These shots were taken in Svalbard, the other top polar bear viewing hotspot (other than Churchill, Canada, that is). Polar bears are intensely curious, and will often come close to check out a ship travelling through the ice.
This bear approached the ship from a distance, getting closer and closer, to the delight of the tourists on board. Frequently pausing to examine things of interest, such as his reflection, the bear eventually got to within 5 metres or so of the ship, and then patrolled up and down the length of it, sniffing frequently- the smells from the galley clearly intriguing him (and me, too. The food on board expedition ships is usually extremely good).
Finally, realising that the galley was inaccessible, he retreated a little, and settled down to enjoy a roll in the snow and indulge in a little tourist watching.
Polar bears are always a joy to see, and this one was particularly endearing. It's a tragedy that such charismatic and majestic animals are becoming increasingly threatened by the results of human activities and the recession of the pack ice that they require to hunt on.
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