01 April 2024, Svalbard

In the pristine wilderness of Svalbard, we encountered a magnificent young polar bear emerging from the white expanse. Moving with its characteristic unhurried walk of supreme confidence in his frozen home. This bear was wonderfully curious, practicing breaking ice with its powerful forepaws, then suddenly bursting in to playful motion across the snow. We remained statue still on the deck of our vessel, privilegded visitors, this is his home, his domain. Slowly, the bear approached until finally settling directly beneath us with a casual authority. When this giant raised its head and fixed its gaze upon us, we glimpsed something profound - an intelligence ancient and patient, shaped through a millennia of Arctic survival. From above, I observed his magnificent forepaw, spread against the snow, easily the size of a dinner plate. Then as suddenly as it began, it was over. The bear rose and continued on his solitary way, as he disappeared in to the white vastness, we finally dared to breath again - our hearts filled with a memory that would remain with us always and knowing his was the only footprint left behind.