---
title: "Svalbard Wildlife: Bears & Birds | Boreal Yachting Journal"
description: "Svalbard holds polar bears, walrus, ringed and bearded seals, Arctic fox, Svalbard reindeer and large seabird colonies. Sightings are never guaranteed and are"
lang: en
json-ld: |
  [
    {
      "@context": "https://schema.org",
      "@type": "Organization",
      "@id": "https://boreal-yachting.com/#organization",
      "name": "Boreal Yachting",
      "url": "https://boreal-yachting.com",
      "logo": "https://boreal-yachting.com/logo.png",
      "image": "https://boreal-yachting.com/logo.png",
      "description": "Premium Arctic sailing in Northern Norway and Svalbard. Whole-boat expeditions and charters from Tromsø since 2003.",
      "foundingDate": "2003",
      "email": "post@boreal-yachting.com",
      "telephone": "+4777729200",
      "address": {
        "@type": "PostalAddress",
        "addressLocality": "Tromsø",
        "addressCountry": "NO"
      },
      "memberOf": {
        "@type": "Organization",
        "name": "Association of Arctic Expedition Cruise Operators (AECO)",
        "url": "https://www.aeco.no"
      },
      "sameAs": [
        "https://facebook.com/borealyachting",
        "https://youtube.com/@borealyachting"
      ]
    },
    {
      "@context": "https://schema.org",
      "@type": "BreadcrumbList",
      "itemListElement": [
        {
          "@type": "ListItem",
          "position": 1,
          "name": "Home",
          "item": "https://boreal-yachting.com/"
        },
        {
          "@type": "ListItem",
          "position": 2,
          "name": "Journal",
          "item": "https://boreal-yachting.com/journal"
        },
        {
          "@type": "ListItem",
          "position": 3,
          "name": "Arctic knowledge",
          "item": "https://boreal-yachting.com/journal/arctic-knowledge"
        },
        {
          "@type": "ListItem",
          "position": 4,
          "name": "Svalbard wildlife: polar bears, walruses and Arctic birds",
          "item": "https://boreal-yachting.com/journal/svalbard-wildlife"
        }
      ]
    },
    {
      "@context": "https://schema.org",
      "@type": "Article",
      "headline": "Svalbard wildlife: polar bears, walruses and Arctic birds",
      "description": "Svalbard holds polar bears, walrus, ringed and bearded seals, Arctic fox, Svalbard reindeer and large seabird colonies. Sightings are never guaranteed and are governed by minimum-distance rules set by Sysselmesteren and by AECO wildlife guidelines.",
      "mainEntityOfPage": {
        "@type": "WebPage",
        "@id": "https://boreal-yachting.com/journal/svalbard-wildlife"
      },
      "url": "https://boreal-yachting.com/journal/svalbard-wildlife",
      "image": "https://boreal-yachting.com/assets/expedition-svalbard-hero-CFAKJaCc.jpg",
      "articleSection": "Arctic knowledge",
      "wordCount": 276,
      "author": {
        "@type": "Organization",
        "name": "Boreal Yachting crew",
        "url": "https://boreal-yachting.com/about/crew"
      },
      "publisher": {
        "@id": "https://boreal-yachting.com/#organization"
      }
    }
  ]
---

[Skip to content](#main-content)

[Boreal Yachting ](/)

[Experiences](/experiences)

[Destinations](/destinations)

[Our Fleet](/fleet)

[About Us](/about)

[Journal](/journal)

[For Partners](/partners)

[Plan your journey](/plan-your-journey)

1.  [Home](/)
2.  / [Journal](/journal)
3.  / Svalbard Wildlife 

[Arctic knowledge](/journal/arctic-knowledge)

# Svalbard wildlife: polar bears, walruses and Arctic birds

By [Boreal Yachting crew](/about/crew), Skippers and guides, Tromsø

Publication date not available

Svalbard holds polar bears, walrus, ringed and bearded seals, Arctic fox, Svalbard reindeer and large seabird colonies. Sightings are never guaranteed and are governed by minimum-distance rules set by Sysselmesteren and by AECO wildlife guidelines.

 ![Svalbard wildlife: polar bears, walruses and Arctic birds](/generated-images/expedition-svalbard-hero-1824.webp)

Svalbard wildlife: polar bears, walruses and Arctic birds.

Svalbard's wildlife is defined by few but distinctive species. In summer, migratory seabirds fill the cliffs in their millions. In winter, only the hardiest remain — polar bears patrolling the ice, Svalbard reindeer grazing the tundra, and Arctic foxes hunting in the snow. Boreal Yachting follows a zero-trace policy, keeping a respectful distance and observing wildlife on its own terms.

