The official portal "Wild Nature of Russia" reported that specialists from the Directorate of Biological Resources, Specially Protected Natural Areas and Natural Parks of the Ministry of Natural Resources of the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia), together with the Nizhnekolymsky Environmental Inspectorate with the support of Russian business, conducted an expedition in the Kolymsky Bay. Their goal was to collect information about the maternity dens of polar bears.
This data allows scientists to assess the breeding success of the rare predator and protect the territory from potential poachers.
For two weeks, scientists surveyed coastal areas in the northwestern part of the Kolymsky Bay of the East Siberian Sea. The routes passed through a poorly studied territory, about which there is practically no information about the presence of polar bear maternity dens. In total, the scientists covered 900 km on snowmobiles.
As a result, three dens were discovered. Based on the tracks of bears and cubs, the specialists found that there are at least six dens in this area. The expedition showed the importance of the Kolymsky District for polar bear breeding. Scientists plan to conduct monitoring work in this zone every year.