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Man fined for waking polar bear in Spitsbergen

A man has been fined 50,000 kroner for waking a polar bear in Spitsbergen.

13 August 2026Tagblick Newsdesk

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Archive photo: Man fined for waking polar bear in Spitsbergen — Archive photoPhoto: Bart Claeys · Flickr · BY

A man has been fined in Spitsbergen for unlawfully waking a polar bear. The fine amounts to 50,000 kroner, approximately 4,550 euros. According to existing legislation in Spitsbergen, it is strictly prohibited to unnecessarily disturb, lure, or chase a polar bear.

The situation has been reported by various media outlets, including De Telegraaf and HLN (Het Laatste Nieuws), which emphasize the seriousness of the offense, noting that the welfare of polar bears is important for the local ecology.

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