The polar bear is Svalbard's dominant predator. An estimated 3,600 polar bears inhabit the archipelago, outnumbering the human population of 2,500. They primarily hunt ringed seals on the sea ice, but in summer they can be encountered on land, swimming between islands, or resting on the shore.

Walruses are another highlight. These large animals — males can weigh up to 1,500 kg — gather in groups on rocky beaches and shallow waters. They are surprisingly agile swimmers, observed diving for clams and molluscs. Key haul-out sites include Moffen Island and Poolepynten.

Bird life is abundant during the summer months. Millions of Brunnich's guillemots, little auks, kittiwakes, puffins and Arctic terns breed on the cliffs and shorelines. The bird cliffs at 14. Juli Bukta and Alkefjellet are among the largest in the Arctic, with tens of thousands of birds nesting on narrow ledges.

Marine mammals beyond walruses include bearded seals, ringed seals and harbour seals. Beluga whales, bowhead whales and narwhals are occasionally spotted in Svalbard waters, and blue whales and fin whales visit the area in summer to feed on krill.

Our approach to wildlife favours minimal impact. We maintain safe distances, never approach animals from upwind, and leave no trace of our visits. The Svalbard Environmental Protection Act sets strict guidelines that we follow closely.

Related experience: [Summer Svalbard Expeditions](/experiences/svalbard-expeditions).

Where this sails: [Sailing Svalbard](/destinations/svalbard).

About the author

## Boreal Yachting crew

Skippers and guides, Tromsø

Written by the Boreal Yachting editorial team using operational knowledge from the skippers and guides who sail Northern Norway and Svalbard.

[Meet the crew](/about/crew)

## Read next

[

### Svalbard sailing: glaciers and polar bears

A Svalbard sailing expedition runs from Longyearbyen between June and September, when the fjords are largely ice-free and the sun does not set until late August. Voyages of one to two weeks reach tidewater glaciers, walrus haul-outs and bird cliffs, under Sysselmesteren regulations and AECO guidelines.

](/journal/svalbard-expedition)[

### Northern lights sailing: an aurora photo safari

Northern lights sailing means using the boat to move away from town lights and cloud. Tromsø lies at 69.6°N, under the auroral oval, and the season runs from late September to late March. A boat can shift anchorage overnight to find the clearest sky.

](/journal/northern-lights-sailing)

[All writing in the Journal](/journal)

## Start planning your Arctic journey.

Tell us what you have in mind. We will come back to you within two working days with a considered answer — not a template.

[Plan your journey](/plan-your-journey)[Speak to us directly](/contact)

Boreal Yachting 

Premium Arctic sailing in Northern Norway and Svalbard. Sailing these waters since 2003.

[![AECO member — Association of Arctic Expedition Cruise Operators](/assets/aeco-member-Crcpxqbv.svg)](https://www.aeco.no)[![Eco-Lighthouse certified — Miljøfyrtårn programme](/assets/eco-lighthouse-CNcwtWaN.png)](https://www.miljofyrtarn.no/en/)

## Experiences

-   [Ski & Sail Norway](/experiences/ski-and-sail-norway)
-   [Ski & Sail Svalbard](/experiences/ski-and-sail-svalbard)
-   [Svalbard Expeditions](/experiences/svalbard-expeditions)
-   [Private charter](/experiences/private-charter)
-   [Group charter](/experiences/group-charter)
-   [Bareboat charter](/experiences/bareboat-charter)

## Destinations

-   [Tromsø](/destinations/tromso)
-   [Lyngen Alps](/destinations/lyngen-alps)
-   [Lofoten](/destinations/lofoten)
-   [Svalbard](/destinations/svalbard)
-   [Senja](/destinations/senja)
-   [Vesterålen](/destinations/vesteralen)

## Company

-   [About us](/about)
-   [Our crew](/about/crew)
-   [Safety](/about/safety)
-   [Sustainability](/about/sustainability)
-   [Company facts](/about/facts)
-   [Journal](/journal)
-   [For partners](/partners)
-   [Contact](/contact)

Boreal Yachting AS  ·  Tromsø, Norway  ·  [post@boreal-yachting.com](mailto:post@boreal-yachting.com) ·  [+47 77 72 92 00](tel:+4777729200)

-   [Facebook](https://facebook.com/borealyachting)
-   [YouTube](https://youtube.com/@borealyachting)
-   [Instagram](https://instagram.com/borealyachting)

© 2026 Boreal Yachting AS

-   [Privacy](/privacy)
-   [Terms](/terms)
-   [Booking conditions](/booking-conditions)

Cookies on this site

We use essential cookies to run the site. Analytics cookies stay off unless you accept them. You can change your choice at any time.

Essential onlyAccept analytics