Develop standardized polar bear attack response protocols
Summary of the Action:
This action will create a template that can serve as a basis for any entity throughout the Range States that wishes to develop a site-, area-, or community-specific polar bear attack response plan.
Action Leads:
Karen Lone (Norwegian Environment Agency,
Lindsey Mangipane (U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service,
Participants:
Sub-group members:
Lindsey Mangipane, U.S.
Craig Perham, U.S.
Olga Krever, Russian Federation
Duration of action:
Twelve months, flexible timing for start-up if needed (suggested start-up and timeline is noted below).
Deliverables (output):
- A template that identifies the primary elements necessary to safely and effectively respond to incidents involving human injury/mortality caused by polar bears. This template can then be customized to create site-, area-, or community-specific plans within each Range State or jurisdiction.
Impact (outcome):
Developing this guidance has been identified as a need in several jurisdictions; having a template that provides guidance on what key elements should be included in all attack response will help ensure that response is conducted in a consistent manner (to the extent feasible) throughout the Range States. This will both increase Range States’ readiness, as well as allow for data sharing about incidents, which in turn, will increase our mutual understanding about the factors that lead to polar bear attacks on humans and how to prevent them in the future.
Dissemination:
The final product will be disseminated to all CWG members to share with their stakeholders, and will be posted on the Range States web site.
