Wildlife in Svalbard

A lone polar bear wanders across the ice in the extreme Svalbard landscape.”

The Arctic Encounters That Shape Every Ski Adventure

The snowy landscape of the Arctic is not only appealing to us, but also different mammals. We all have one thing in common, we love to play in the snow. These beautiful animals all have unique characteristics which allow them to survive in such a harsh environment. While we learn about them, we can learn about the environment of the Arctic and gain a deeper understanding and appreciation for this snowy wonderland.

Polar Bears: Fast, Silent, Powerful

Let’s start with the largest of the four mammals, polar bears! They may appear like clumsy giants, but they can be quite quick and stealthy. These white giants are typically seen leisurely roaming around the Arctic. Despite their slower walking pace at ~5.5km/hr, they can actually run at similar speeds as a horse! - Imagine that, a polar bear running at a speed of 40km/hr.

Along with their quick speeds, they also can move almost silently. These spy-like qualities make them very good hunters. Polar bears are reliant on sea ice to have access to their prey. Their biggest threat is the melting of sea ice.

Svalbard polar bears have a very interesting heat gaining adaptation. We know them to have thick white fur to keep them warm, but this is not accurate. Polar bears actually have translucent and hollow fur. Their fur only appears white because it scatters and reflects light, this is similar to how ice appears white! Underneath their translucent fur, their skin in black. This black skin helps them to absorb the heat from the sun.

While it is possible to see polar bears on this trip, we want to assure you that safety is a top priority on Sawback Svalbard trips. Polar bear precautions are always carefully considered. Each group will have at least one person carrying a rifle, along with flare guns as an additional bear deterrent. We also rarely ski in the northern ice packs where most bears are found. The goal of our trip is simple: to provide the best possible skiing accessible by sailboat, which means sticking to ice-free waters further south. That said, we are often thrilled to spot polar bears traveling across the ice from a safe distance while aboard the ship.

Fun Fact: despite being such a large mammal a new born polar bear cub weighs 1-1.5 pounds, compared to a new born human weighing approximately 7 pounds.

Reindeer: Snow-nosed Specialists

These magical creatures have also accumulated their own special adaptive measures to stay warm and navigate their habitat. Reindeer are known for their noses, but can they really be red? Yes, they can, reindeer have a dense network of blood veins in their nose that help with their thermal regulation. When they have increased blood flow to their nose as a cooling mechanism it can turn red - so cute! The vast amount of blood vessels help to warm the cool air they breath in and cool the warm air leaving their bodies. Those big snouts aren’t all just for show!

Along with their well adapted noses they also have cool vision features. Reindeer can see ultraviolet light! This means that they can see contrasts and details in their snowy environment that we would not notice.

Fun Fact: Svalbard reindeer are the smallest reindeer on Earth.

Arctic Fox: Wanders of Svalbard

The Arctic fox has its own toolbox of winter survival strategies. They have dense fur on their paws which acts as snowboots, keeping their feet warm and moving around silently for hunting. They use their big bushy tail as a blanket for warmth and comfort while they sleep. Arctic foxes are able to hibernate up to two weeks where they slow down their heart rate and metabolism. This is a tactic used for when the weather is particularly bad or if they are struggling to find food. They also have seasonal coats - how fashionable. They have a shorter coat in the summer which is primarily brown and grey and can have bluish tinges. In the winter they have that thick white coat that we imagine when we think of them.

Fun Fact: There was an Arctic Fox in 2018 who travelled from Spitsbergen, Norway to Nunavut, Canada in 76 days. This journey was more than 3,500km and she travelled up to 155km a day.

Voles: Architects Below Snow

Small but mighty, Svalbard voles. These little guys are architects, building tunnel systems in the snow. They build their tunnel and burrowing systems in the subnivian zone which is the insulted space between the snow and ground. They do not hibernate in the winter, instead they store food in their nests and can reduce their body size to require less nutrition and reduce energy expenditure. Voles that live in the Arctic can have continuously growing molars due to their abrasive diet.

Fun Fact: Voles memorize their tunnel routes so vividly that if a rock were placed in the middle of a tunnel… they would probably run right into it!

Svalbard: A Once in a Lifetime Place

These beautiful animals all have unique features that make them survive in conditions that most can’t. It’s a rare thing to catch a glimpse of these animals (even the voles who will be buried in their tunnels) during the snowy seasons. Svalbard is home to distinctive species and such a unique environment.

It’s not often that we get to experience extremes. It takes perseverance, unique adaptations, and love of life to not only survive but to thrive in the extremes. Our Svalbard trip is one of these where you get to go to one of the northernmost ends of the Earth and get the opportunity to maybe see one of these extremely rare species that have made the snow their home!