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Severtsov Institute of Problems of Ecology and Evolution.(IPEE) RAS reported on its website the first results of field work on the study of the Baikal seal on the Ushkany Islands in Buryatia.
From July 24 to August 18, the Institute staff conducted 55 visual and photo surveys of the Baikal seal on the islands of Tonkiy, Dolgiy, and Krugly. For the first time, a visual and photo survey was carried out on the Big Ushkany Island.
The work was carried out with the support of the Lake Baikal Foundation and the Federal State Budgetary Institution "Zapovednoe Podlemorye".
From the employees of the reserve, scientists received information about the number of tourists who visited Tonkiy Island daily during the expedition. “The data obtained will subsequently be used to assess the impact of tourists on the behavior and number of Baikal seals,” the IPEE said.
In addition, during the expedition, scientists collected biological material from six individuals of the Baikal seal for further genetic and hormonal studies.
They also filmed a video of the behavior of seals on the haul-out on Tonkiy Island, with a total duration of more than 1600 minutes.
Specialists set up camera traps on the northern shores of Dolgiy and Krugly Islands, which are frequented by seals. Materials have been received from camera traps, previously installed by the staff of the "Reserved Podlemorie" on the northern coast of Tonky Island.
“In the future, all the data obtained will be used to assess the number, population dynamics and distribution of Baikal seals on the Ushkany Islands. Based on the data obtained, the factors affecting the number of seals in haulouts will be determined. Data from camera traps will further reveal the daily and seasonal dynamics of the number of Baikal seals on the islands, as well as obtain information on the use of seal haulouts in other seasons,” the institute said in a statement.
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