The Westfjords Police and the Icelandic Coast Guard are currently conducting polar bear surveillance, particularly around the Hornstrandir area, following a video received by the police yesterday, reports Vísir.
The video in question was shared on social media and was taken aboard an Icelandic fishing vessel. It appears to show a polar bear on an ice floe approximately fifty nautical miles off Straumnes in Hornstrandir.
Although the video is three weeks old, the Coast Guard will conduct an aerial surveillance flight in the coming days as a precaution.
The Westfjords Police have also notified rangers in the Hornstrandir Nature Reserve as well as local tourism operators in the area, urging them to remain alert.
“The Westfjords Police believe this incident warrants public attention and urge people to stay vigilant and exercise caution. As is well known, polar bears are capable of swimming long distances, and the circumstances of the bear seen on the ice floe remain unclear,” the statement reads.
“It is crucial that any sighting of a polar bear is immediately reported to the authorities — either the Coast Guard or the police — so public safety can be ensured.”