April 2022
Introduction
Human-polar bear interactions are becoming more common and frequent across the Arctic. These interactions are linked to expanding human activity including tourism and exploration in the Arctic, and polar bears spending more time on land due to sea ice loss. There is a continued need to address human-polar bear interactions to ensure public safety and minimize polar bear injury or mortality. Deterrence programs and training protocols can provide site- and situation-specific measures to minimize interactions between humans and polar bears.
The information presented below is the output of the Circumpolar Action Plan - Action HBCIS-2: Make available on the Range States website, Bear deterrent training protocols from the U.S., Canada, and Norway.
Purpose
The goal of this resource is to provide information on polar bear deterrence programs and training protocols currently in use across the polar bear RS. Individuals and organizations seeking to implement polar bear deterrence programs in their area can access this resource for information on programs that address their specific needs. For each program/protocol, a brief summary is provided about the program, its history, the number of people trained, and where to find more information.
List of polar bear deterrence programs and protocols:
Government programs:
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service polar bear deterrent training program
Active in the U.S.
About the program:
The goal of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) deterrence program is to maintain the safety of both humans and polar bears through the application of preventative and non-lethal methods to reduce the number and severity of human-bear interactions. The USFWS provides deterrence training to community-based polar bear patrol programs (see section on community deterrence programs), as well as other groups conducting operations on Alaska’s North Slope, such as industry, military, and researchers. For North Slope operators, two levels of training are offered: 1) Bear Awareness, and 2) Bear Guard/Hazing Specialist.
Its history:
The need for a deterrents program on Alaska’s North Slope was initially identified through instances in which polar bears approached work sites, resulting in interruptions to operations and potential impacts to bears. In the early 1990s there were two polar bear attacks on people that prompted the development of deterrence programs within the Office of Marine Mammals Management. In 2010, training manuals for students and instructors were developed to provide a standardized foundation for deterrence measures to be implemented consistently and effectively across Alaska. The training manuals and programs are continuously evolving as conditions change and more information becomes available.
Number of people trained:
Since 2012, there have been a total of 120 training courses with approximately 1300 participants.
For more information on government or non-government training programs visit: https://www.fws.gov/node/265186
Polar Bear Guard Training Program
Active in Canada
About the program:
The Nunavut Polar Bear Guard Training Program focuses on individuals working at field sites and developed in partnership with Parks Canada, Nunavut Department of Environment, and non-government partners. The role of bear guards is to detect and monitor areas for bear activity and keep others informed about sightings. Guards are provided with the knowledge and training to effectively minimize conflict using non-lethal deterrents as a first measure but are provided with additional training to safely kill a bear when necessary.
Its history:
The Nunavut Polar Bear Guard Program was originally developed for Sirmilik National Park in 2008. The primary focus of this program was bear guarding in and around Sirmilik National Park, but applicable to other Nunavut Field Unit Parks
Number of people trained:
From 2008 to 2021, a total of 36 training courses for the Nunavut Polar Bear Guard Program (some also included black and grizzly bear training) have been held with 234 participants across communities and agencies in Nunavut, as well as Northwest Territories, Ontario, and Manitoba.
Norwegian Polar Institute Polar Bear Safety Training
Active in Norway
About the program:
The Norwegian Polar Institute provides polar bear safety training to researchers, staff, and visitors. The training provides individuals with knowledge to reduce human-polar bear encounters, as well as practical training in non-lethal deterrents as a first measure and firearms as a final measure when necessary.
Number of people trained:
The Norwegian Polar Institute runs approximately 10-15 courses per year.
Bear Patrol – Department of Natural Resources and Ecology, Government of the Chukotka Autonomous District
Active in Russia
About the program:
The main goal of the Bear Patrol program is to ensure the safety of local residents in the villages by deterring polar bears using non-lethal methods. Bear patrols carry out educational work among the communities on protecting polar bears and managing landfills with food waste near residential and industrial premises. Landfills can attract polar bears to settlements and thereby create conflict situations that are dangerous for both humans and polar bears.
