Johan (38) killed by a polar bear – here the bear struck – VG

Dutch citizen Johan Jacobus Kootte (38) was killed by a polar bear in the camp on the outskirts of Longyearbyen on Friday night.

He was lying in his tent when he was attacked by the bear, and the Governor’s police were notified of the incident at 03.50. Kootte was the general manager of the Longyearbyen camp, according to NRK.

The bear was shot on the spot and later found dead in the airport parking lot.

Andreas Umbreit is a former owner of the campsite, and has used it frequently since 1986. He was well acquainted with the deceased and several of the people who witnessed the incident.

– He was an extremely sociable person. It’s a real shame, says Umbreit.

Point to an area in the plaza where Kootte’s store was supposed to have been, and a few feet away point to where the person who shot the bear had a space for the store.

– It is not possible to secure a place against polar bears, unless a wall is built, and we are not imprisoned here, says Umbreit.

Should install fence

At the camp, there are usually two guard dogs at night.

– But the dogs didn’t warn. They may not have realized it because the bear may have appeared hidden behind the embankment, which is the least expected path.

Umbreit says there are usually a lot more on the site besides the crown, and that it helps increase security as well.

– What is particularly sad is that the owner had bought many poles that were to be installed as an electric fence, as an additional measure of protection against polar bears. But you didn’t get that far because of the crown, he says, pointing to a large pile of posts outside the house.

The fence was not imposed in any way, but must be an attempt to keep the bear away.

The owner of the campsite, Michelle van Dijk, has been friends with the late Kootte for fifteen years. She is in Holland during the day and was surprised when she received the message.

– This is very sad. I just spoke to her mother, who of course is very desperate, she told Svalbardposten on Friday.

– If it hadn’t been for the crown, I probably would have camped there next to him.

She describes him as a very sociable and friendly man.

– Everyone who knew him fell in love with him immediately. It was easy to please, says the owner of the campsite.

– Has changed

According to Umbreit, there have been no polar bears at the camp in season since it opened in 1976.

– There may be five cases in which the bear was on his way to the square, but turned around when he saw people.

But this has changed, says the previous owner, who is concerned about development.

– When I started here, the bears were very restrained, but now the situation has changed. Among other things, due to climate change, we have many more bears here now than before. They have more contact with people and thus perhaps become more used to us, which in turn leads to potentially more conflict, he says, adding:

– This incident is reason to think about security measures here. We need to put this into practice and find solutions that allow for a combination of bears and humans.

– We have done what we are supposed to

On Friday night, it became clear that the polar bear had been identified as one of two polar bears seen in the area earlier this week – a three-year-old male bear.

Assistant Governor Sølvi Elvedahl told VG that they have tried to keep the bear under observation and chase it away when it got too close.

– In my opinion, we have done what we are supposed to do. But we will never be sure that no bears will come to Longyearbyen. In a way, it’s a risk to be reckoned with here, Elvedahl says.

She says the security conditions around the camp will be part of the investigation in the future.

Elvedahl believes the incident could be of concern to the people of Svalbard, who have not experienced a fatal polar bear attack since 2011.

– Can quickly become lethargic with a view to carrying weapons when leaving built-up areas. The law does not require that you must have a weapon, but from the Governor’s side, you must also have a weapon with you. But you should take the right scares with you, she says.

– It is quite clear that there were weapons in the area, with the way it was organized, it will be part of the investigation.