Students on the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard aren't allowed to leave their village without a shotgun and ammunition. That's because hungry polar bears can be behind every swing on the island.
Although no one wants to shoot a polar bear, and they're indeed protected by national law, the huge white animals can quickly outrun a human. And humans don't have a chance if confronted by an aggressive bear.
So everyone on Svalbard needs to be able defend him- or herself, and students undergo weapons training every year. "We feel more secure and look forward to learn a lot more," said Helga Therese Tilley Tajet of Moelv. She's studying meteorology at the University of Oslo and will concentrate on the Arctic marine climate for the next six months at the university on Svalbard, UNIS.
The students are also trained in Arctic survival techniques in addition to how to use a weapon. "It's absolutely necessary," said UNIS director Gunnar Sand. Much of the course work involved is carried out in the field, and the students also go trekking in their free time.
The school lends out weapons, ammunition, tents, sleeping bags, survival suits, snow scooters and other equipment that's essential in the Arctic landscape. "Polar bears are one thing," Sand noted. "Even more dangerous is the extreme cold, and the winds. There also are dangerous glaciers, steep cliffs, and it's a long way between settlements."