2022, Svalbard

Contrary to popular belief, polar bears are not particularly aggressive animals. They are cautious by nature and try as much as possible to avoid quarrels, relying on body language to read other bears, as well as other species. When we arrived on the scene, a small island on the east coast of Svalbard, a massive, well-fed bear was tearing into a whale carcass that had washed ashore. His face, a map of old battle scars, turned toward us for just a moment before he returned to his banquet. That brief glance spoke volumes “stay away.”

Keeping a safe distance from him, another bear was patiently waiting for his turn to eat. Sitting like a puppy, with a soft and almost gentle expression, he was by far the more photogenic subject.