Favoritos de akilee

Congregations of kittiwakes and fulmars (spotted from afar) were the giveaway.

This one is NA-8542. Prior to this record, it was last seen in 1993 in Greenland (see more at: https://happywhale.com/individual/10804;enc=479619;event=753193)

Feeding on a whale carcass / There is another one resting in a depression behind (maybe at 20 meters distance) / Pink-footed geese and glaucous gulls in the vicinity / Scale 4 bear (maybe 6 yo) according to Federico. The other bear is recorded at https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/232480992

JC Log: 18/07/2024 80.0918 31.4413 Kvitøya Polar Bear 2(males) 0 0 0 4(condition) 0 (select years) 0 alive 2 land

We landed on Storøya, an island in the Svalbard archipelago east of Nordaustlandet, separated from Nordaustlandet by the Storøysundet strait. Our plan was to hike about 3 kilometers around the tip to catch a glimpse of male walruses resting on shore.

Our hike was cut short about a third of the way (about 700 meters). Kirby spotted a white shape moving quickly in the distance. A young, lean, and hungry four-year-old polar bear was walking briskly along the shoreline. Federico, who was scouting 500 meters ahead, saw him too. Julien communicated to the group that we had to retreat as a pack and return to the Zodiac in an orderly fashion—no stopping, no turning back. When we were 100 meters from the Zodiac, we were asked to speed up and board immediately. We all followed orders and were back on board in no time.

We then rode our boat toward the tip of the island, and there he was, assessing two giant walruses. The bear walked along the shore, perhaps hoping to catch a tern, but the birds were mobbing him for being too close to their nests. He stopped at the edge of the water and looked at us intently, sniffing the air from afar and watching us some more, clearly seeing us as an opportunity. This bear is very hungry and desperate. I so hope he will make it through the summer, the toughest time for a young polar bear to survive.

JC Log: 18/07/2024 80.1361 27.9882 Storøya Polar Bear 0 0 0 1(subadult) 2(condition) 0 NA 0 alive 1 land

We made our last landing of the voyage at Alkehornet. It was another wonderful day, this time exploring Svalbard's flora, funga, and the wildlife in a lush area compared to the rough landscapes up north and east that we had visited so far. A herd of Svalbard reindeer welcomed us, along with two young adult Arctic foxes. We had the chance to observe their playful interaction for quite a while. One fox ventured up the mountainside, perhaps heading toward the kittiwake colony for lunch, while the other stayed behind, pouncing on various things, possibly honing its pouncing skills in preparation for winter. We remained still and observed quietly, so much so that the fox approached Julien quite closely. It was a real treat to be in the presence of such wonderful beings.