Foghorn Incident in Svalbard Leads to Fine for Disturbing Polar Bear

On August 13, 2026, a person in Norway’s Svalbard archipelago faced a fine of $5,255 for using a foghorn to awaken a sleeping polar bear. This took place when a vessel sailed in a fjord in northeastern Svalbard, around 620 miles from the North Pole.

The governor of the territory reported that the vessel occupants spotted the resting polar bear on land. A person onboard then used the foghorn, waking the animal, prompting it to move to a different area. Subsequently, the governor’s office imposed a fine, which the individual agreed to pay. The identity and nationality of the person have not been disclosed.

“It is forbidden to needlessly disturb, attract or pursue a polar bear,” stated local regulations. Polar bears were designated a protected species in Svalbard in 1972.

A male polar bear was recently seen walking on sea ice near glaciers in eastern Spitsbergen, part of Svalbard, on April 9, 2025, captured by Olivier Morin / AFP via Getty Images. The last comprehensive scientific count in 2015 estimated around 260 polar bears in the archipelago.

Polar Bear Population and Climate Impact

Despite climate change and melting ice posing threats to their habitat, scientists reported in January that the polar bear population in Svalbard is thriving and gaining weight.

Jon Aars, a senior scientist at the Norwegian Polar Institute, led a study tracking nearly 800 bears’ weight and size from 1992 to 2019. The study revealed that the bears are in good health, capable of surviving and raising cubs.

“I was quite surprised,” Aars said. “We have lost so much sea ice since I started.”

Scientists have previously expressed concerns over shrinking sea ice, essential for polar bears to hunt seals. Surprisingly, Aars’s findings suggest that the bears may adapt to reduced ice patches, which could improve their hunting efficiency by concentrating prey in smaller areas.