A polar bear sleeping on land in the Arctic was abruptly awakened after someone aboard a nearby vessel deliberately sounded the ship’s horn. The decision ultimately came with a price tag of more than $5,000.
The incident happened in August in Lomfjorden, located in Norway’s Svalbard archipelago. According to the Governor of Svalbard, people aboard the vessel spotted the sleeping bear while traveling through the area.
Someone aboard then used the ship’s horn, waking the animal and causing it to move elsewhere. Other people on the vessel reported what happened to the Governor, according to the agency’s Aug. 13 statement.
The unusual encounter gained wider attention after CBS News reported on the fine the same day. Authorities determined that the person had intentionally disturbed the protected animal and imposed a fine of 50,000 Norwegian kroner, which CBS reported was equal to approximately $5,255.
Breaking The Bear’s Slumber Meant Breaking The Law
The statement from the Governor’s office explains that the governor believes the action was done deliberately and resulted in disturbing the polar bear. This, the government statement explains, was in violation of the Svalbard Environmental Act, Section 30 a, first paragraph.
As of the office’s Aug. 13 statement by Governor Lars Fause, the fine has been paid.
Under Svalbard’s laws, people are prohibited from unnecessarily disturbing, attracting, or following polar bears. Norway’s Ministry of Climate and Environment explains that the protections are intended to allow bears to search for food, hunt, rest, and care for their young without unnecessary interference from people.
Officials did not say how close the vessel was to the sleeping bear in this case. However, current regulations also require people to remain at least 300 meters (approximately 984 feet) away from polar bears. It is not specified how close this vessel was to the polar bear when the foghorn was blown.
Svalbard Has Had Similar Incidents In The Past
Outlining rules concerning how to conduct oneself around polar bears was not an arbitrary decision. Two guides were fined 20,000 kroner back in 2024.
An official statement says that the guides had approached a polar bear and her cub while the animals had been feeding on a whale carcass.
The Norwegian Polar Institute advises people traveling by small boat to watch for bears from a distance and alter their course rather than approach them. The agency notes that binoculars can allow visitors to observe the animals without disturbing them.