A polar bear was seen clo­se to Lon­gye­ar­by­en near 5 a.m. on Mon­day (27 May) mor­ning. It was in Advent­da­len, not far from the road and the lower­most hou­ses. The Sys­sel­man­nen (poli­ce) was cal­led, seve­ral shots were fired with a fla­re gun and the heli­c­op­ter went out to sca­re the bear away from Lon­gye­ar­by­en. The bear then wal­ked away along the shore towards Hior­th­hamn, on the other side of Advent­fjord.

The public is remin­ded to take the risk of mee­ting a polar bear serious­ly also near Lon­gye­ar­by­en.

The Sysselmannen’s heli­c­op­ter and the polar bear (lower left) in Advent­da­len.