Polar Bear in Iceland (2 Viewers)

[Paul Penzance]

A sad story from Icelandic Birding. Both from 2008 were also shot. So they have more than global warming to contend with.

A Polar Bear was located at Þistilfjörður, NE Iceland yesterday and killed because of safety measures. Polar Bears are extremely rare vagrants in Iceland with only two recorded in the last 20 years (both in 2008)!

 

[snowcap]

Hi, I find it difficult to believe that these Polar Bears cannot be tranquilised and relocated elsewhere...given that north-east Iceland has a very small human population, the phrase "safety measures" doesn`t quite wash...I wonder if it was killed by a certified official or a hunter out for a kill-thrill?

 

[ChrisKten]

Hi, I find it difficult to believe that these Polar Bears cannot be tranquilised and relocated elsewhere...given that north-east Iceland has a very small human population, the phrase "safety measures" doesn`t quite wash...I wonder if it was killed by a certified official or a hunter out for a kill-thrill?

Hopefully the OP won't mind:

http://www.icenews.is/index.php/2010/01/27/polar-bear-shot-in-iceland/

 

[Mike Richardson]

It’s very sad, but I can’t help wondering what would happen if a Polar Bear turned up on Blackpool Beach. I’m pretty sure the animal would be shot by the local armed response way before any talk of tranquilisers and relocation.

In fact, I’m sure there was a story on the news the other night about a hand reared deer escaping from a garden somewhere or other. The police shot it dead claiming it was a danger to traffic!

Edit: Story here

 

[Stephen Dunstan]

I watch off Blackpool Prom most days and a small part of my day job includes planning for remote emergencies. I can't say I had thought what we would do if a Polar Bear turned up!

Stephen.

 

[thenorthernmonkey]

the excuse blaming the abundance in Eastern Greenland is an intresting one.

I'm either being stupid or i just cant see the relevance in that one

 

[Edward]

Hi, I find it difficult to believe that these Polar Bears cannot be tranquilised and relocated elsewhere...given that north-east Iceland has a very small human population, the phrase "safety measures" doesn`t quite wash...I wonder if it was killed by a certified official or a hunter out for a kill-thrill?

It was shot by the local farmer with permission from the Environment Ministry, whether he was thrilled at the kill I don't know, but I was there when one of them was shot in 2008 and people weren't whooping with delight but feeling pretty sombre. Tranquilising it and transporting it back to Greenland isn't quite as easy as it sounds. The realistic options are let to it wander around until it starves to death (Polar Bears can't hunt in Iceland) or finish it off humanely.

 

[Edward]

the excuse blaming the abundance in Eastern Greenland is an intresting one.

I'm either being stupid or i just cant see the relevance in that one

The article isn't "blaming" the abundance of bears in Eastern Greenland, I think it got lost in translation. What it implies is that there is a healthy Polar Bear population in Eastern Greenland (the Inuit have a quota of 70 or so a year inthat area) so shooting one in Iceland isn't going to have any effect on the Greenlandic Polar Bear population.

 

[Ditch]

The realistic options are let to it wander around until it starves to death (Polar Bears can't hunt in Iceland) or finish it off humanely.

Thanks, Edward. Nice to have an informed perspective, 'from the horses mouth', as it were.

Shame the poor thing managed to 'get lost'. But, there we are.

 

[Woodchatshrike]

It was a shame. One turned up just before I was in Iceland and then another just after I left. I would have loved to have seen one.

 

[James Blake]

It was shot by the local farmer with permission from the Environment Ministry, whether he was thrilled at the kill I don't know, but I was there when one of them was shot in 2008 and people weren't whooping with delight but feeling pretty sombre. Tranquilising it and transporting it back to Greenland isn't quite as easy as it sounds. The realistic options are let to it wander around until it starves to death (Polar Bears can't hunt in Iceland) or finish it off humanely.

Hi Edward

Yes, thanks for an informed perspective.

Three Polar Bears in 2 years could be a statistical blip, but if there's any chance it could be the start of a trend then I think there's a good case for the Icelandic govermnent - perhaps supported and financially backed by the international conservation community - making contingency plans for repatriating any further animals.

