Polar bear census will be held on Wrangel Island

The research project will make it possible to monitor the polar bear, clarify its numbers and assess the state of the group of the largest land-based predator on the island.

The press service of the Ministry of Natural Resources reported that the "White Bear Census" is being implemented as part of the federal project "Conservation of biological diversity and development of ecological tourism."

The first stage of the expedition will last about a month. As part of it, scientists will test a new method of counting polar bears using unmanned aerial vehicles and compare the results with data obtained using small aircraft and a visual ground method.

Subsequently, in case of successful testing, drones can be used to account for the number of other populations of this predator in the Arctic zone of Russia.

The census is also expected to measure the effectiveness of polar bear conservation on Wrangel Island. Specialists will update data on the distribution of polar bear food items and collect information on cases of eating dead and living animals on the island by bears.

During the expedition, scientists will also take samples of water, soil and vegetation in order to assess what changes are taking place on the territory of the reserve due to climate change in the Arctic.

In addition, it is planned to count other representatives of the Arctic fauna - musk oxen, walrus and wolverine.