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Politics

Norway: Polar Bears Summer in Spitsbergen

September 26, 2012

No ice, no polar bears. Not too many years ago scientists were still convinced that climate change was threatening arctic animal populations. But today in Spitsbergen, there are more polar bears than there are people - even though it's getting warmer.

https://p.dw.com/p/16G6W

Researchers in the region have observed that polar bears are quick to adapt to new hunting and stalking methods, and that they're no longer shying away from humans or towns. Now the residents of Spitsbergen are building fences to keep out the bears and arming themselves with air guns.