#ARCTIC. #SIBERIA. THIS IS TAIMYR. In the Russian ecological calendar, February 17 is celebrated as the Day of the Wild Northern Reindeer. These remarkable animals, which coexisted with mammoths, survived the Ice Age and have adapted to the harsh conditions of the Far North, gaining incredible features from nature.
For instance, they can see in the ultraviolet spectrum, which helps them find food beneath the snow and detect danger in the dark. Wild northern reindeer calves can stand on their feet just 30 minutes after they are born, are ready to set off on their journey within a few hours, and can swim across a small river within a week. Remarkably, their antlers begin to develop just a couple of weeks after birth.
Last year, ecologists from the Siberian Federal University documented a stunning case of endurance in adult reindeer while studying these Arctic animals. During an expedition along the western Taimyr peninsula, scientists observed a male reindeer swimming over 12 kilometers without taking a break or coming ashore. Previously, experts believed that the maximum distance for these animals was 10 kilometers.
In Russia, wild northern reindeer inhabit areas from Karelia to Chukotka, with some species listed in the Red Book. In the ecosystems of Taimyr and Evenkia, these animals are a key species and a unique biological resource. The population of wild reindeer on our peninsula is closely monitored by the Unified Directorate of Taimyr Reserves, with support from specialists at the Federal Scientific Research Center for Hunting Management Development and the Ministry of Natural Resources of the Krasnoyarsk region.
They conduct aerial surveys of these animals and use satellite collars to track reindeer, which helps determine the current population and predict trends in population changes.
Currently, the Taimyr reindeer population is estimated to be around 140 000 individuals.
Data collected from these scientific research expeditions will be used in the state program aimed at preserving the wild Taimyr herd.
Earlier, This Is Taimyr reported on how musk oxen had settled in Taimyr and what Norilsk scientists know about their genetics.
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Text: Larisa Fedishina, Photo: Denis Kozhevnikov
