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In a Norwegian archipelago, polar bears are becoming more and more aggressive. They attack the reindeer for lack of seals, which are difficult to hunt with the melting ice. Men are also threatened and must train to handle weapons to protect themselves.
They are the emblems of an entire territory. 1,000 kilometers from the North Pole, the Norwegian archipelago of Svalbard has more polar bears than people. But today, the species is threatened. Jason Roberts, director of Polar X, has been examining these polar giants for 30 years. He has led dozens of expeditions on the ice floe, always getting closer to the bears. Until now, they fed almost exclusively on carcasses and seals. But a few months ago, researchers filmed a polar bear hunting a reindeer for the first time.
The animal pursues its prey into the water, before bringing it back to shore. For specialists, this is proof that with the melting of the ice, the polar bear must now fall back on terrestrial prey. In cities, warnings are posted. To go hiking, you must be armed. The inhabitants do not say they are particularly worried, but they are constantly on the lookout.