The polar bear is a predator listed in the Russian Red Data Book. Global warming and poaching have put the species at risk of extinction. Whereas impacting nature poses a tough challenge, curbing illegal hunting is quite a realistic task.

The Nenets Autonomous Area’s Prosecutor’s Office has taken a very serious approach to the problem. To better understand what kind of an animal they have been dealing with and how to protect it, they invited Viktor Nikiforov, coordinator of nature protection projects at the Marine Mammals research and expedition centre, to Naryan-Mar.  

On 30 June, the polar bear expert gave law enforcement officers of the region two lectures – The Practice of Fighting Illegal Polar Bear Hunting in Russia in 2000-2016 and Safety Measures When Encountering a Polar Bear.

“Comparing law enforcement agencies’ performance across the Arctic regions, the Nenets Autonomous Area has achieved the best results in the fight against polar bear poaching,” commented Viktor Nikiforov.