Polar Bear Feast - Nexta Expeditions
Polar bear feast

Polar bear feast

The polar bear was relishing his meal; the snow and his face were turning red from the blood. As we observed him eating, our own stomachs began to grumble. It was time for lunch.

Our lunch was brief, as an exciting announcement interrupted us: another polar bear was approaching. This bear was a sight to behold, a strong, well-fed male emerging from the water, a few hundred meters from the other bear.

As this impressive bear shook off the water from his thick white fur, cameras clicked, and voices on deck exclaimed, 'Look at him... Isn't he attractive?' The excitement grew. The newcomer was clearly drawn by the scent of the killed seal. Would he steal it from the other bear? Would there be a confrontation?

blog-image

Sharing a seal meal

Initially, the newcomer seemed to ignore the fresh meat entirely. He walked past the bear and his kill. But then, after a while, he turned around and approached the feast. As if invited by the older male, he began to eat. There they were, both sharing the food, their white fur on their heads and front paws stained with seal blood.

After about fifteen minutes, however, things changed. The male who had caught the seal suddenly left, as if the prey no longer belonged to him. Walking away, he glanced back a few times, seemingly envious of the bear who had now taken over his kill. With his back turned, he decided it was time for another afternoon nap.

The second male stuck out his tongue while chewing on his meal, as if mocking him. He continued feasting on the seal for about an hour, then decided to visit his slumbering neighbor.

blog-image

Fish and ships

Our hearts were pounding: what would happen next? Would they have a friendly chat, discussing the weather and the strange vessel full of humans? Or perhaps debate whether to have fish and ships for dinner tonight?

As it turned out, they were not interested in us at all. They faced each other (the sleeping bear woke up as soon as his rival approached). Then, they both opened their maws, as if comparing who had the sharpest teeth. They were sizing each other up: who would win if it came to a fight? It seemed to be an equal match, or maybe the bearded seal just wasn't worth fighting over. When there's enough food, male polar bears are usually only aggressive towards each other when a female is involved.

Since there was no female around to impress, they both closed their maws and walked away. A few meters apart, they both dozed off again, perhaps dreaming about their next meal...

Best Deals

Related Trips

Alpine Peaks of Spitsbergen, Ski & Sail - Nexta Expeditions
Arctic
Longyearbyen

Alpine Peaks of Spitsbergen, Ski & Sail

calendar08 May 2025 - 15 May 2025
clock8 Days / 7 Nights
From $ 3.750 per person
Arctic Ocean - Fair Isle, Jan Mayen, Ice edge, Spitsbergen, Birding - Nexta Expeditions
Arctic
Aberdeen

Arctic Ocean - Fair Isle, Jan Mayen, Ice edge, Spitsbergen, Birding

calendar31 May 2025 - 09 Jun 2025
clock10 Days / 9 Nights
From $ 2.900 per person
North Spitsbergen Explorer - Versatile landscapes, sea ice & wildlife - Nexta Expeditions
Arctic
Longyearbyen

North Spitsbergen Explorer - Versatile landscapes, sea ice & wildlife

calendar03 Jun 2025 - 10 Jun 2025
clock8 Days / 7 Nights
From $ 4.300 per person
North Spitsbergen, Arctic Summer - Nexta Expeditions
Arctic
Longyearbyen

North Spitsbergen, Arctic Summer

calendar08 Jun 2025 - 18 Jun 2025
clock11 Days / 10 Nights
From $ 5.350 per person
North Spitsbergen Explorer - Versatile landscapes, sea ice & wildlife - Nexta Expeditions
Arctic
Longyearbyen

North Spitsbergen Explorer - Versatile landscapes, sea ice & wildlife

calendar09 Jun 2025 - 16 Jun 2025
clock8 Days / 7 Nights
From $ 4.300 per person
North Spitsbergen Explorer - Polar Bears, Bowhead Whales & more - Nexta Expeditions
Arctic
Longyearbyen

North Spitsbergen Explorer - Polar Bears, Bowhead Whales & more

calendar10 Jun 2025 - 17 Jun 2025
clock8 Days / 7 Nights
From $ 4.300 per person
North Spitsbergen Explorer - Into the pack ice - Polar Bear Special - Nexta Expeditions
Arctic
Longyearbyen

