Man fined Rs 4 lakh for ‘waking up’ polar bear near North Pole

A ship operator was fined 50,000 Norwegian kroner (Rs 4.5 lakh) for waking up a polar bear with the ship’s horn near the North Pole earlier this month.

While passing through a sea inlet off the coast of Svalbard, the tourist onboard the ship spotted the polar bear resting. As they wanted to see the animal move, the operator deliberately sounded the horn. The loud noise startled the bear as it woke up and fled the shore.

After being informed of the incident, Lars Fause, the Governor of Svalbard, took legal action against the ship operator. According to a report by the British Broadcasting Corporation, Fause said, “Its occupants are said to have spotted a polar bear sleeping on land. A person on board then used the ship’s foghorn, waking the animal, which moved to another location.”

According to the Svalbard Environmental Protection Act, it is strictly illegal to needlessly disturb, pursue, or attract polar bears. The governor did not reveal the name of the offender.