Christophe Courteau / Rusty barrels at the historical site of Virgohamna where, in 1897, the hydrogen balloon 'Omen' (the Eagle) sailed northward in a failed attempt to reach the north pole with 3 Swedish ballooners led by...

Christophe Courteau / Timber washed onto the shore by the strong arctic currents. There are no trees on Spitzbergen, all the wood comes from the Siberian Coast, Poolepynten, Spitzbergen, Svalbard, Norway, July 2011

Sylvain Cordier / RF - Polar Bear ( Ursus maritimus ) on bare rocks, Svalbard, Norway. (This image may be licensed either as rights managed or royalty free.)

Sylvain Cordier / Norway, Spitzbergern, Svalbard, Ny-Alesund, Reindeer (Rangifer tarandus), grazing in the tundra Svalbard, Norway.

Sylvain Cordier / Reindeer (Rangifer tarandus), grazing in the tundra Svalbard, Norway.

Sylvain Cordier / Brunnich's guillemot (Uria lomvia) five birds in flight Svalbard, Norway.

Sylvain Cordier / Brunnich's Guillemot (Uria lomvia) two in flight, Svalbard, Norway.

Sylvain Cordier / Bearded seal (Erignathus barbatus) hauled out on ice, Svalbard, Norway.

Sylvain Cordier / Bearded seal (Erignathus barbatus) hauled out on the ice, Svalbard, Norway.

Sylvain Cordier / Humpback whale (Megaptera novaeangliae) feeding at the surface, showing expandable throat grooves, Svalbard, Norway.

Sylvain Cordier / Ringed plover (Charadrius hiaticula) on the nest Svalbard, Norway.

Sylvain Cordier / Ringed plover (Charadrius hiaticula) on the nest Svalbard, Norway.

Loic Poidevin / Glacier with mountain beyond, Spitzberg, Svalbard, Norway, August 2014.

Loic Poidevin / Walrus (Odobenus rosmarus) male sleeping, Spitzberg, Svalbard, Norway, August.

Loic Poidevin / Monument of waste - made mainly from discarded fishing nets and other debris, washed up by the sea. Spitzberg, Svalbard, Norway, August 2014.

Loic Poidevin / Monument of waste - made mainly from discarded fishing nets and other debris, washed up from the sea. Spitzberg, Svalbard, Norway, August 2014.

Loic Poidevin / Bearded seal (Erignathus barbatus) hauled out on ice with boat beyond. Spitzberg, Svalbard, Norway, August 2014.

Loic Poidevin / Bearded seal (Erignathus barbatus) portrait. Spitzberg, Svalbard, Norway, August 2014.

Loic Poidevin / Bearded seal (Erignathus barbatus) hauled out on ice, Spitzberg, Svalbard, Norway, August 2014.

Loic Poidevin / Cruise boat in ice floes with glacier beyond. Svalbard, Spitzberg, Norway, August 2014.

Loic Poidevin / Fog along Spitzberg coastline, Svalbard, Norway, August 2014.

Loic Poidevin / Wooden cart used to transport seals outside hut of trapper. Spitzberg, Svalbard, Norway, August 2014.

Loic Poidevin / First snow on mountain peaks, Spitzberg, Svalbard, Norway, August 2014.

Loic Poidevin / Walrus (Odobenus rosmarus) males resting on beach. Spitzberg, Svalbard, Norway, August.

Loic Poidevin / Walrus (Odobenus rosmarus) males resting on beach. Spitzberg, Svalbard, Norway, August.

Loic Poidevin / Black-legged kittiwake (Rissa tridactyla) portrait. Spitzberg, Svalbard, Norway, August.

Loic Poidevin / Black-legged kittiwake (Rissa tridactyla) with beak wide open. Spitzberg, Svalbard, Norway, August.

Loic Poidevin / Bearded seal (Erignathus barbatus) resting on ice, Spitzberg, Svalbard, Norway, August.

Loic Poidevin / Svalbard reindeer (Rangifer tarandus platyrhynchus) portrait. Spitzberg, Svalbard, Norway, August.

Loic Poidevin / Svalbard reindeer (Rangifer tarandus platyrhynchus) walking. Spitzberg, Svalbard, Norway, August.

Christophe Courteau / Panoramic landscape of the face of the 14th of July Glacier, Spitzbergen, Svalbard, Norway, July 2011. Digital blend of images.

Christophe Courteau / Panoramic landscape of the northern coast of King's Bay and Blomstrand Glacier, Spitzbergen, Svalbard, Norway, July 2011. Digital blend of 29 images

Christophe Courteau / Panoramic landscape of Prince Karl's Island, Spitzbergen, Svalbard, Norway, July 2011

Christophe Courteau / Pieces of stone shattered by the ice and frost, Spitsbergen, Svalbard, Norway, July 2011

Christophe Courteau / Sign warning of danger of Polar bears, Ny-Alesund International Research village, Spitzbergen, Svalbard, Norway, July 2011 / Panneau d'avertissement de danger en raison de la presence possible d'o...

Christophe Courteau / Sign warning of ground nesting birds, Ny-Alesund International Research village, Spitzbergen, Svalbard, Norway, July 2011 / Panneau d'avertissement pour indiquer la nidification d'oiseaux dans le v...

Christophe Courteau / Coastal landscape with glacier, Madgalana's Bay, Spitzbergen, Svalbard, Norway, July 2011

Christophe Courteau / Torrent of cold water from a melting glacier, Trygghamna Fjord, Spitzbergen. Svalbard, Norway, July 2011 / Torrent provenant de la fonte d'un glacier

Christophe Courteau / Graves of two 17th century Whalers, Trygghamna Fjord, Spitzbergen, Svalbard, Norway, July 2011 / Tombes de baleiniers.

Christophe Courteau / Cliffs on the southern side of the Isfjord, near Longyearbyen Airport, Spitzbergen, Svalbard, Norway, July 2011 / Falaises

Christophe Courteau / Coastal landscape with low cloud, Spitzbergen, Svalbard, Norway, July 2011

Christophe Courteau / Spitzbergen reindeer {Rangifer tarandus platyrhynchus} female and calf, suckling, Svalbard, Norway, July. / Renne du Spitzberg

Christophe Courteau / Spitzbergen reindeer {Rangifer tarandus platyrhynchus} grazing, Svalbard, Norway, July. / Renne du Spitzberg

Christophe Courteau / Spitzbergen reindeer {Rangifer tarandus platyrhynchus} grazing, Svalbard, Norway, July. / Renne du Spitzberg

Christophe Courteau / Spitzbergen reindeer {Rangifer tarandus platyrhynchus} grazing, Svalbard, Norway, July. / Renne du Spitzberg

Christophe Courteau / Grey phalarope (Phalaropus fulicarius) on water, Spitsbergen, Svalbard, Norway.

Christophe Courteau / Leading edge of the Blomstrand Glacier as it enters King's Bay, Spitzbergen, Svalbard, Norway, July 2011.

Christophe Courteau / People in small boat in front of the leading edge of the Blomstrand Glacier as it enters King's Bay, Spitzbergen, Svalbard, Norway, July 2011.