POLAR BEARS
Check this off your bucketlist!
The polar bear is a prolific hunter, with an expansive home range. In the community of Longyearbyen, one is required to carry a high powered firearm when leaving the settlement. Polar bears can be curious, and need to be viewed from a safe distance!
The odds of spotting this most iconic resident are good, thanks to the large
number that live in the region. As polar bears spend much of their time hunting seal on sea ice, they are often seen from the water, travelling on the sea ice in search of prey. The largest land carnivore in the world, the male polar bear can stand 6.25–7.75 feet tall (1.9–2.36 meters) and weigh as much as 1,433 lbs (650 kilos). The female is slightly smaller, weighing in at around 330–660 lbs, or 150–300 kilos.
Did you know? There are more polar bears than humans living in Svalbard.
SPITSBERGEN DESTINATION GUIDE | 7
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