Guide and expedition leader Michelle van Dijk bought the camping site on Spitsbergen in the town of Longyearbyen in 2007. Because of the corona outbreak, she is now in the Netherlands, but she was in contact with Job every day. He was on Spitsbergen, as a campsite manager he arranged everything there.
Job was attacked by a polar bear in his tent last night. He died of his injuries. At the time of the attack, according to Van Dijk, there were about six people on the campsite, mostly researchers.
Phone call from Norwegian police
Early this morning, the campsite owner heard the terrible news via a phone call from the Norwegian police. “The police told me that Job had been attacked by a polar bear. What exactly happened, the police could not tell yet. An investigation has started. I must also learn most from Norwegian media.”
“We were very surprised by this message. There are no words for it,” she told RTL News.
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About 3,000 people and 1,000 polar bears live on Spitsbergen. Job is the first fatality in nine years. Michelle herself conducts polar expeditions. She has been coming to Spitsbergen every summer for years and bought the campsite in 2007.
She says that for the past 44 years, as long as the campsite has existed, there has been no polar bear on the site. “This is another reason why I was so surprised by the news. The animals are mainly on the fjords. When polar bears come into civilization, they are chased away. Helicopters are also used for this,” says Michelle.
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‘Polar bears no longer afraid’
Polar bears in the Arctic have become increasingly dangerous in recent years. Polar researcher Maarten Loonen of the University of Groningen has noticed this during his annual polar expeditions.
He spends several months every year on Spitsbergen and comes across more polar bears year after year. This is not necessarily because the polar bear population has increased so much, but because the animals are less and less afraid of people and dare to get closer.
The problem is therefore getting worse every year and that is serious, Loonen explains. “At the place where I work, the problem has been increasing over the past four years. A colleague who does research in the wilderness noticed it ten years ago that they are getting closer. We are in a village, it took a while. but there we notice it now too. Polar bears are now trying to pass through the village, where they used to go around the village. “
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The owner has understood that the authorities had been targeting the polar bear in question for a few days. “Apparently the animal could strike. And if a polar bear attacks you, you have no chance. Job had also followed the local guide training and knew everything about polar bears. But they eat everything that lives, including people.”
Friendship
Van Dijk met Job sixteen years ago in The Hague. A beautiful friendship grew from the meeting. “We have always kept in touch.”
She describes Job as a very warm and loved person. “Everyone who knew him loved him. He loved nature and loved working with the campsite. We will miss him terribly.”
Michelle had a brief contact with his family today. “Everyone is affected. We all need time to process this grief.”
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