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Old ammunition was discovered in a two-year-old bear killed by a Russian researcher at Forelandet. The researcher was fined 15,000 kroner. FOTO: The Governor of Svalbard, Facsimile: Svalbardposten

A female polar bear was shot last June at Austfjordnes. An autopsy revealed shotgun ammunition in her body. Two months later another female bear was shot by Russian researchers at Forlandet. It also had been hit by such ammunition.

“There was ammunition that was encapsulated in the fat and the meat of the bears,” said Knut Fossum, environmental director for The Governor of Svalbard. “It was obvious that this had not happened when they were killed. Our interpretation of it is both of the bears were previously shot with pellets.”

Fossum said he believes it was done to scare the bears.

“We take a serious view of the findings and remind people that it is associated with criminal liability to harm polar bears,” he said.

Many shotgun pellets
The governor did not receive any reports of shotguns being used against polar bears despite a requirement people do so.

“Whether it’s customary or some perception that pellets are good for intimidation, it’s not right,” Fossum said. “It’s not a legal intimidation method or something we in any way accept.”

He said he does not know specifically how much ammunition was in the bears.

“But there were obviously many shotgun pellets in both,” he said.

Shotguns are short-range weapons and pellets spread out widely. Pellets were found in several places in both bears.

“Based on the amount of pellets they can’t have been shot at a very long range,” Fossum said.

Inflammation found
Fossum said he isn’t aware of any previous incidents where polar bears were found with shotgun ammunition in them.

Is he concerned there may be more bears that have been hit?

“It’s only speculation, but when we have two cases in a short period of time there is reason to remind people that this is neither lawful nor desirable to scare bears with pellets,” he said.

Pellets were found in connections between skin and muscle tissue in both bears.

“In several places inflammation was found around where the pellets had entered,” Fossum said.

Were the bears in pain?

“It is hard to say,” Fossum said. “It is also difficult to say whether the behavior of the bears was characterized by the fact that they were previously shot. But it is clear that the chance of inflicting serious injuries upon the bears with shotgun ammunition is quite large. That can go beyond the survival of the bear and affect the safety of others who encounter it.”

Pain and irritation
Torill Mørk, a veterinarian at the Veterinary Institute in Tromsø, was not present when the autopsy on the bears occurred. But speaking generally, she said she does not believe the shotgun pellets in the bears greatly affected them since they only went through the skin.

“But there will be pain and irritation,” she said. “It will probably hurt for a while, but how bad I cannot answer.”

If the pellets penetrated deeper, or hit an eye or joint, they might do more harm.

“Usually there will probably not be that much damage to such a big and powerful animal, but it depends on how they are hit,” Mørk said. “We had a case here with a reindeer that was killed with an air rifle. There the bullet had entered between two ribs and into the chest cavity.”

The veterinarian said the ammunition was in the bears for a long time, but can’t offer a specific duration.

“It could be anything from weeks to months,” she said.

How to intimidate bears

The governor recommends using a signal pistol to scare bears and a rifle for protection in life-threatening situations.

“A rifle is considered the most effective and safe instrument for self-defense against bears,” Fossum said.