Polar bear surprises 83-year-old woman in Jökulfjörður garden

An 83-year-old woman found herself in a surprising situation when a polar bear appeared in her yard in Jökulfjörður last weekend. Ásthildur Gunnarsdóttir, who spends her summers at her house in Höfðaströnd, reported not feeling afraid initially, stating, “He was very cute.”

On Thursday, while setting up a generator for her freezer, she stepped outside to avoid getting her feet wet. Peering out the window, Ásthildur saw a white figure approaching, initially considering it could be horses or a fox. When she recognized the bear, she wanted to confirm it was real, admitting, “I did not feel it was big, but very cute.”

After verifying her sighting, she quickly called emergency services but speculated they might not believe her due to poor cell reception in the area. Using Starlink, she contacted her daughter, asking her to also call for assistance to ensure authorities were informed.

While waiting for rescue personnel and a helicopter, Ásthildur took photos of the bear rummaging through debris outside her home. She noted how fortunate she was that she hadn’t taken longer to return indoors, reflecting on the potential danger if she had been outside when the bear arrived.

Authorities later shot the polar bear, and the police conducted an aerial search for more polar bears in the area, finding none. Although Ásthildur plans to return to Jökulfjörður next summer, she reassured that she isn’t worried about encountering another bear, stating confidently, “No, this won’t happen again, I’m sure of it.”