#ARCTIC. #SIBERIA. THIS IS TAIMYR. In honor of World Protection of Marine Creatures Day, the Taimyr Reserves directorate has published a report on the results of the expedition in the territory and water area of the Taimyr reserve on the study of the Laptev walrus.
The study of walruses on the Arctic section of the Taimyr reserve was carried out in September 2022. The event was organized by the World Nature Fund together with the RAS Ecology and Evolution Problems Institute after A.N. Severtsov and FSBI Taimyr Reserves. Scientists examined not only the reserve’s area, but also the Taimyr east coast adjacent territory, as well as the adjacent area of the Laptev sea and a number of islands.
“The walruses’ rookeries were found in traditional places of occurrence. As a result of a quadrocopter scooting, 58 walruses were taken into account on one of the rookeries on the reserve territory. On land – 49 individuals, in water – 9. Also, one white bear was seen near the rookery”, the scientists said in a statement.
In the studies, modern technologies for installing radio beacons, tested tools of biothelometry, as well as non-invasive methods for selecting biological samples, were used, which affected the animals least. Using a crossbow and arrows with tips to take a biopsy remotely, the specialists selected samples of the skin and subcutaneous fat in 17 walruses.
In addition, the specialists installed five satellite transmitters of the harpoon type working in the Argos system. The transmitters showed that during the month none of the marked animals left the Laptev sea water area. In the limited period, animals used coastal territories, and then moved to ice.
Earlier, scientists of the Russian Sciences Academy’s Animals Systemizing and Ecology Institute with the support of Nornickel, collected materials to assess the biological diversity and monitor the state of the sea birds and mammals’ population on the Northern Sea Route.
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Text: Marina Horoshevskaya, photo: Dmitry Ryabov, WWF Russia
