Polar bears are the world’s largest land carnivores, inhabiting the circumpolar Arctic. While encounters with humans are infrequent, the possibility of an attack is real, and the consequences are severe. Polar bears possess the strength and predatory instincts necessary to inflict fatal injuries. Understanding the rarity of these events, the circumstances that lead to them, and avoidance strategies is important for anyone in the Arctic environment.
Historical Record and Frequency of Attacks
The risk of a fatal encounter with a polar bear is low compared to other wildlife hazards. A comprehensive study analyzing records from 1870 to 2014 documented only 73 confirmed attacks by wild polar bears across the five range states: Canada, Greenland, Norway, Russia, and the United States. These incidents resulted in 20 human fatalities and 63 injuries over a 144-year period.
The geographical concentration of incidents offers a focused look at the risk. Canada accounted for the highest number of attacks (38), followed by Russia (15) and Norway (10) during the studied period. The frequency of attacks has shown a concerning trend: 20% of recorded incidents occurred between 2010 and 2014, a period marked by low summer sea ice extent. Since the year 2000, 88% of attacks have occurred between July and December, aligning with the months when sea ice is at its minimum.
Primary Drivers of Human-Polar Bear Conflict
The majority of polar bear attacks are predatory, driven by hunger rather than territorial or defensive behavior. Analysis of historical attacks indicates that nutritionally stressed adult male polar bears are the most likely threat to human safety. These bears are often in poor body condition and actively seeking food, which can lead them to view humans as potential prey.
A primary factor drawing bears into human communities is the presence of anthropogenic foods and waste. Poorly managed garbage disposal sites and unsecured food storage can lead to bears becoming habituated and food-conditioned, increasing the likelihood of conflict. When a bear receives a food reward from human sources, it is more likely to return, creating a community problem.
A warming Arctic environment is a significant factor in the increasing number of conflicts. Declining sea ice forces polar bears to spend longer periods on land, often near human settlements, while waiting for the ice to return for seal hunting. This prolonged presence on land increases the overlap between the bears’ foraging range and human activity. The scarcity of their primary food source, seals, drives these bears to explore terrestrial food options, bringing them into direct contact with people.
Mitigating Risk and Coexistence Strategies
Reducing the risk of a polar bear encounter relies on proactive community management and individual safety precautions. Effective waste management is a primary strategy, involving the use of bear-resistant containers. Communities must also remove or secure landfills to eliminate the food attractants that draw bears into town limits and discourage habituation.
Community-based monitoring programs, such as “bear patrols,” are effective measures for coexistence. These patrols detect bears approaching communities early and use non-lethal deterrents to safely steer the animals away. Deterrents include noise-making devices, specialized fencing, or flares. The use of deterrents should be practiced, as many past incidents involved victims unable to deploy them effectively due to surprise or stress.
Individual safety protocols emphasize vigilance and preparedness, particularly when traveling across the landscape or establishing temporary field camps. People should avoid traveling alone, make noise to prevent surprise encounters, and never approach a polar bear.
Storing all food, garbage, and scented items in a manner that prevents bear access is mandatory. Carrying a reliable deterrent, such as a firearm or bear spray where legally permitted, is a sensible precaution in bear country. If a bear approaches, the protocol is to stand ground and deploy deterrents, since running can trigger a predatory chase response.