Person Fined After Using Ship Foghorn to Wake Sleeping Polar Bear in Norway

A boat operator in Norway’s Svalbard archipelago was fined 50,000 kroner, equivalent to about $5,255 or €4,559, after using a ship’s foghorn to wake a sleeping polar bear, according to local officials. The incident occurred earlier this month in a fjord in northeastern Svalbard, approximately 1,000 kilometers or 620 miles from the North Pole.

According to a statement issued by the governor of the territory, vessel occupants spotted a polar bear sleeping on land. A person on board then sounded the ship’s foghorn, which startled the animal and caused it to move to another location. Neither the identity nor the nationality of the boat operator has been publicly disclosed by authorities.

The governor’s office ordered the individual to pay the financial penalty, and the person agreed to the payment. Under local regulations in the Arctic territory, it is strictly forbidden to needlessly disturb, attract, or pursue a polar bear.

Strict Protections for Arctic Wildlife

Polar bears were declared a fully protected species in Svalbard in 1972. The archipelago enforces strict rules to safeguard the animals from human interference as tourism and maritime traffic operate in regional waters.

According to scientific estimates from the last comprehensive count carried out in 2015, approximately 260 polar bears live in the archipelago. While climate change and melting sea ice have threatened polar bear habitats across the Arctic in recent years, researchers reported in January that bears in Svalbard are currently thriving and maintaining healthy body conditions.