Kaktovik wants to start polar bear tours again with new rules

Apr 24, 2026, 09:42

Introduction

Kaktovik is a small village in Alaska. It is the only town in a big wildlife area. The village stopped polar bear tours because of COVID-19 and a government stop on boat tours. Now leaders want to start the tours again by 2027. They need new rules to protect the bears and the community''s way of life.

Main Body

Each summer, polar bears come near Kaktovik. They eat whale meat left by hunters. Before the pandemic, many tourists came to see the bears. The tours started in the 1980s. Anyone with a boat could take tourists. In 2008, the government said polar bears are in danger because of warming. More tourists came. The government then asked tour operators to have permits and insurance. This made it hard for local guides. Big companies from other cities took tourists. The village hotels and restaurants lost money. Tourists sometimes walked on private land. Locals could not get plane seats for medical visits. In 2020, the village stopped tours because of COVID. In 2021, the government stopped boat tours to protect bears and the community. Now leaders talk with the government about new rules. They want to limit how long boats stay near bears. Bears became less afraid of people. The bear patrol had to kill more bears. In 2023, a bear killed a person in another town. Since boat tours stopped, bears are more careful again. The tour season is also whaling season. Tourists can watch but some took photos without asking. That is not respectful. A tourism expert says Kaktovik should offer two- or three-day visits with cultural learning. Some tourists from Australia said the boat tour was the best part.

Conclusion

The tours can start again only if leaders and the government agree on rules. The rules must help the economy and protect the culture and bears.

Vocabulary Learning

bear
A large, strong wild animal with thick fur.熊
Example:Polar bears come near the village in summer.
protect
To keep someone or something safe from harm.保護
Example:New rules will help protect the bears.
rules
Instructions that tell you what you can or cannot do.規則；規定
Example:The village wants new rules for the tours.
tour
A trip to visit interesting places.旅遊；觀光
Example:Many tourists came to see the bears on boat tours.
village
A small town in the countryside.鄉村；小村莊
Example:Kaktovik is a small village in Alaska.

Sentence Learning

Kaktovik is a small village in Alaska.
This sentence uses the present simple tense with the verb 'is' to describe a fact about Kaktovik.本句使用現在簡單式，動詞為 'is'，用以描述關於 Kaktovik 的事實。
The tours started in the 1980s.
This sentence uses the past simple tense to talk about when the tours began. 'Started' is the past form of 'start'.本句使用過去簡單式，談論旅遊活動開始的時間。'Started' 是 'start' 的過去式。
In 2020, the village stopped tours because of COVID.
This sentence uses the past simple tense to describe an action in the past. 'Because of' shows the reason.本句使用過去簡單式描述過去的動作。'Because of' 表示原因。
Bears became less afraid of people.
This sentence uses the past simple tense with 'became' (past of 'become') to describe a change. 'Less afraid' means not as scared.本句使用過去簡單式，動詞 'became'（'become' 的過去式）描述變化。'Less afraid' 意為不那麼害怕。
The tours can start again only if leaders and the government agree on rules.
This sentence uses the modal verb 'can' to show possibility, and 'only if' to show a condition.本句使用情態動詞 'can' 表示可能性，並用 'only if' 表示條件。