Such repatriations would inevitably be the focus of huge international public interest, producing opportunities to publicise the threats posed to the arctic and its wildlife by climate change and other causes.

cheers
James

 

[Farnboro John]

Hi Edward

Yes, thanks for an informed perspective.

Three Polar Bears in 2 years could be a statistical blip, but if there's any chance it could be the start of a trend then I think there's a good case for the Icelandic govermnent - perhaps supported and financially backed by the international conservation community - making contingency plans for repatriating any further animals.

Such repatriations would inevitably be the focus of huge international public interest, producing opportunities to publicise the threats posed to the arctic and its wildlife by climate change and other causes.

cheers
James

Might also improve the image of a government that not only lost everyone's money but also countenances whaling!

John

 

[dantheman]

Think of the tourism opportunities to be missed too (plus the revenue that could generate)... Edward says they can't hunt in Iceland, but is there not some way they could be kept within an area and supplemantarily fed in a manner which won't make them a nuisance in Greenland when they get repatriated, say 6 months down the line??

 

[Edward]

Hi Edward

Yes, thanks for an informed perspective.

Three Polar Bears in 2 years could be a statistical blip, but if there's any chance it could be the start of a trend then I think there's a good case for the Icelandic govermnent - perhaps supported and financially backed by the international conservation community - making contingency plans for repatriating any further animals.

Such repatriations would inevitably be the focus of huge international public interest, producing opportunities to publicise the threats posed to the arctic and its wildlife by climate change and other causes.

cheers
James

Hi James

The question of what to do with Polar Bears in Iceland has been discussed frequently here, with repatriation as one of the options. True, it would be a great publicity stunt (let's face it, it's not a conservation issue - hundreds of Polar Bears are shot legally every year across the Arctic, mainly in Canada - so the odd animal in Iceland is fairly insignificant). But it is easier to raise awareness with the help of an iconic animal like a Polar Bear (there was certainly no clamour to repatriate the vulnerable Cerulean Warbler when that showed up in 1997!).

So how do you repatriate a Polar Bear? I'm not sure, but I bet it's not as easy as it looks on Animal Planet. You'd need a team of people who know what they are doing to be ready to mobilise at short notice as you ideally don't want to leave a Polar Bear wandering around on its own for too long - Iceland might be the most sparsely populated country in Europe but it's very crowded compared with East Greenland.

I doubt tranquilising one is straightforward as you'd have to ensure it's reasonably far from water so it doesn't make a break for the safety of the sea or a lake and drown, a not unlikely scenario seeing as most records are coastal. If you do successfully knock it out, then what next? Polar Bears that reach Iceland have usually been swimming a long way and are often in bad shape. Is there anybody in Iceland qualified to nurse a starving and injured (they often have badly damaged front paws from swimming) bear back to health while it awaits repatriation? I sincerely doubt it.

But with money some of these problems could probably be surmounted and it might be possible to raise this money internationally - Iceland certainly doesn't have cash for this kind of thing. But as it is of zero conservation value, wouldn't such resources be better put into reclaiming wetlands, preserving moorlands and ensuring that no more mudflats disappear to land reclaimation schemes? Iceland is important for its vast wader and wildfowl populations, the odd Polar Bear is really neither here nor there.

When the bears turned up in 2008, one of the world's leading Polar Bear biologists was asked his opinion on a rescue. His answer was that any rescue attempt would be a ridiculous waste of money. Sadly, I'm inclined to agree.

E

 

[lalows2]

If one turned up on Blackpool beach I'd TICK and RUN...what thought bring it on...or would it be an escape, a feral...do I tick or not...still gonna run though!!!
On a more serious note repatriation would probably be doomed to failure as the animal would be in such poor condition that any stress let alone tranquilisation would probably send over the edge. Still can't believe big hard Alaskans and Canadians have to 'prove' themselves by shooting them, do they eat them like Black bears in the lower states? But then there's a lot more Black Bears...

