Aiming at safety - polar bears and firearm permit

 We just received the firearm permit:

"Tilladelse til ind og udførsel af vaben til Groenland inkl. nationalparken. Gyldig i perioden 10. April til den 30. Juni 2014 i forbindelse med Wings Over Greenland II under ref. Nr. A-14-23."

Which translates to:

"Permission to enter and export guns to Greenland incl. the national park. Valid from 10 April to 30 June 2014 in connection with Wings Over Greenland II under Ref. No. A-14-23."

While many polar travelers secretly hope for a friendly encounter with one of these majestic animals, such a situation may potentially be life threatening for both parties.

Images: Polar bear tracks in Svalbard. (Spitsbergen 2006)

 Polar bears are protected and may not be hunted or shot by tourists, except as a last resort in self defense after several unsuccessful attempts to deter the animal.

Yet for this eventuality, expeditions are required to bring a firearm and to obtain the necessary permit.

"Projects and expeditions to the Greenland National Park are obliged to bring a firearm as well as polar bear deterrents"

We hope that we never have to make use of it.