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Satellite identification marks on Atlantic walrus body help study its migration routes

Scientists have for the first time proved a link between walrus species populating the Pechora Sea with their counterparts resting on beaches of the Oranskiye islands in the Novaya Zemlya archipelago

ARKHANGELSK , November 24. /TASS/. Satellite identification marks made on the bodies of Atlantic walrus species helped researchers thoroughly study their migration routes in the southern area of the Barents Sea, Coordinator of projects undertaken by the Commission for Marine Meteorology (CMM) Varvara Semyonova told TASS.

The researchers have for the first time proved a link between walrus species populating the Pechora Sea with their counterparts resting on beaches of the Oranskiye islands in the Novaya Zemlya archipelago. Earlier, it was presumed that walrus species living in the Pechora Sea were isolated from the main walrus population and had been staying in the Pechora Sea the year round.

The routes of the walrus migration were studied on the western sea coast of the Nenets autonomous district. Last summer ten satellite-controlled meters were fixed on the body of every walrus studied. The meters helped researchers find out walrus migration routes not only near the Prilazlomnaya oil prospecting platform, but also on the coast of Novaya Zemlya archipelago. The data obtained helped both establish the migration routes of the animals and develop measures for their protection, Semyonova said.

CMM jointly with the Russian branch of the World Wildlife Fund established Day of Walrus in 2008 which has been marked all over the Arctic coast on Monday.