Its history:
The involvement of local and Indigenous people in solving issues of preventing conflict between humans and polar bears in coastal settlements has been practiced and effective in for more than 17 years in Chukotka region (the village of Vankarem). The Bear Patrol program was implemented in Chukotka with the support of the Government of the Chukotka Autonomous Region and World Wildlife Fund (WWF) – Russia. Similar programs are being implemented in the Nenets Autonomous District and in Yakutia. In cooperation with WWF – Russia, a video course was been developed to train public environmental inspectors of Chukotka on measures to reduce interactions between humans and polar bears.
Number of people trained:
Eighty individuals have been trained as public environmental inspectors on a voluntary basis.
For more information contact: Egor Vereshchagin, Head Wildlife Conservation Official, The Government of Chukotka Autonomous District,
Academic institution programs:
The University Centre in Svalbard (UNIS) Polar Bear Field Safety Training Programs
Active in Norway
About the program:
Polar bear safety training at the University Centre in Svalbard (UNIS) is mandatory for all students, staff, and visiting researchers. The purpose of the course is to provide trainees with knowledge and skills to avoid human-polar bear interactions while working in the field. UNIS offers a one-day course on polar bear safety separated into three parts: 1) theoretical information on polar bears (e.g., biology and behaviour) and preventative measures, 2) scenario-based examples, and 3) practical training with non-lethal deterrents and firearms. Use of deterrent and firearms requires re-training every 6 months.
Its history:
The polar bear safety training was first developed in 1994 and has evolved over time. There are approximately 10 to 15 annual reports of human-bear interactions. In recent years, there was been an increase in observations of polar bears on land and thus there is a need for constant evaluation, revision and development of polar bear safety protocols to effectively prevent human-polar bear conflict.
Number of people trained:
UNIS conducts approximately 120 safety courses each year with polar bear safety training as a component and trains between 1200-1800 individuals per year.
For more information visit: https://www.unis.no/arctic-safety-centre/
Community programs:
Polar Bear Alert Program
Active in Canada
About this program:
The Polar Bear Alert Program was established as a preventative program to protect polar bears from self-defence kills and protect people and property in Churchill, Manitoba. The program operates year-round, however most active from mid-October to late November with few occurrences in the winter and spring. The Polar Bear Alert Team will attempt to deter a polar bear using non-lethal deterrents, in cases where there is an immediate threat a polar bear will be transferred to a holding facility and released once the sea ice freezes. Residents can report a bear sighting using the 24-hour hotline. In addition to the deterrence program, there is enhanced public awareness programs and attractant management.
Its history:
The Polar Bear Alert Program in Churchill, Manitoba was established in 1980 and evolved from the earlier Polar Bear Control Program created in 1969. The Polar Bear Alert Program includes the Polar Bear Holding Facility where a bear may stay until freeze-up to reduce the same bear returning multiple times during a season.
Number of people trained:
The program staffs 3 to 4 full-time year-round positions. In the fall, 2 to 3 additional full-time staff are hired, for approximately 3 months during the peak season.
For more information: https://www.gov.mb.ca/fish-wildlife/polar_bears/index.html
Polar bear patrol program for North Slope Borough communities
Active in the U.S.
About the program:
The North Slope Borough (NSB) and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) work together under a cooperative agreement to implement a polar bear patrol program in Alaska’s North Slope communities. The primary objective of the program is to improve public safety and conserve polar bears by reducing human-bear interactions that could potentially result in injury or death to humans and polar bears. Patrollers are local residents hired by the NSB to monitor villages for bears and respond to human-bear conflicts that occur within the community. The program provides communities with necessary tools for managing human-polar bear interactions through attractant management and outreach to enhance public knowledge about bear safety.
Its history:
In 1992, the NSB initiated a patrol program to ensure early detection of polar bears in and around North Slope villages, but it was eliminated in the late 1990s. In 2002, Alaska Nanuuq Commission (now defunct) supported human-polar bear conflict avoidance initiatives, and individual tribal governments were successful in obtaining short-term grants for developing bear-human interaction plans. Beginning in 2010, the USFWS and NSB entered into a cooperative agreement to fund and carry out community-based polar bear patrols in the North Slope villages of Utqiagvik (formerly Barrow), Kaktovik, Nuiqsut (Cross Island), Point Hope, Point Lay, and Wainwright. There has not been a person killed or attacked by a polar bear in Alaska since 1993. Much of this can be attributed to the hard work of the patrol program to keep both bears and people safe.
