Never wake a sleeping bear — or pay a hefty fine in the Arctic

Local officials in Norway announced Thursday that an individual in the Svalbard archipelago has been issued a 50,000 kroner fine, equivalent to approximately $5,255 US dollars. The penalty was assessed after the person used a foghorn to deliberately awaken a sleeping polar bear in the Arctic region.

The incident highlights local legal protections surrounding wildlife in the remote Arctic territory, where disturbing native fauna, such as polar bears, carries strict financial penalties enforced by authorities.