Walruses and polar bears. Cape Shmidt.

In 2019, field studies of marine mammals were continued in the area of ​​Cape Schmidt on the coast of the Chukchi Sea. The work was supported by the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) in collaboration with the Beringia National Park and the research department of bioresources of inland water bodies and waters adjacent to the Chukotka Autonomous Region, TINRO-Center.

In recent years the area of ​​Cape Schmidt has become the scene of growing conflict between the economic development of the Arctic and the conservation of its wildlife. The coast in the area of ​​Cape Schmidt is the only point where vessels could approach for discharge in the 20th century, and this also served to the development of settlements here. However, due to the annual loss of ice on the Chukchi Sea, this cape became one of the main places of concentration of walruses and polar bears. Having lost their usual habitats on the ice, walruses since 2007 have been arranging rookery at the cape, which protects them from the northern winds. Neighborhood with the village leads to a high mortality rate of walruses and willingly attracts polar bears, since they have no other source of food at this time.

In 2019, field studies at Cape Schmidt were being conducted for 3 months. The abundance and distribution of walruses and polar bears were estimated. Particular attention was paid to the calculation and inspection of dead walruses, as well as the determination of natural and anthropogenic disturbance factors affecting both walruses and polar bears. Collection of information about the conflicts between polar bears and the inhabitants of the village of Ryrkaipiy, was also important, since the end houses were located only 100-150 meters from the border of the coastal rookery, where predators were constantly moving around.

The observations were completed in mid-November, when coastal waters began to freeze, walruses migrated to the Bering Strait, and polar bears began to disperse on the newly formed ice. But in 2 weeks after the end of the observations, a new wave of predators approached the cape on young ice, and a week later there were more than 70 bears there. Residents of the village of Ryrkaipiy avoided tragic accidents; however, they experienced great psychological stress. The government of the Chukotka Autonomous Okrug is looking for a solution to the problem, and we hope that the results of our research will help to find a way out of this situation in which neither people nor animals will suffer.

Kochnev A.A., Ph.D. Senior Researcher of the Laboratory of mammals’ ecology IBPN FEB RAS

IBPN FEB RAS took part in the Arctic Forum

Institute of Biological Problems of the North, on the delegation from the Magadan Region, took part in the IX Forum “Arctic: Present and Future”, held in St. Petersburg on December 5-6, 2019; it ran with the initiative to create the Chersky National Park.

Within the panel discussion “Development of a system of specially protected natural territories in the Arctic zone of the Russian Federation”, E.V. Khamenkova, candidate of biological sciences, Academic secretary of the Institute, made a report “Cherskiy National Park as a component of the development of the Arctic territories”. Elena Khamenkova informed that IBPN FEB RAS is initiating the organization of the Cherskiy National Park - a specially protected natural territory of federal significance. The park includes two clusters: Jack London Lake (Yagodninsky and Tenkinsky Districts) and Omulevsky Park (Susumansky District). The National Park will be not only the hallmark of the Kolyma and the entire North-East of Russia, but will also create a new vector for the development of the region, based on the strengthening of scientific, educational and tourist activities.

The report received a positive assessment; it was decided to include the initiative to create the Chersky National Park in the resolution of the Forum “Arctic: Present and Future”.

Видео: Бережной М.И. и Андреев А.В.

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A monograph by D.I. Berman and A.N. Leirich "Wintering and cold tolerance of invertebrates in Northeast Asia” is published now!

Contrary to the almost unanimous views of European zoologists about the scarcity of the invertebrate fauna in permafrost regions, the latter is neither poor nor distorted in the Antarctic. Of course, with distance from Western Europe, its diversity decreases by several times, however, in the northeast of Asia there are almost 20 species of ants, which is not quite a few. The same thing is with the most part of beetle families and a number of other invertebrate groups.

How do northern populations of widespread invertebrate species manage both to live, and, judging by the number of animals, to prosper in this terribly cold permafrost region of the Subarctic with very moderate snow cover? This is the main subject of the manuscript of two Doctors of biological sciences - D.I. Berman and A.N. Leirich, “Wintering and cold tolerance of invertebrates in northeast Asia” (KMK publishing house, 314 pages, in color, on coated paper, well-illustrated).

The book describes the winter subniveal life of 65 mass species of invertebrate animals: click beetles, acridoids, coccids, ants, millipedes, terrestrial mollusks, earthworms, amphipods. The temperature conditions of habitation are considered, wintering stages, their cold resistance and the limits of its manifestation are determined. The chemical mechanisms of cold protection are described, which ensure the tolerance to negative temperatures.

The synthesis of the results of the long-term research has allowed us to formulate ideas about adaptive invertebrate strategies with respect to freezing temperatures and their potential, as well as to assess the role of cold resistance in the biotopic and geographical distribution, and in general - in the faunogenesis of the considered animals in permafrost regions.

In addition to academic interest, the book is valuable as a basis for predicting changes in the northern boundaries of the ranges of soil animals in the current changing climate.

One can order the book at: http://avtor-kmk.ru/main_nature.htm