Number of people trained:
Typically, there are three full-time, permanent employees and 4 to 5 seasonal patrollers hired for the fall patrol season (August to November) and on call 24 hours a day in some communities.
For more information visit: https://www.north-slope.org/
Umky (or Polar Bear) Patrol Project
Active in Russia
About the program:
The Polar Bear Patrol Project was developed in Vankarem, Russia to reduce the number of human-polar bear interactions by protecting residents from polar bears attracted to walrus carcasses while also preserving walrus haul-out sites. Patrollers use non-lethal methods and remove marine mammal remains (mostly walrus) to deter bears from moving towards the village. Shortly after, "Polar Bear Patrol" programs were initiated in several other settlements - Ryrkaipiy and Billings, located on the Chukchi coast, where regular visits of polar bears to the settlement were also observed.
Its history:
In 2006, the community of Vankarem developed the Umky Patrol in collaboration with World Wildlife Fund to reduce the frequency of human-polar bear interactions. Polar bear patrol initiatives have started in the district of Nenets, Yamalo-Nenets, and Chukotsky, and in Yakutia, Russia.
Polar bear patrol program – Ittoqqortoormiit, Greenland
Active in Greenland (Denmark)
About this program:
The goal of the polar bear patrol program is to ensure the safety of both humans and polar bears in Ittoqqortoormiit, Greenland, where human-polar bear encounters have increased in recent years. Monitors will use non-lethal deterrents to scare polar bears away from town.
Its history:
In 2015, a polar bear patrol program was established in Ittoqqortoormiit in collaboration with World Wildlife Fund to reduce human-polar bear conflict. Additional measures have been implemented since the program’s inception including better lighting, bear-proof storage containers, and warning protocols when bears enter the community.
Research/Field camp programs:
Environment and Climate Change Canada Arctic seabird/shorebird research camp
Active in Canada
Polar bear safety protocols are in place for teams conducting work at Environment and Climate Change Canada permanent field camps during the summer at East Bay Island, East Bay Mainland and Coats Island, where there is a relatively high encounter rate with polar bears. Experienced Inuit are also staffed at field camps to contribute to research and provide insight into bear encounters that may occur. Professionally installed electric fences are also installed at each of the permanent research camps.
Fisheries and Oceans Canada – Ice camps
Active in Canada
Polar bear safety protocols are in place at ice camps, ice travel, and remote research sites. Protocol for bear sightings and encounters are reviewed before and during the field season. If an encounter occurs a detailed report would be given to Polar Continental Shelf Program and Parks Canada which would outline the research team’s activities, steps taken to avoid the encounter, as well as any observations of the bear and its behaviour.
Non-government programs:
Andy McMullen’s BEARWISE
Active in Canada and the U.S.
About:
Andy McMullen’s BEARWISE provides a variety of educational and training services to help individuals who live, travel, and work in and around polar bear habitat to reduce human-polar bear conflict. The bear safety courses and services offered provide individuals with the knowledge to prevent encounters with polar bears and training to safely manage encounter that may occur.
Its history:
Andy McMullen’s BEARWISE has been in operation for over two decades and was developed to provide customized solutions for individuals living, travelling, and working in bear country across Canada and the U.S.
Number of people trained:
From 2003 to 2021, a total of 99 polar bear safety and bear guard courses were held with 1404 participants including various (federal, provincial/territorial, regional, and Indigenous) governments, private, and academic organizations. Andy McMullen’s BEARWISE has also collaborated with government agencies on the development of polar bear safety training programs and manuals.
For more information visit: https://bearwise.ca/
For more information contact the Human-Polar Bear Conflict Working Group co-leads,
Disclaimer
The Polar Bear Range States (hereafter, PBRS) seek to ensure that the information published on this website is accurate, and informed by the best information available at the time of publishing. However, due to the unique nature of each interaction between polar bears and people, the PBRS and their employees or agents shall not be held liable for any injury, including death to any person, nor for any property damage or loss, which may be sustained from the use and application of the information published on this website. Any use or reliance on the information published on this website by any individual is at that individual’s sole risk. Polar bears are wild animals that can cause considerable harm and the PBRS assumes no liability with respect to use and application of the information contained herein.
