This year, many polar bear cubs were born on the Medvezhyi Islands; researchers have found numerous dens in the nature sanctuary.

“This spring, we found nine maternity dens and the tracks of at least 14 females that used this area to give birth to their cubs. This is 30-40 percent more than the average for the past 11 years of observation,” said Viktor Nikiforov, the research advisor of the expedition.

Research was conducted with assistance from rangers of the Yakutia Ministry of Environment. Every year, scientists cover about one thousand kilometres to determine the location and number of dens in one of the key areas where polar bears breed.

The results of the latest expedition confirm the importance of this area for the preservation of the polar bear in the Russian Arctic and the need to include the Medvezhyi Islands archipelago in the network of protected areas of federal importance, researchers say.

(Photo © Viktor Nikiforov)