Hungry Polar Bears Surround Arctic Group

Scientists researching changes in polar weather have been left trapped in their Russian base by at least five hungry polar bears looking for food.

The team at the north end of the island of Vaygach have put out an appeal to the Russian authorities asking for help.

They are only armed with a few flares and rubber bullets, as well as the usual tools required to survive on the Arctic tundra.

But the team, two female meteorologists and a mechanic, have been unable to scare off the bears and are now unable to go outside.

Normally they have to leave the Fyodorov weather station on the island twice a day to take measurements from the sea.

One of the team members said: "They sleep near the houses. Two of them move around together. The remaining one, he's aggressive. (He) recently grappled with them, fighting near our house.

"Yesterday one of the bears came near the house. Our mechanic fired a small rocket that is used by hunters to signal but the bear did not even seem scared.

"Using flares, he was able to drive it away, but it was close."

Russian WWF polar bear expert Victor Nikiforov said he visited the isolated team two weeks ago. Since then, no one has been able to reach them.

He said none of the trio has been provided with a gun and the area around the weather station is yet to be fenced off.

The problem also occurred last year and was photographed by another WWF representative who visited.

Mr Nikiforov said: "Those who live in the Arctic should be ready to meet a polar bear. But this group have no rifles or other means to scare the animals off, and the station is not fenced in.

"We brought the women several flare guns and rubber bullets, but the leaders of the Federal Service for Hydrometeorology and Environmental Monitoring should solve this safety issue."

The island where they are based has an average mid summer temperature of 5C but drops to -20C in winter and has a population of just 100 across its 3,300 sq km.

Scientists have noticed a gradual increase in the number of attacks on humans by polar bears in recent years as global warming has caused them to range further for food and the population has risen.

There have been several reported incidents of people being harassed by bears along Russia's Arctic coast in the last few weeks.

Several attacks have taken place on the Norwegian islands of Svalbard, including one on a group of British school children in 2011 when one boy died.