Heading towards the famous “polar bear sign” on Longyearbyen’s eastern edge, you’ll pass two dog yards. The first, owned by Svalbard Villmarksenter, offers year-round dog sledding tours and overnight stays in “Tommy’s Lodge.” Next to it is the city dog yard, where locals have private sled dog teams for personal use.
The dog yards double as nesting sites for seabirds during summer, benefitting from shed dog fur as nesting material. This symbiotic relationship also protects birds from foxes, who typically avoid dog yards.
Locals support nesting birds with “Duck cabins,” raised wooden shelters offering protection and enabling earlier breeding compared to lower tundra nests.
