A commission involving researchers from the Severtsov Institute of Ecology and Evolution has investigated the situation on the Novaya Zemlya archipelago, where a state of emergency was declared due to a polar bear invasion. According to local authorities, 52 polar bears swarmed the region. The animals pursued people, entered residential buildings and raided local dumps for food.

The experts concluded that late ice formation prevented the predators from searching for food away from people. Instead, they were attracted to dumps, which are not always properly maintained.

The commission worked on Novaya Zemlya in the village of Belushya Guba from 14 to 21 February. In particular, they studied the natural habitats of bears and took a count of the animals. In total, the commission counted up to 20 bears of both sexes: half hunted for seals on the ice, while the other half stayed near dumps.

“All of the bears we saw were in good shape and well-fed, and did not show any signs of disease or injury,” the institute’s press service reported.

The researchers tagged two adult males and put a tracking collar on a female bear to monitor their movement.

The bears eventually left the village, and the state of emergency ended. However, the commission believes that a new professional agency should be created on Novaya Zemlya to resolve possible conflicts between polar bears and people.