A boater in Norway has been fined after deliberately sounding their vessel's horn to wake a sleeping polar bear, according to the Governor of Svalbard. The incident, which took place this month in Lomfjorden within the Svalbard archipelago, has drawn criticism for needlessly disturbing protected wildlife in a sensitive Arctic environment.

Those aboard the boat spotted the polar bear resting and used the horn in an apparent attempt to rouse the animal, prompting authorities to intervene. Svalbard's polar bears are protected under strict regulations designed to prevent human interference with the species, and the Governor's office issued a hefty fine as a consequence of the stunt.