Drones in Russia to Count Wild Reindeer in Protected Wetlands
UAVs will help scientists work in the hard-to-reach boggy areas of the Vasyugan Nature Reserve.
Unmanned aerial vehicles will be used in the Vasyugan Nature Reserve to count wild reindeer listed in Russia’s Red Data Book. According to the regional Ministry of Natural Resources, drones will allow researchers to monitor animals in the difficult swamp terrain along the border between the Novosibirsk and Tomsk regions.
Genetic Analysis
In addition to counting animals, specialists will collect samples for genetic analysis of the population. The research will be carried out jointly with institutes of the Russian Academy of Sciences. Previous data indicate that the reindeer population in the reserve remains stable and healthy.
Scientists will also, for the first time, collect peat samples from the Great Vasyugan Bog, the largest wetland complex in the world. By analyzing these samples, researchers plan to reconstruct changes in vegetation over thousands of years. The work will be conducted in cooperation with the Institute of Monitoring of Climatic and Ecological Systems of the Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences.
