Svalbard Boat Captain Fined After Waking Sleeping Polar Bear With Ship Horn (2 Photos)
They say you should let sleeping dogs lie. But a hired tour boat captain taking visitors through Lomfjorden in the Arctic's Hinlopen Strait clearly missed the memo. 
Spotting a polar bear peacefully napping on the shore, the skipper decided to give his passengers a show and blasted the ship's horn. Jarred by the sudden blast, the stunned bear leapt up and sprinted off into the tundra. The captain might have thought he was delivering top-notch entertainment, but his fun was short-lived.
Karma caught up with him quickly. Far from impressed, the tourists on board pulled out their phones and filed an official complaint with the archipelago's governor.
Svalbard authorities acted swiftly. Under local environmental protection laws, unnecessarily disturbing, chasing, or luring polar bears is strictly prohibited—and has been since the species gained protected status in 1972.
Governor Lars Fause personally reviewed the case, ruled the captain's actions a deliberate disturbance, and handed down a fine of 50,000 Norwegian kroner (around $5,300 USD). The tour guide didn't argue and promptly paid up.
At first glance, waking a bear might seem like no big deal—after all, it can just find another spot to sleep. But in the harsh Arctic, the rules of survival are unforgiving.
During the summer, melting sea ice leaves many polar bears fasting, making every step a drain on precious energy reserves. Forcing a pregnant or nursing female to flee burns vital calories, which can ultimately cause her cubs to starve. 
In Svalbard, approaching polar bears closer than 300 meters is strictly illegal—a distance extended to 500 meters during the spring. Local police don't mess around, either: a few years ago, a tourist was hit with a hefty fine just for creeping up on a resting walrus to snap a selfie.