North Spitsbergen Explorer - Into the pack ice - Polar Bear Special

calendar12 Jun 2025 - 19 Jun 2025
clock8 Days / 7 Nights
From $ 4.300 per person
North Spitsbergen Explorer - Versatile landscapes, sea ice & wildlife - Summer Solstice - Nexta Expeditions
Arctic
Longyearbyen

North Spitsbergen Explorer - Versatile landscapes, sea ice & wildlife - Summer Solstice

calendar16 Jun 2025 - 23 Jun 2025
clock8 Days / 7 Nights
From $ 4.300 per person
North Spitsbergen, Arctic Summer - Summer Solstice - Nexta Expeditions
Arctic
Longyearbyen

North Spitsbergen, Arctic Summer - Summer Solstice

calendar18 Jun 2025 - 28 Jun 2025
clock11 Days / 10 Nights
From $ 5.350 per person
North Spitsbergen Explorer - Into the pack ice - Summer Solstice - Polar Bear Special - Nexta Expeditions
Arctic
Longyearbyen

North Spitsbergen Explorer - Into the pack ice - Summer Solstice - Polar Bear Special

calendar19 Jun 2025 - 26 Jun 2025
clock8 Days / 7 Nights
From $ 4.300 per person
North Spitsbergen Explorer - Versatile landscapes, sea ice & wildlife - Nexta Expeditions
Arctic
Longyearbyen

North Spitsbergen Explorer - Versatile landscapes, sea ice & wildlife

calendar23 Jun 2025 - 30 Jun 2025
clock8 Days / 7 Nights
From $ 4.300 per person
North Spitsbergen Explorer - Versatile landscapes, sea ice & wildlife - Nexta Expeditions
Arctic
Longyearbyen

North Spitsbergen Explorer - Versatile landscapes, sea ice & wildlife

calendar24 Jun 2025 - 01 Jul 2025
clock8 Days / 7 Nights
From $ 4.300 per person

Blog
go-leftgo-right

Polar Cuisine in Pictures - Nexta Expeditions
Blog

Polar Cuisine in Pictures

Embarking on a polar expedition cruise to some of the world's most remote and wild locations doesn’t mean you have to compromise on fine dining.
Book Recommendations for Your Polar Cruise - Nexta Expeditions
Blog

Book Recommendations for Your Polar Cruise

Though books can't replace the experience of visiting the polar regions, they make excellent companions for your journey. We reached out to our social media followers, many of whom are past or future travelers, to gather their recommendations for polar-related books. The results were impressive, and we've compiled them below in no particular order.
8 Whales You Might See During Your Antarctica Cruise - Nexta Expeditions
Blog

8 Whales You Might See During Your Antarctica Cruise

They're powerful, beautiful, and really, really big. Whales are a wonder of the natural world, and one of the best places to see them is Antarctica. In fact, whale watching is one of the most popular and rewarding activities you can enjoy on an Antarctic trip.
12 Things to Do in Antarctica - Nexta Expeditions
Blog

12 Things to Do in Antarctica

Traveling to Antarctica is unlike traveling to any other place on Earth.
10 Common Misconceptions About the Arctic - Nexta Expeditions
Blog

10 Common Misconceptions About the Arctic

The Arctic is a vast region. Truly immense.
Northeast Greenland National Park - Nexta Expeditions
Blog

Northeast Greenland National Park

Northeast Greenland National Park is the world’s largest national park and the ninth largest protected area on Earth. It should come as little surprise, then, that it’s also bigger than most countries, covering an impressive 972,000 square km (375,300 square miles).
Six Facts About the Crabeater Seals of Antarctica - Nexta Expeditions
Blog

Six Facts About the Crabeater Seals of Antarctica

Antarctic fur seals, leopard seals, Weddell seals, Ross seals, southern elephant seals... The many seal species of Antarctica all have names that are in some way explained by their appearance or primary region of distribution.
Large and in Charge: Antarctica’s Southern Elephant Seals - Nexta Expeditions
Blog

Large and in Charge: Antarctica’s Southern Elephant Seals

Southern elephant seals are the largest species of seal on the planet and a highlight among Antarctica cruise wildlife.
A Diving Dream Fulfilled - Nexta Expeditions
Blog

