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Scientists want reindeer protection to be the part of the Ecology national project

The reindeer population has shrunk dramatically in the coastal region of Pomorye.

8 December 2020

'Wild reindeer protection should be the part of the national Ecology agenda, otherwise, it may be impossible to reverse the downturn in reindeer population', Alexander Vorotnikov, Associate Professor of Public Administration and Public Policy at the Institute of Social Sciences of the Russian Academy of Economy and Public Service, expert council coordinator at the Project Office for the Development of the Arctic, told TASS.

As WWF statistics indicate, wild reindeer population is rapidly shrinking in the Russian Arctic. In the coastline region of Pomorye, for instance, the reindeer population has dropped 11 times over the past 30 years, to only 1,500 heads.

'Climate change causes dramatic changes in the habitat and feeding habits of northern reindeer. Industrial activity and rising incidence of illegal hunting further contribute to decimating the populations. The recently published research findings of several independent studies offer evidence of a continued decrease in reindeer populations, and the inability of the current birth rate to make up for the population loss. In view of those facts, the PORA expert centre believes that wild reindeer protection should be added to the specific programmes dedicated to promoting the population growth of endangered species as part of the national Ecology project', Vorotnikov said, adding that a petition to that effect on behalf of the expert community has been sent to the Ministry of Natural Resources and Ecology of Russia.

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