Conservation of Polar Bear:Implementation of the Agreement.

THE RUSSIAN FEDERATION

Meeting of the Parties to the Agreement on the Conservation of Polar Bear

Ilulissat, Greenland, 1 – 3 September, 2015

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Russian Arctic with Polar bear habitat covers about one-third of Arctic area. 4 subpopulations: Barents Sea, Kara Sea (in Russia – the one), Laptev Sea, Chukchi Sea – Alaska.Total number of Polar bears in Russia – between 6 and 10 thousand individuals, or about one-third the world population.

MAIN THREATS

Climate change

Mineral and energy resources exploration and development(infrastructure creation, sheeping, oil pollution, disturbance)

Poaching

photo: youmaker.com 3

CLIMATE CHANGE

Warming in the Russian Arctic was 1.29°С over the last 100 years,

whereas global warming for the same period was 0.74°С. Winter warming higher than summer warming

Changes in sea ice coverage – habitat degradation, decreasing prey availability, increasing the swimming distance, temperature changes in dens

Changes in ocean watercomposition (acidification),invasive species, new diseases

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MINERAL AND ENERGY RESOURCES EXPLORATION AND DEVELOPMENT

Federal programs “Basic Principles of State Policy of the Russian Federation in the Arctic until 2020 and for future prospect” and “The World Ocean” (Subprogram “Development and Management of the Arctic”)

Oil and gas extraction activities in the Barents Sea, Gulf of Ob and Taz Bay of the Kara Sea, Yamal Peninsula, and other Arctic seas of Russia

Intensified use of the Northern Sea Route

Sea water pollution with petroleum products, sand, silt, solid water

There is not tested system for oil spill response in ice conditions

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POACHING

Until 2010 - no accurate data on the exact number of illegally taken Polar

bears in the Russian Arctic, but this number is significant

The most significant poaching hotspots - Chukotka and Western Taymyr

Since 2010 poaching takes place but it is limited to individual cases

Legal harvesting in Russia may be opened for Indigenous people in Chukotka

photo: S. Belikov

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TAKEN MEASURES

1. Strengthening legislation

- Amendments on liability for endangered species poaching and trade were approved by the Federal Government (the Federal Law “On Fauna” and the Criminal Code of the RF)

- The List of the most valuable wildlife and aquatic biological resources related to the species listed in the Red Data Book of the RF and protected by international agreements (including Polar bear) was approved

- Penalty amount for illegal hunting on Polar bear increasedto 1.1 mln. Rubles

2. Controlling poaching- according to official data, the number of illegally taken Polar bears was one order less

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TAKEN MEASURES

3. Engagement of local and Indigenous communities& reducing human-wildlife conflicts

There is positive experience of the use of traditional ecological knowledge in the study and conservation of Polar bears. First Bear Patrol was created in Chukotka in 2006 on the initiative of WWF-Russia, and currently Bear Patrol network established in different parts of the Russian Arctic.

Network of Bear Patrols in the Russian Arctic:

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TAKEN MEASURES

4. Habitat conservation and management

Protected Areas System includes: 4 State Nature Reserves 4 National Parks 5 federal Refuges 3 regional Refuges 7 other regional PAs

23 PAs with total area 31 082 644 ha, including 6 125 844 ha - marine area

Since 2013:3 National Parkswith total area 2 516 668 ha, including 321 000 ha - marine area

photo: S. Belikov

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TAKEN MEASURES5. Monitoring and Scientific Research

Photo: S. Belikov

Photo: S. BelikovPhoto: S. Belikov

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TAKEN MEASURES

2 big commercial companies ROSNEFT and GAZPROMsupported Polar bear survey and conservation in the BarentsSea, Kara Sea, Laptev Sea, East Siberian Sea, Chukchi Seain 2013 - 2015 and provided resources for that

7. Engaging Industry companies in Polar Bear conservation

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TAKEN MEASURES6. Awareness Raising and Education

Leaflets on the behavior of Polar bearInstructions on the rules of human behavior in case of Polar bear encounter, aimed at minimizing human-bear conflicts

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TAKEN MEASURES

8. Bilateral cooperation

U.S.-Russia Polar Bear CommissionThe Commission is responsible for implementation of the Agreement between US Government and Russian Government on the conservation and management of the Alaska-Chukotka Polar bearpopulation

Memorandum of Understanding between the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment of the Russian Federation and the Royal Norwegian Ministry of Climate and Environment on cooperation on monitoring of Polar Bears in the Barents Sea region is signed in February 2015.

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THANK YOU!