Bear spotted on Berlevåg shoreline

A brown bear was observed wandering near the shoreline in Berlevåg, Finnmark, on Monday evening, according to reports from local police and Dagbladet.

While long-distance movement is common for bears, their presence along the coast is rare, noted Magne Asheim of the Norwegian Environment Agency in Finnmark. “This bear is on quite a journey. It’s likely a record that it has reached the shoreline,” he said.

Experts suggest the bear may have originated from Sør-Varanger, Karasjok, or across the border in Finland, with senior researcher Ole-Gunnar Støen of the Norwegian Institute for Nature Research (NINA) also citing Russia and Sweden as possible starting points. Young male bears often travel far in search of mates and suitable habitats, he explained.

Local reindeer herders expressed concern, but Asheim reassured that the reindeer are likely safe, as calving season has passed. He also noted unconfirmed reports of a whale carcass nearby, which could attract the bear.

Both Asheim and Støen emphasized that the bear poses no threat to humans and should be left undisturbed. Støen added that such encounters may become more common as Finnmark’s bear population is set to increase under government policy.