Polar Bear Predatory Behaviour toward Molting Barnacle Geese and Nesting Glaucous Gulls on Spitsbergen

• Published in: ARCTIC
• Main Author: Stempniewicz, Lech
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: The Arctic Institute of North America 2009
• Subjects: polar bear; Ursus maritimus; barnacle goose; Branta leucopsis; glaucous gull; Larus hyperboreus; predation; Hornsund; SW Spitsbergen; ours polaire; bernache nonnette; goéland bourgmestre; prédation; sud-ouest de Spitsbergen; Arctic; Barnacle goose; Glaucous Gull; Goéland bourgmestre; Spitsbergen
• Online Access: https://journalhosting.ucalgary.ca/index.php/arctic/article/view/63372

A polar bear (Ursus maritimus) was observed stalking and chasing a flock of adult flightless barnacle geese (Branta leucopsis) in a coastal bay in Hornsund, southwest Spitsbergen. Before chasing the geese, the polar bear appeared to make use of the cover provided by a rocky pier in order to swim clo...