(no subject)

[nverland]

Interesting message from Perceval Press today:

Recently, a polar bear, having arrived in northern Iceland on ice that had broken away from the shores of Greenland, was killed by Icelandic law enforcement personnel. I was in that part of the country at the time, and was troubled by the haste with which this violent action was carried out. It was explained to me that it was a safety issue. However, I recall another Greenland polar bear being killed in Iceland in 1993, just off-shore. At that time, due to public outrage, government officials promised that in future they would ensure that stranded bears were tranquilised and relocated. Apparently no thorough efforts were made to plan for that sort of humane approach. On this recent visit to Iceland, I suggested to some of the friends I have there that their society ought to perhaps get ready with a workable plan as to what to do in the future because there would likely be a lot more polar bears drifting across from Greenland on chunks of ice. All of them said that it was very unlikely, that it only happens once every 10 or 15 years. Well, I have just heard that another one has shown up in Iceland in the last two days. I hope the government there will use more common sense and decency in handling this bear and all those bears who, due to the melting ice cap in Greenland, will be ending up in Iceland. It might not be a bad idea for British, Norwegian, Russian, Canadian, US, and Danish authorities to think this eventuality through as well, as refugees - be they people or bears - do not distinguish between borders and only want to be safe. As much importance should be given to the fate of these and other animals affected by climate change as is being given by the above-named countries to who owns the North Pole.
-Viggo Mortensen