Polar bears are not a native species to Iceland, which lacks the extensive, year-round sea ice and specific prey base necessary to support a permanent population. These animals are classified as vagrants, or non-native visitors, whose arrival is an accidental consequence of natural forces. They occasionally drift to the country’s shores, typically having embarked on an unintentional journey from their true habitat in Greenland. Iceland’s geographic location positions it as a rare, unexpected destination for these massive marine mammals.
Historical Sightings and Frequency
The appearance of a polar bear in Iceland is a notably rare event, not a regular migratory occurrence. Historical records indicate that roughly 600 to 700 sightings have been documented since the country was settled in the ninth century. Since 1951, the frequency of confirmed sightings has averaged about once every two years.
These rare arrivals are almost exclusively concentrated on the northern and northwestern coasts of the country. The bears most often make landfall in the remote Westfjords region or along the northern coast near the Melrakkaslétta peninsula. This geographical pattern is a direct result of the ocean currents and ice drift that carry the bears away from Greenland.
The Role of Arctic Sea Ice Drift
The primary mechanism by which polar bears reach Iceland is passive transport on sea ice floes. The Denmark Strait separates Iceland from Greenland by approximately 300 kilometers (180 miles). This distance is generally too great for a bear to swim intentionally, though polar bears are strong swimmers.
The journey is facilitated by the powerful East Greenland Current, a cold ocean current that flows southward along the entire east coast of Greenland. This current acts as a conveyor belt, carrying sea ice and icebergs out of the Arctic Ocean toward the North Atlantic. Polar bears that are hunting seals along the ice edge in East Greenland can become inadvertently stranded on these drifting ice platforms.
As the East Greenland Current reaches the southern tip of Greenland, a change in wind direction and local currents can push the ice floes eastward. This movement transports the bears across the Denmark Strait and toward the remote coasts of Iceland. The bears often arrive disoriented and exhausted after their long, involuntary transit. The thinning of Arctic ice due to warmer temperatures makes the remaining floes more easily pushed around by winds and currents, potentially contributing to these accidental journeys.
Origin of Visiting Bears
The polar bears that arrive in Iceland originate almost exclusively from the East Greenland population. This group is geographically positioned to be caught in the East Greenland Current, which dictates the path of the drifting ice toward Iceland.
The bears making this journey are often in poor physical condition upon arrival, having been without food for an extended period. Their condition is marked by stress, exhaustion, and hunger, which makes them more likely to seek food near human settlements. The East Greenland population is considered stable enough that the occasional loss of a few vagrant bears does not threaten the overall health of the subpopulation.
Official Response and Protocol
When a polar bear is sighted on Icelandic soil, authorities initiate a rapid response focused on public safety. The protocol involves the local police and the Environment Agency of Iceland, who must quickly assess the bear’s location, behavior, and condition.
Because polar bears are large, powerful predators and the arriving bears are frequently starving, they pose a serious threat to people and livestock. The standard procedure often results in the humane elimination of the animal, a decision made in consultation with environmental experts.
Relocation, which would involve capturing the bear and transporting it across the Denmark Strait back to Greenland, is logistically difficult and prohibitively expensive. A task force convened after multiple sightings in 2008 concluded that killing the vagrant bears was the most appropriate and feasible response. Although polar bears are a protected species, the law permits their killing if they are deemed a threat to human life or property.