Sounding the Horn at a Sleeping Polar Bear Costs Months of Wages in Huge Fine in Svalbard

Suspected Tourist Fined in Svalbard
Disturbing Rest Also Violates Wildlife Protection Regulations

A person who woke a sleeping polar bear in the Norwegian Svalbard archipelago in the Arctic Ocean has been fined.

Image to aid article understanding. Getty Images

According to the French daily Le Figaro on August 16 (local time), earlier this month, a person aboard a fjord cruise vessel sounded the ship’s horn, waking a sleeping polar bear and was subsequently fined 50,000 Norwegian krone (about 750,000 won).

Authorities explained, “After people on board spotted a sleeping polar bear, one individual blew the ship’s horn and woke the bear. The bear then moved to another location.” The identity and nationality of the person who woke the bear have not been released.

The authorities regarded this as unnecessarily disturbing wildlife and imposed the fine. According to local regulations in Svalbard, it is forbidden to unnecessarily disturb, lure, or track polar bears. Furthermore, actions that interfere with the rest of polar bears are also regulated, as they can impact the animals’ survival. This is because unnecessary movement in the food-scarce Arctic environment can increase the energy expenditure of polar bears. Since 1972, polar bears have been designated as a protected species in Svalbard and have been strictly protected.

AFP Yonhap News Agency

This is not the first time someone has been fined for disturbing wildlife in Svalbard. In 2024, a tourist was fined 11,500 krone (about 1,730,000 won) for approaching a walrus too closely.

Meanwhile, a scientific survey conducted in 2015 found that around 260 polar bears inhabit the Svalbard archipelago, making it one of the main habitats for polar bears.

Globally, polar bears are classified as a vulnerable species due to climate change and the reduction in sea ice. However, the Svalbard polar bear population has generally maintained its condition over the past several decades.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.