Regular reports from researchers at the Norwegian Polar Institute.
Svalbard polar bear movements October and November 2009
Norwegian Polar Institute polar bear biologist Magnus Andersen reports on the 2009 fall polar bear field season from the islands of Svalbard.
Svalbard polar bear field report: Fall 2009
Norwegian Polar Institute polar bear biologist Magnus Andersen reports on the 2009 spring polar bear field season from the islands of Svalbard.
Svalbard polar bear field report: Spring 2009
Norwegian Polar Institute polar bear biologist Jon Aars reports on the 2009 spring polar bear field season from the islands of Svalbard.
Svalbard polar bear movements for March and April 2009
In March and April 2009 an expedition led by the Norwegian Polar Institute (NPI) studied polar bears in the Svalbard area. This work takes place every year as a monitoring program to look at health, survival and reproduction.
Svalbard polar bear movements for April 2008
In April 2008 an expedition led by the Norwegian Polar Institute (NPI) studied polar bears in the Svalbard area. This work takes place every year as a monitoring program to look at health, survival and reproduction.
Svalbard polar bear field report: spring 2008
Norwegian Polar Institute polar bear biologist Jon Aars reports on the 2008 polar bear field season from the islands of Svalbard.
Svalbard polar bear movements for March 2008
While we have stopped receiving data from Amala's collar, we are still collecting data from Flo, Bouba le Blanc and Frøya. We hope to be able to find Amala again and remove her collar for repairs.
Svalbard polar bear movements during December 2007 and January 2008
While some of our other collars are not transmitting as expected, we are receiving good data from Bouba Le Blanc (N23831). Late in the fall, we were quite certain that this female had entered a den after a long trip back from the drifting sea ice in the Polar Ocean north of Svalbard. For a long time almost no movement was registered. Then suddenly the bear started to move about in the fjord for some time, and we did not know what to think. Had she not entered a den after all?
Svalbard polar bear movements in fall 2007
Polar bear N23831 has continued to show particularly interesting behaviour. Her movements out over the sea ice pack since spring clearly demonstrates the strong dependence that polar bears have on the sea ice for the survival. If the sea ice continues to decline in this region it will not be long before bears are stranded from their denning areas or can no longer access the sea ice for their hunting.
Svalbard polar bear movements, September 2007
We have seen some interesting activity from the polar bears in Svalbard over the past several months. N23831 continues to be a very busy bear and has covered a lot of distance since we started following her. Although some of the other bears have not covered such a great distance, we have followed their behaviour with interest. Polar bear N23731 was spotted with her cubs during a recent field trip and we expect N23881 to enter the maternity den for the first time this winter.