Polar bear on a sperm whale carcas. We heard the news that a sperm whale carcass had been trapped in the pack ice north of Svalbard. We spent a long time searching for the carcass and this was made difficult by persistent fog. Finally the fog lifted and in the distance we could see the carcass and that there was a polar bear on it. The male bear spent time licking what we presumed was whale fat off the sea surface. Finally the bear left the carcass giving us a couple of nice jumps on the way. This polar bear on a sperm whale carcass had a source of food which could last for many months. However, the bears that had been on the carcass had not been particularly successful in opening it up. This icon of the arctic is at one with its environment. The pack ice, its various shapes and the fulmars makes for a magical scene. A great encounter in the silence of the arctic!
Filming this was a challenge. Our ship was drifting in the current and there was a significant swell. This made for a rather unstable platform for filming. This was exacerbated by the distance between the ship and the bear.
Watch all my wildlife films in ultrahigh definition on my website: wildlifeaction.co.uk. Alternatively, watch them on my YouTube channel: @WildlifeActionbyGrahamBoulnois.
Key words: Arctic, Svalbard, Norway, expedition, voyage, pack ice, ice, floe, sea, swell, wildlife, nature, animals,
Polar Bear, Ice bear, bear, male, sperm whale, carcass, feeding, fulmar, sea birds, bird, birds, birding, birdwatching