Researchers counted more than 150 polar bears on the territory of the Bear Islands Nature Reserve in Yakutia using long-range unmanned aerial vehicles.
The exact number of individuals and distribution of polar bear populations in the reserve will be determined after processing the collected material, which will also allow for a preliminary assessment of the accumulated environmental damage, the press center of the Ministry of Natural Resources of Russia reported.
After processing the information, it is planned to create an interactive map of the reserve and develop a five-year program for regular monitoring of territories using UAVs to monitor the dynamics of polar bear populations and the consequences of anthropogenic impact.
"The registration of animals on the territory of the Arctic reserve "Bear Islands" is an important stage of the census of red–book polar bears. In winter, scientists counted 864 predators on Wrangel Island. It is also planned to determine the population size in the area of Herald Island and the Wrangel Sea area. These data will allow us to understand how many polar bears live in the Russian Arctic and plan measures to protect them," commented Alexander Kozlov, head of the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment.
Four polar bear subpopulations – Barents Sea, Kara, Laptev and Chukchi-Alaskan - live in the Russian Arctic and adjacent areas. But current data on their numbers and condition are currently unavailable due to the large extent of the Arctic zone.
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