CO2 blamed for fatal polar bear attack: More details

Arctic Adventure 2011 Expedition Blog

Sea Ice and Polar Bears!
July 27th, 2011 bsesadmin...
After arriving in Longyearbyen to see our first midnight sun we were all so relived to see our tents set up and waiting. I think we must of all dreamt of Polar bears because the next day was eagerly waiting for the ice flows to break up so we could move on to base camp. There was a P.bear sighting across the fjord about a mile away. Unfortunately a Westerly wind and freak climatic events have led to an unprecedented amount of ice in the fjord meaning we are marooned here for the time being. Despite this everyone was in good spirits because we encountered another P.bear floating on the ice, this time we were lucky enough to borrow an kind Norwegian guides telescope to see it properly. After that experience I can say for sure that everyone dreamt of P.bears that night. The ice flows are still dominating the fjord and our movements.
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The image below is a recent webcam capture showing the Sea Ice currently in Adventfjorden (office)
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Webcam -Sea Ice

26.07.11 Update
July 26th, 2011 bsesadmin No comments

The remaining fires are still stuck in Longyearbyen due to the sea ice.

Polar bear camp was 'perilous' place to put up camp, says wildlife film-maker - mirror.co.uk

A POLAR bear expert who spent months filming the animals on the glacier where the Britons were attacked says he is astonished they camped there.

Award-winning TV producer Phil Dalton, who spent two summers and a hazardous winter in remote Svalbard, said: “Their camp was pitched in a bear ‘hot spot’, one of the animals’ regular stomping grounds and one in which previous incidents had been reported.Locals would definitely say it was unwise to put up tents in such a place.”

Norway polar bear attack: hikers need to be 'armed to the teeth' - Telegraph

Mr Rouse argued that the effects of climate change was driving hungry bears into more populated areas.

He claimed the world's largest land carnivore would always be a danger to humans but that that was no excuse to seek control of its dwindling numbers.

He added: "It is climate change that has driven away the pack ice early, leaving the bears a much longer period in which to survive until it returns.

"As we lose more ice then the chance of encounters with humans is only going to increase as desperate polar bears are forced into human areas in search of food.