<p>Arriving in Longyearbyen, the world’s northernmost settlement, felt like stepping into another world. Situated at 78 degrees North, this small town in Svalbard, Norway, is home to just over 1,000 residents and carries an undeniable sense of adventure with it. It’s the gateway to the Arctic and the site of the Svalbard Global Seed Vault, a unique ‘doomsday vault’ that holds seeds from across the globe in case of a worldwide disaster. Only 1,300 kilometres from the North Pole, Longyearbyen is as close as most of us will ever get to the North Pole.</p>.<p>I joined a group of 40 travellers aboard a small polar ship, ready to venture further into the icy wilderness and explore the remote, frozen landscapes further north, guided by expert naturalists who would share their knowledge of the region’s fascinating wildlife.</p>.<p><strong>Majestic creatures</strong></p>.<p>Two days later, after gearing up with Arctic boots and snowshoes, we were off on what would become the adventure of a lifetime. Our first encounter was with a colossal walrus lounging on a massive chunk of pack ice. With tusks that seemed to belong to another era, the walrus was an impressive sight as it rested on the floating iceberg, just a short distance from our ship. We climbed into our solar-powered zodiacs and navigated through the surrounding ice floes, each one home to a handful of these massive creatures. Walrus’, like polar bears, are found only in the Arctic, and weigh up to a ton. These cuddly omnivores, sluggish on ice, can be swift in water. A bit smelly, they lazily pose for photographs with their huge tusks, useful in keeping polar bears at bay.</p>.<p>Throughout the journey, we encountered other Arctic residents: the striking King Eider duck, with its vibrant plumage, and the elusive Svalbard reindeer grazing on the far slopes of glaciers. We also spotted Arctic foxes, seals, and even a few Minke whales breaching in the distance. A Ptarmigan, its white feathers blending perfectly with the snowy landscape, flitted past us. Over the course of the week, our naturalists provided fascinating insights into these animals, from the mighty predators of the ice to the delicate birds that call this harsh environment home.</p>.<p><strong>Spotting polar bears</strong></p>.<p>One of the highlights of the trip was our encounter with polar bears. These solitary apex predators, a symbol of the Arctic, are elusive, but our guides ensured we got an up-close look. We were lucky to spot five different polar bears during our trip, some from several kilometres away using high-powered scopes, and others from our zodiacs, where we quietly drifted near the fjord’s glacial shores.</p>.<p>The 800kg male gets together only for mating while the smaller 350kg female protects her cubs for a 2 1/2 year period teaching them to hunt. They mostly feed on seal blubber with a walrus being a lucky feast. Their weight peaks in Autumn in preparation for the progressive weight loss during the Winter hibernation. A large male walking across a kilometre-long coastal icefall, a playful younger cub eating some kelp from under the thin pack ice, and another, feeding off a reindeer kill, were some thrills we got to experience.</p>.<p><strong>A warming Arctic</strong></p>.<p>As awe-inspiring as these encounters were, it was also sobering to learn about the effects of climate change on the region. Longyearbyen, one of the fastest-warming places on Earth, is experiencing temperatures that rise by 2.7 degrees Celsius every decade. In just the past 40 years, the Arctic’s pack ice has shrunk by nearly half, from around 8 million square kilometres in 1980 to just 4 million square kilometres today.</p>.<p>This dramatic loss of ice is not only affecting the habitat of polar bears but also the seal populations they rely on for food. With less ice and thinner pack ice, polar bears are being forced to swim longer distances in search of food, often with less blubber to sustain them.</p>.<p>The sight of polar bears foraging in coastal human settlements, desperate for food, is a stark reminder of the urgency of global warming. The population of polar bears has declined significantly, with estimates ranging from 22,000 to 30,000 individuals across the Northern Latitudes, including parts of Canada, Alaska, Scandinavia, and Siberia. Their struggle is a reflection of the larger environmental challenges facing our planet.</p>.<p><strong>A call to action</strong></p>.<p>This journey was more than just a wildlife adventure — it was a wake-up call. The Arctic, once a pristine wilderness, is now a place of stark beauty and undeniable fragility. Just as this region once saw the devastating impact of whaling, with blood-red fjords filled with the remains of whales hunted for their blubber, it now faces a new challenge — the rapidly warming climate. But there’s hope. If we could reverse the damage done by whaling centuries ago, perhaps we can still turn the tide on climate change. By making personal changes to reduce our carbon footprint and pushing for collective action to address the global warming crisis, we may still be able to save the polar bears and the Arctic environment. For anyone venturing into the Arctic, this region leaves an indelible mark. It’s hard not to come away from such a journey without feeling a deep connection to our planet and the realisation that we have no ‘planet B’. The Arctic is calling, and it’s up to all of us to listen before it’s too late.</p>
