Biologists at the Federal University of Siberia are conducting large-scale studies of the wild reindeer population of Taimyr-Evenk, including, among other things, the registration of individuals in aviation. The project is being implemented with support from Rosneft and the Arctic Research Center, the company's research institute, as part of the National Ecology Project.
Reindeer conservation program
The SFU expedition studies the migratory accumulations of reindeer on the Taimyr Peninsula & mdash; in the Byrranga Mountains separating the tundra from the Arctic Ocean. The challenge for researchers & mdash; determine the size of the group, as well as the sex and age composition of the herd. These data will help assess the state of the population, the dynamics of the birth rate this year, as well as the influence of various anthropogenic and natural factors on the reindeer population. In spring 2021, 18 animals were tagged with special collars fitted with satellite trackers. & Nbsp;
Today the number of the Taimyr-Evenk reindeer population is, according to various estimates, from 380 to 450,000 individuals. Among the main factors affecting the size of the population, scientists call climate change. The high temperatures, on the one hand, contribute to the 'greening' of the tundra, that is, the improvement of the forage base of the deer. On the other hand, herds are forced to alter migration paths and schedules, prematurely leaving tundra pastures to take refuge in the taiga area. Nevertheless, the proportion of young calves of the year born this year, according to preliminary data, is 18% -20%, which indicates a normal increase in the herd.
According to scientists at SibFU, at present there is a trend of increasing deer numbers, subject to the implementation of comprehensive programs for the conservation of this species. The researchers point out that not only does the balance of Arctic ecosystems depend on the future of this population, but also on sustaining the economic base and the traditional way of life of the indigenous peoples of the North.
< p> Rosneft; implements a corporate program for the study, conservation and monitoring of key species and mdash; bioindicators of the sustainability of arctic ecosystems: polar bears, Atlantic walruses, wild reindeer and ivory gulls (a rare subspecies of gulls listed in the Red Book of the Russian Federation), the state of their populations living in the arctic zone of Russia and their migration routes.
Caring for the environment & mdash; an integral part of Rosneft's corporate culture. The company sees its main task in the field of environmental protection in the efficient management and minimization of the impact of its production activities on the environment, preserving the environment. biological diversity in all regions of its presence.