Polar Bears of Franz Josef Land
Polar bears (Ursus maritimus) are a resident apex predator of Franz Josef Land, the high‑Arctic archipelago in the Barents Sea. Their presence is tied to the seasonal sea‑ice that surrounds the islands, where they hunt seals and breed. Ongoing monitoring, including icebreaker surveys in 2015 and 2017, provides vital data on population density and trends in this remote region.