important at any time, but espe­ci­al­ly so in the ear­ly sum­mer when many birds are bree­ding. A num­ber of espe­ci­al­ly sen­si­ti­ve sites are pro­tec­ted as bird sanc­tua­ries, but birds are also res­t­ing and nes­t­ing in many other are­as, making them pro­ne to dis­tur­ban­ce during the bree­ding sea­son.

Tun­dra at Mid­ter­hu­ken: should be left alo­ne in the ear­ly sum­mer.

The Sys­sel­man­nen expli­cit­ly asks ever­y­bo­dy to avo­id traf­fic (not to land, that is) at Midterhuken/Gåsbergkilen in Bell­sund. Also other sen­si­ti­ve places should eit­her be avo­ided or visi­ted only with gre­at care to avo­id dis­tur­bing geese, ducks and other birds living and bree­ding in the tun­dra or on cliffs.

Safe and hap­py tra­vels!

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