The Arctic Wildlife of Svalbard

Svalbard is one of the last great wildlife wildernesses of the high Arctic, much of it protected within national parks and reserves. Its most famous resident is the polar bear, the king of the ice, which roams the sea ice and coasts in numbers that famously outnumber the archipelago's people, glimpsed by lucky travellers on expedition cruises. The islands also shelter herds of stocky Svalbard reindeer, elusive Arctic foxes, and coastlines where great walruses haul out to bask. In the brief summer, towering cliffs come alive with vast, clamorous colonies of seabirds, and whales move through the fjords. To witness this abundant, fragile life in so pristine a setting is a profound Arctic privilege.

What you actually see

• The polar bears - the kings of the Arctic ice.
• The walruses - the great tusked walruses on the shores.
• The reindeer and foxes - the tundra wildlife.
• The seabird cliffs - the vast summer colonies of Arctic birds.

When to go

June to September, the Arctic summer, is the prime season, when the fjords are navigable, wildlife is most active, seabird cliffs teem and expedition cruises operate under the midnight sun; winter offers different wildlife but extreme, dark conditions. Summer expeditions give the best chance of memorable sightings.

Honest expectations

Svalbard's wildlife is genuinely wild and seen mostly on organised expeditions with guides, so sightings, above all of polar bears, take patience, luck and respect, and are never guaranteed; strict rules protect both animals and visitors. As the extraordinary realm of the polar bear, walrus and vast seabird colonies in a pristine high-Arctic wilderness, though, Svalbard offers some of the most thrilling wildlife experiences on earth.

Nearby

The fjords, glaciers and town of Longyearbyen lie across the archipelago.