Thanks for listening/reading

D

 

[deborah4]

On a more serious note repatriation would probably be doomed to failure as the animal would be in such poor condition that any stress let alone tranquilisation would probably send over the edge. Still can't believe big hard Alaskans and Canadians have to 'prove' themselves by shooting them
D

Actually, some of them move them too!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MgpYHwOV88Y&feature=SeriesPlayList&p=1C98AC413A98B0E0

 

[James Blake]

Hi James

The question of what to do with Polar Bears in Iceland has been discussed frequently here, with repatriation as one of the options. True, it would be a great publicity stunt (let's face it, it's not a conservation issue - hundreds of Polar Bears are shot legally every year across the Arctic, mainly in Canada - so the odd animal in Iceland is fairly insignificant). But it is easier to raise awareness with the help of an iconic animal like a Polar Bear (there was certainly no clamour to repatriate the vulnerable Cerulean Warbler when that showed up in 1997!).

So how do you repatriate a Polar Bear? I'm not sure, but I bet it's not as easy as it looks on Animal Planet. You'd need a team of people who know what they are doing to be ready to mobilise at short notice as you ideally don't want to leave a Polar Bear wandering around on its own for too long - Iceland might be the most sparsely populated country in Europe but it's very crowded compared with East Greenland.

I doubt tranquilising one is straightforward as you'd have to ensure it's reasonably far from water so it doesn't make a break for the safety of the sea or a lake and drown, a not unlikely scenario seeing as most records are coastal. If you do successfully knock it out, then what next? Polar Bears that reach Iceland have usually been swimming a long way and are often in bad shape. Is there anybody in Iceland qualified to nurse a starving and injured (they often have badly damaged front paws from swimming) bear back to health while it awaits repatriation? I sincerely doubt it.

But with money some of these problems could probably be surmounted and it might be possible to raise this money internationally - Iceland certainly doesn't have cash for this kind of thing. But as it is of zero conservation value, wouldn't such resources be better put into reclaiming wetlands, preserving moorlands and ensuring that no more mudflats disappear to land reclaimation schemes? Iceland is important for its vast wader and wildfowl populations, the odd Polar Bear is really neither here nor there.

When the bears turned up in 2008, one of the world's leading Polar Bear biologists was asked his opinion on a rescue. His answer was that any rescue attempt would be a ridiculous waste of money. Sadly, I'm inclined to agree.

E

Hi again Edward

You make many good points.

My point was not that saving the life of one bear would do anything directly for the conservation of the species, but that the undoubted international interest in such a story would create a remarkable opportunity to publicise the threat these bears face from, e.g., climate change.

cheers!
James

 

[lashinala]

Edward,
Does Iceland keep historic records of the number of polar bears that have arrived in the past? Obviously, some weren't shot in the past as they ended up starving to death on the island, so carcusses were found (I'm guessing). I'm curious about the dispersal rates and how one could apply MacArthur and Wilson's island biogeography ideas to this issue. Any uninhabited surrounding islands have evidence of past polar bears? Etc. Any info would help...google doesn't have much.

 

[Edward]

Hi again Edward

You make many good points.

My point was not that saving the life of one bear would do anything directly for the conservation of the species, but that the undoubted international interest in such a story would create a remarkable opportunity to publicise the threat these bears face from, e.g., climate change.

cheers!
James

Hi James

I certainly take your point and I think that at some stage it might be attempted again; as you say it would be good publicity, but it might only be practical in a few instances. It's just a pity that news stories like this always provoke knee-jerk condemnation.
Perhaps the Icelandic government should buy one bear from the East Greenland quota (it was 50 this year, not 70 as I said above) from the Greenlandic government. Not sure if the Greenlanders would be willing to give one up though.

E

 

[Edward]

Edward,
Does Iceland keep historic records of the number of polar bears that have arrived in the past? Obviously, some weren't shot in the past as they ended up starving to death on the island, so carcusses were found (I'm guessing). I'm curious about the dispersal rates and how one could apply MacArthur and Wilson's island biogeography ideas to this issue. Any uninhabited surrounding islands have evidence of past polar bears? Etc. Any info would help...google doesn't have much.

Yes, there are records of the number of bears recorded in historical times in Iceland - at least 500 since the year 890 (plus earlier remains).
As for uninhabited surrounding islands, then there aren't any really. Jan Mayen, 600 km to the north-east, is the closest thing and is uninhabited (except for the weather station) and Polar Bears are occasional visitors there but not resident.