A Diving Dream Fulfilled

Last January, Mark Hatter achieved a dream he’d been training for over two years. Booking his berth aboard the m/v Ortelius and making the long flight to Ushuaia, Argentina, he and two of his friends sailed down the famous Drake Passage, bound for Earth’s southernmost continent. But their Antarctica trip was not just about shoreline walks and photographing penguins.
Five Birds You Might See on Your Greenland Cruise - Nexta Expeditions
Blog

Five Birds You Might See on Your Greenland Cruise

A Greenland expedition cruise offers birdwatchers a unique opportunity to capture stunning avian photographs. With over 230 bird species, Greenland boasts both spectacular landscapes and diverse winged wildlife.
Deception Island deceptively active - Nexta Expeditions
Blog

Deception Island deceptively active

In Antarctica, the South Shetland archipelago is home to Deception Island, a volcanic-rounded island that is 15 km in diameter with a shield volcano. The volcano is mainly basalt-andesite and was one of the first parts of Antarctica to be discovered, probably around 1820 by UK and USA sealers.
The first race to the South Pole in 50 years - Nexta Expeditions
Blog

The first race to the South Pole in 50 years

Before the South Pole could be reached, the question was what exactly lay at the southern ends of Earth. The concept of Terra Australis Incognita, an unknown continent, was first introduced by Aristotle, who reasoned that a southern landmass must exist to ‘balance’ the known lands in the northern hemisphere.
Greenland's History: When Vikings Ruled the Ice Age - Nexta Expeditions
Blog

Greenland's History: When Vikings Ruled the Ice Age

A Greenland cruise offers a journey into a rich history filled with intriguing details that captivate polar expedition enthusiasts. Among the most fascinating historical aspects is the fact that Vikings once ruled this land. Anthropologists and climate scientists have long studied Greenland to pinpoint when and why the Vikings left. Recent findings have shed new light on this historical culture.
The World Is Changing for Greenland's Native Inuit People - Nexta Expeditions
Blog

The World Is Changing for Greenland's Native Inuit People

You may know them as Eskimos, but the people of the Arctic are officially called the Inuit. Historically, they were hunters in the truest sense. For hundreds of years, they survived the world’s harshest conditions, living off their prey of whales, seals, polar bears, musk oxen, birds, fish, and reindeer. This has always been their way of life.
Polar Amore: 14 Wildlife Pics to Warm up Your Valentine’s Day - Nexta Expeditions
Blog

Polar Amore: 14 Wildlife Pics to Warm up Your Valentine’s Day

You may know them as Eskimos, but the people of the Arctic are officially called the Inuit. Historically, they were hunters in the truest sense. For hundreds of years, they survived the world’s harshest conditions, living off their prey of whales, seals, polar bears, musk oxen, birds, fish, and reindeer. This has always been their way of life.
10 Tips for Photographing the Northern Lights - Nexta Expeditions
Blog

10 Tips for Photographing the Northern Lights

The northern lights, also known as the aurora borealis, offer some of the most breathtaking photographic opportunities in the Arctic. However, capturing this stunning phenomenon requires more than just luck. To take your best northern lights photos, it's helpful to understand some key aspects of aurora-specific photography.
Seven Tips to Get the Most out of Your Expedition Cruise - Nexta Expeditions
Blog

Seven Tips to Get the Most out of Your Expedition Cruise

Polar cruises are easy to enjoy, but there’s an art to getting the most out of them.
Polar bear encounter in Spitsbergen - Nexta Expeditions
Blog

Polar bear encounter in Spitsbergen

I watch the sea ice from the bridge of a ship in one of the fjords of Spitsbergen, an archipelago north of Norway. I observe a perfectly adapted animal moving on the ice, the results of hundreds of thousands of years of ecological fine-tuning. Snowshoe-sized paws distribute weight, fur handles the cold and sunlight to perfection, and an incredible sense of smell samples this monochromatic realm.
The First Buildings in Antarctica: Borchgrevink’s Historic Huts - Nexta Expeditions
Blog

The First Buildings in Antarctica: Borchgrevink’s Historic Huts

Borchgrevink’s huts at Cape Adare hold a significant place in Antarctic history, being the first structures ever built on the continent.
The Wildlife of Antarctica’s Seas and Skies - Nexta Expeditions
Blog

The Wildlife of Antarctica’s Seas and Skies

Antarctica is one of the most pristine environments on Earth, home to whales, penguins, seals, and birds, providing nature lovers with a treasure trove of wildlife memories to take back home.