Cruise ship guards ‘tried to scare polar bear away before killing it’

Norwegian authorities have defended the killing of a polar bear and said cruise ship guards had tried to scare the creature away.

Bosses at the German cruise company Hapag-Lloyd Cruises have faced a backlash after the shooting of a polar bear on an island between Norway and the North Pole on Saturday.

Police spokesman Ole Jakob Malmo said two members of the 12-man crew that set foot on the Svalbard archipelago ahead of tourists first tried to ward off the bear "by shouting and making loud noises as well as firing a signal pistol, but to no effect."

The German cruise ship operator Hapag Lloyd Cruises said on its Facebook page that the killing was "an act of self-defence [and] it was necessary for the polar bear to be shot dead."

A 42-year-old German man who was not identified sustained minor head injuries from the attack, Mr Malmo said.

Hapag Lloyd Cruises also apologised on its Twitter feed and said the bear was shot "to save the life of the guard."

British comedian Ricky Gervais took to Twitter to call the tourists 'morons'.The comedian advised that people should 'stay away' from polar bears to avoid any injuries.

Svalbard is dotted with warnings about polar bears. Visitors who choose to sleep outdoors receive stern warnings from authorities that people must carry firearms while moving outside of settlements.

The archipelago between mainland Norway and the North Pole is known for its stunning snow-covered mountains, fjords and glaciers, and is a popular cruise ship destination.

On its website, the office for the archipelago’s governor said bears may appear anywhere on Svalbard and urged people "to stay as far away as possible to avoid situations that could be dangerous for you and for the bear."

The animal killed on Saturday was transported to Longyearbyen to be routinely examined, Mr Malmo said.