Tuesday, July 11, 2006

Polar bear chased from airport















A large, male polar bear came a bit too close for comfort at the main airport on Svalbard.
The polar bear found lounging next to the fenced-in airport was chased off with smoke bombs, part of an effort to keep the ever-present polar bears on Svalbard away from human settlements.
The polar bear, probably weighing around 400 kilos, didn't appear aggressive and was initially spotted by a local resident. The bear was lying just outside the airport's fence at the end of the runway Monday afternoon.
The polar bear must have been comfortable where he was, "because it was a bit difficult to get him up on his feet."
The polar bear finally got up and strolled away from the airport and the nearby town of Longyearbyen. It headed for the local fjord, jumped into the chilly waters and swam off.

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