Posted on June, 09 2004

The mother polar bear and cubs stranded on Bear Island by receding sea ice in May are doing fine.

Scientists working on Bear Island, which is half way between northern Norway and the Svalbard archipelago, report that the bears are living on birds and birds' eggs. The mother came out of her winter den too late to leave the small island via the sea ice which surrounded it during the winter. Due to warming temperatures, the sea ice had melted northward.

Stefan Norris, WWF Arctic Programme's Head of Conservation, said: "So far it looks like the theory that it's best to leave the bears where they are was the right one. Any attempt to move them would have put their lives at risk."
For further information: 
Julian Woolford
Communications Manager, WWF Arctic Programme
Tel: +47 93 00 64 47
E-mail: jwoolford@wwf.no