The next Heta-Khatanga expedition to monitor the wild reindeer population has started in Taimyr. Over the past few years, specialists from Taimyr Reserves have been doing this in animal habitats.
This is a large and complex work, an important part of which is marking the reindeer with satellite collars. At the Taimyr Nature Reserves Directory website, Leonid Kolpashchikov, the Doctor of Biology, told about the deer monitoring history in Taimyr. The scientist noted that during the collapse of the fishing system since the beginning of the 90s, uncontrolled poaching has led to the fact that once the largest Taimyr population is on the verge of extinction.
The wild reindeer is an important biological resource that has biospheric, economic and social significance. Historically, the wild reindeer has been an essential element in the traditional nature management of the North.
“The uniqueness of the population lies in the fact that it is an integral part of the Central Siberia north protected territories ecosystems and in conditions of intensive human economic activity, it is fully preserved only in specially protected natural territories of Taimyr”, the scientist notes. Earlier, Leonid Kolpashchikov talked about the fact that the wild reindeer has a special physiology.
We recall that in the last year’s expedition Heta-Khatanga, scientists traced the spring migration of the reindeer over almost 300 km along the Heta river.
Text: Olga Polyanskaya, Photo: Taimyr Nature Reserves
