Putin calls for protecting Arctic wildlife
SALEKHARD. Sept 25 (Interfax) - Russian President Vladimir Putin has asked Arctic states to pay attention to the conservation of rare wildlife species, including walruses.
Russia "will build up efforts for the conservation of regional wildlife species," Putin told an Arctic forum in Salekhard. He mentioned rare whale, dolphin and bird species among others.
"Much work is being done in order to study the main symbol of the Arctic, the polar bear. We are ready to take part in the creation of a unified system for monitoring the [polar bear] population which the Arctic Council is currently doing," the Russian president said.
"Walruses populating the Laptev Sea and northern waters of the Atlantic Ocean deserve at least equal attention. Their populations are shrinking and hopefully special research programs of these species that we intend to carry out will help stabilize [their population levels]," Putin noted.
In turn, Russian Geographic Society President, Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu said that the society, along with the Marine Mammal Council, would jointly "expand polar bear research projects."
"The Arctic ice shelf is shrinking and food sources are dwindling. Scientists must know how the bear might behave if the species is deprived of its customary conditions, help the animal and prevent its otherwise unavoidable confrontation with humans," Shoigu said.
He said they would focus on the Chukchi polar bear population, "which is the most vulnerable because it is so little studied."
The Russian Geographic Society head also promised further studies of white whales. "We already have a full picture of the life of white whales in the Sea of Okhotsk and we will now concentrate on the White Sea where white whales live in less comfortable conditions," the minister stressed.
The Russian Geographic Society and the Marine Mammal Council will elaborate recommendations for reducing the anthropogenic effects of tourism and shipping on Arctic wildlife, he said.
