New education materials are collected for MOOC "Introduction to Arctic Environment" by SibFU scientists after the Arctic expedition
SibFU scientists have collected valuable data on resource potential, biological and cultural diversity of the Russian Arctic after the expedition. The information will be eventually used in the MOOC in the form of video-lectures, interviews, useful texts and photo galleries.
In particular, the education materials include the lecture «Reindeer: the main animal of the Arctic» conducted by Prof. Aleksandr Savchenko, Head of the Department of Hunting Resource Studies and Reserve Management and Studies of the SibFU School of Ecology and Geography where he describes the measures that are to be taken to save the reindeer from extinction as well as the research activities of SibFU scientists implied to mitigate the issue. During the lecture, Prof. Savchenko demonstrates the examples of research results shown in the project «Evenk deer» that refers to route tracking of deer marked with satellite - tagged collars.
Aleksandr Savchenko commented on the results of the Arctic expedition: «Thanks to the data collected, we were able to define the location for the next spring expedition. It will be the interfluves area of Maymecha river and Gule river in the Krasnoyarsk territory. One of the goals of the expedition was to identify the deer population well-being: we needed to correlate the satellite data with on-ground animals observations and records. We arranged twenty-four-hour observations with photo- and video recording of all the deer groups passing by in order to have documentary confirmation and population amount accuracy. Even though we still process the data collected, it is already evident that the population amount has been decreased. The researchers need to preserve the deer and convince locals to downsize the hunting limits otherwise they will lose the whole deer population. However, the scientists can only make recommendations whereas the resolution is to be taken by the Government of the Krasnoyarsk territory and the Russian Federation as a whole. At the same time, to accept the limits for hunting is not as easy as it seems. It may cause fresh meat shortage in Northern regions thus contributing to food culture depletion among the locals. It is serious and difficult decision that supposedly has to be made».