Words: Josie Collier

Santa, take the wheel. In the cold country near the North Pole, Norway has laws
restricting drivers from approaching polar bears in a manner that would scare or startle them. Willing to test your luck? Well, that might cost you a fine of more than $1,000. 

The unique law is spelled out in the Svalbard Environmental Protection Act, and states that humans should be no closer than 900 feet to a bear in the wintertime and keep over 1500 feet distance come summer. It may seem like a shocking use of legislative bandwidth, but considering that the polar bear population is expected to decrease 30% over the next three decades, the Norwegians are much justified in their extensive protection of the species.

Plus, lest we forget, these are polar bears we are talking about—apex predators that might not be the most cuddly neighbors on the block. In fact, there have been a few fatal encounters with Norway's bears in the not-so-distant past, including a deadly incident with a Dutch tourist in 2020. 

A stunning creature, perhaps the polar bear should be left unbothered—or that's Norway's stand at least. If you're planning on traveling to Scandinavia anytime soon, make sure you're equipped with a long lens for your camera—it might just save you a heap of change (and your backside).