The number of bird species in the "Russian Arctic" has increased

Over the past 10 years, the list of avifauna has increased by 11 species in the southern cluster of the Russian Arctic National Park (the northern part of the Severny Island of the Novaya Zemlya archipelago, the Greater and Lesser Oransky Islands, and a number of others), the Russian Ministry of Natural Resources reports on its website.

So, white-billed loon, mute, pintail, mallard, big merganser, buzzard, slender-billed murre, gray crow, barn swallow, chiffchaff, meadow chasing have been recorded in this territory.

“Dynamics speaks of the adaptability and desire of species to spread to new territories. This is due, among other things, to climatic factors. For example, mallards can most often be observed in the reservoirs of large cities. Previously, it was found on Franz Josef Land, and now they have also been seen on Novaya Zemlya, ”said Ivan Mizin, deputy director of the Russian Arctic National Park, whose words are quoted in the message.

Species diversity in the national park is constantly monitored, and both unmanned aerial vehicles and automatic photo recorders are used to collect data.

“According to the scientists of the national park, at present, the species biological diversity of vertebrates in the western part of the Russian Arctic is stable in terms of numbers, but it is undergoing processes of change and adaptation to climate change,” the Russian Ministry of Natural Resources noted.