"It Was a Terrifying Moment"... Polar Bear Turns Aggressive at Gunshot Sound

Flare Gun Shots Aggravate the Bear
Local Tourism Board: "Always Accompany an Armed Guide"

A man was captured on camera narrowly escaping with his life after being attacked by a polar bear that had wandered into a residential area in Norway.

Recently, U.S. outlets such as the New York Post and Fox News reported on a harrowing incident that occurred on April 27 in Norway's Svalbard archipelago, where a man barely avoided a polar bear attack.

A man narrowly escapes death after barely evading a polar bear chasing him in Norway. X (formerly Twitter)

The man attempted to scare off the polar bear by firing warning shots, but his attempt to drive the bear away only made the situation worse. Startled by the gunshots, the bear charged directly at him. He abandoned his gun and sprinted to a nearby dog sled, barely managing to evade the bear and escape the crisis by fleeing quickly.

The footage was captured by Rebecca Baek, who was staying at a nearby hotel. Baek recalled, "The man appeared to be a hotel employee and tried to drive the bear away with a flare gun, but instead provoked it," adding, "It was truly a terrifying moment."

After escaping on the dog sled, the man took refuge in a pickup truck, while the bear hid beneath the hotel and lingered there for some time. The bear only calmed down after eating snacks left on top of the dog sled. Hotel staff tried to drive the bear away using car horns, but these efforts were largely ineffective.

A man narrowly escapes death after barely evading a polar bear chasing him in Norway. X (formerly Twitter)

Rebecca remarked, "The hotel staff effectively managed the situation, ensuring that about 100 tourists were able to safely take shelter indoors."

The local tourism board describes the polar bear as "the king of the Arctic and one of the largest land carnivores in the world," urging visitors to exercise extreme caution. Approximately 3,000 polar bears inhabit the region, a number greater than the human population.

The tourism board warns that polar bears can attack quickly and without warning, emphasizing that anyone leaving settlements must be accompanied by a local guide armed with a firearm. Adult polar bears typically weigh between 200 kg and up to 800 kg, and even cubs weighing less than 100 kg can be highly aggressive.