The polar bear that brought Bergen’s harbour to a halt
A ship transfer in 1953 turned into an unlikely chase through the waters of Vågen.
In July 1953, three polar bears — a female and two cubs — passed through Bergen aboard the Lofoten. They were to be transferred to the Neptun, bound for Hamburg. During the operation at Skoltegrunnskaien, the female escaped from her wooden crate, frightened people on the quay and fell into the sea. She then began swimming into Vågen harbour.
Port workers and police followed by boat. According to the municipal archive, they managed to lasso her, tow her and return her to the crate. The operation took about two hours. Photographs captured the scene, and the University of Bergen holds images of the animal in the water. It is a surprising visual story, but also a glimpse of how wild animals were transported to zoos at the time.