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Tusk force! Russian scientists complete two-week study of walrus rookery on northern cape

Tusk force! Russian scientists complete two-week study of walrus rookery on northern cape

"Russian scientists have wrapped up their autumn expedition to monitor Atlantic walrus rookeries at Cape Tiutey-Sale in the Yamalo-Nenets Autonomous District. The two-week mission ran from September 22 to October 6, focusing on population dynamics and environmental pressures on the Arctic species. Footage shows dozens of walruses packed closely together along the shore, with a lone polar bear seen wandering nearby. According to Alexander Sokolov, head of the Arctic Ecosystem Dynamics Laboratory at the Institute of Plant and Animal Ecology of the Ural Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, the walrus population in Yamal continues to expand. "This year, we once again confirmed that Yamal's walruses are actively reproducing. There is a large proportion of young animals here, so we hope they have a bright future ahead of them," Sokolov said. He cautioned, however, that both polar bears and unauthorised human visitors still pose risks to the rookery. "We must express our gratitude to the Ecology Department for establishing checkpoints, assigning inspectors, and installing information signs. I believe we'll gradually bring order here," he added. The walrus rookery in northern Yamal was first discovered in 2019 and has been under continuous observation ever since. To safeguard the growing colony, the Tiuetei-Yakhinsky Nature Reserve was established in 2023. Each year, researchers from the Arctic Research Station and the Marine Mammals Centre conduct fieldwork in the area, tracking population numbers, age composition, and behavioural patterns to monitor the overall health of the species."