This will help to assess the scale of threats to the Red Book
animal and develop a detailed plan for its protection.
MOSCOW, July 30, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Starting from the
1-st of August, in the Arctic zone of the Russian Federation will be held test flight
counting of polar bears. The expedition is organized within the
framework of the project "Host of the Arctic", initiated by Federal
service for supervision of natural resources of the Russian Federation (Ministry of Natural
Resources and Environment) and International Environmental Fund
"Clean seas", with participation of "Arctic Initiatives"
Foundation.
During the project implementation it is planned to explore the
coastal areas from Yamal to Taimyr, to conduct trial flight
counting of polar bears and marine mammals, and to assess the
overall environmental situation in the Russian Arctic.
The immediate organizers of the project are: Svetlana Radionova,
Head of Federal service for supervision of natural resources;
Sergey Krikalev, Hero of the Soviet
Union, Hero of Russia,
Pilot-astronaut, President of the "Clean Seas" Foundation; Vasily
Bogoslovsky, General Director of the "Clean Seas" Foundation;
Andrei Patrushev, General Director
of the "Arctic Initiatives" Foundation; Vyacheslav Rozhnov,
Academician, Director of Severtsov Institute of Ecology and
Evolution; Valery Tokarev, Hero of
Russia, test-pilot, astronaut,
chief pilot of expedition.
According to the head of Federal service for supervision of
natural resources Svetlana Radionova, today there are several
threats to the polar bear, including poaching, global warming and
human economic activity.
The objectives of the project are:
- Estimate the size and spatial distribution of the polar
bear;
- Assess the role of natural and anthropogenic factors in the
dynamics of marine mammal populations;
- Study the parameters of polar bear habitats and environmental
factors;
- Share the unique experience of counting animals and conducting
research with the international community; … etc.
The successful experience of the scientific research expedition
of waters of the Black Sea countries called «Flights with
dolphins», realized by the «Clean Seas» Foundation in 2019 will be
used in the organization of the arctic expedition.
The polar bear will be counted by amphibious L-8 and L-42
aircrafts, as well as by unmanned aerial vehicles. The flight crew
of the expedition will be commanded by Valery Tokarev. The total length of the
scientific expedition route will be more than 10,000 km.
"It just so happened that the polar bear - majestic and graceful
predator - needs our help. Then who, if not us, with the
available resources to study, support and protect the real Host of
the Arctic? That is why this expedition is not just a scientific
research event, but our duty to nature itself," concluded Vasily
Bogoslovsky.
International Environmental Fund «Clean Seas» unites people who
understand the ecological responsibility for the preservation of
the water environment of our Planet. It was founded in 2009 in
Moscow.
The Foundation's mission is to pay increased attention to
solving environmental safety and responsibility problems — one of
the main principles of a dynamically developing state.
Cleanseas.ru
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