Boat operator fined Rs 5 Lakh for waking sleeping polar bear with foghorn in Norway
A boat operator in Norway has been fined 50,000 Norwegian kroner (around Rs 4.5-5 lakh) for deliberately waking a sleeping polar bear with a vessel's foghorn, the BBC reported.
The incident took place earlier this month off the coast of Svalbard, a remote Norwegian archipelago located about 620 miles from the North Pole.
According to local authorities, people aboard the vessel spotted a polar bear resting on the shore while sailing through a fjord.
One person then deliberately sounded the ship's loud foghorn, apparently to make the animal move.
The sudden blast startled the bear, which woke up and fled to another location.
Svalbard governor takes action
The incident was reported to local authorities, following which Svalbard Governor Lars Fause initiated legal action.
In a statement, Fause said the occupants of the vessel had spotted the bear sleeping on land before someone used the foghorn, causing the animal to wake up and move away, BBC reported.
The offender accepted the violation and agreed to pay the fine. Authorities did not disclose the person's name or nationality.
Polar bears protected under law
Under the Svalbard Environmental Protection Act, it is illegal to needlessly disturb, pursue or attract polar bears.
Visitors and expedition crews are required to maintain a safe distance from wildlife and avoid actions that could cause stress or alter animals' natural behaviour.
Polar bears have been a protected species in Svalbard since 1972, and authorities have repeatedly warned tourists against interfering with them.
Not the first wildlife fine
The latest incident is not the first time a tourist has been penalised for disturbing wildlife in the Arctic region.
In 2024, a tourist was fined 11,500 Norwegian kroner (around £900) after getting too close to a walrus.
Officials have once again urged tourists and expedition operators to observe wildlife from a safe distance and allow animals to behave naturally in their habitat.
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