<p>Arriving in Longyearbyen, the world’s northernmost settlement, felt like stepping into another world. Situated at 78 degrees North, this small town in Svalbard, Norway, is home to just over 1,000 residents and carries an undeniable sense of adventure with it. It’s the gateway to the Arctic and the site of the Svalbard Global Seed Vault, a unique ‘doomsday vault’ that holds seeds from across the globe in case of a worldwide disaster. Only 1,300 kilometres from the North Pole, Longyearbyen is as close as most of us will ever get to the North Pole.</p>.<p>I joined a group of 40 travellers aboard a small polar ship, ready to venture further into the icy wilderness and explore the remote, frozen landscapes further north, guided by expert naturalists who would share their knowledge of the region’s fascinating wildlife.</p>.<p><strong>Majestic creatures</strong></p>.<p>Two days later, after gearing up with Arctic boots and snowshoes, we were off on what would become the adventure of a lifetime. Our first encounter was with a colossal walrus lounging on a massive chunk of pack ice. With tusks that seemed to belong to another era, the walrus was an impressive sight as it rested on the floating iceberg, just a short distance from our ship. We climbed into our solar-powered zodiacs and navigated through the surrounding ice floes, each one home to a handful of these massive creatures. Walrus’, like polar bears, are found only in the Arctic, and weigh up to a ton. These cuddly omnivores, sluggish on ice, can be swift in water. A bit smelly, they lazily pose for photographs with their huge tusks, useful in keeping polar bears at bay.</p>.<p>Throughout the journey, we encountered other Arctic residents: the striking King Eider duck, with its vibrant plumage, and the elusive Svalbard reindeer grazing on the far slopes of glaciers. We also spotted Arctic foxes, seals, and even a few Minke whales breaching in the distance. A Ptarmigan, its white feathers blending perfectly with the snowy landscape, flitted past us. Over the course of the week, our naturalists provided fascinating insights into these animals, from the mighty predators of the ice to the delicate birds that call this harsh environment home.</p>.<p><strong>Spotting polar bears</strong></p>.<p>One of the highlights of the trip was our encounter with polar bears. These solitary apex predators, a symbol of the Arctic, are elusive, but our guides ensured we got an up-close look. We were lucky to spot five different polar bears during our trip, some from several kilometres away using high-powered scopes, and others from our zodiacs, where we quietly drifted near the fjord’s glacial shores.</p>.<p>The 800kg male gets together only for mating while the smaller 350kg female protects her cubs for a 2 1/2 year period teaching them to hunt. They mostly feed on seal blubber with a walrus being a lucky feast. Their weight peaks in Autumn in preparation for the progressive weight loss during the Winter hibernation. A large male walking across a kilometre-long coastal icefall, a playful younger cub eating some kelp from under the thin pack ice, and another, feeding off a reindeer kill, were some thrills we got to experience.</p>.<p><strong>A warming Arctic</strong></p>.<p>As awe-inspiring as these encounters were, it was also sobering to learn about the effects of climate change on the region. Longyearbyen, one of the fastest-warming places on Earth, is experiencing temperatures that rise by 2.7 degrees Celsius every decade. In just the past 40 years, the Arctic’s pack ice has shrunk by nearly half, from around 8 million square kilometres in 1980 to just 4 million square kilometres today.</p>.<p>This dramatic loss of ice is not only affecting the habitat of polar bears but also the seal populations they rely on for food. With less ice and thinner pack ice, polar bears are being forced to swim longer distances in search of food, often with less blubber to sustain them.</p>.<p>The sight of polar bears foraging in coastal human settlements, desperate for food, is a stark reminder of the urgency of global warming. The population of polar bears has declined significantly, with estimates ranging from 22,000 to 30,000 individuals across the Northern Latitudes, including parts of Canada, Alaska, Scandinavia, and Siberia. Their struggle is a reflection of the larger environmental challenges facing our planet.</p>.<p><strong>A call to action</strong></p>.<p>This journey was more than just a wildlife adventure — it was a wake-up call. The Arctic, once a pristine wilderness, is now a place of stark beauty and undeniable fragility. Just as this region once saw the devastating impact of whaling, with blood-red fjords filled with the remains of whales hunted for their blubber, it now faces a new challenge — the rapidly warming climate. But there’s hope. If we could reverse the damage done by whaling centuries ago, perhaps we can still turn the tide on climate change. By making personal changes to reduce our carbon footprint and pushing for collective action to address the global warming crisis, we may still be able to save the polar bears and the Arctic environment. For anyone venturing into the Arctic, this region leaves an indelible mark. It’s hard not to come away from such a journey without feeling a deep connection to our planet and the realisation that we have no ‘planet B’. The Arctic is calling, and it’s up to all of us to listen before it’s too late.</p>