TASS, June 13, /TASS/. The population of gyrfalcons on bridges along the world's northernmost Ob-Kara railway line in the Yamalo-Nenets Autonomous Region tripled over eight years, Governor Dmitry Artyukhov posted on Telegram on Saturday.

"News from nests of our gyrfalcons along the Ob-Kara railway. Specialists of the Arctic [research] center [at the Institute of Plant and Animal Ecology of the Russian Academy of Sciences' Urals Branch] during a regular expedition counted a record of 30 adults. Chicks have appeared in 9 out of 12 nests, or will appear soon," the governor wrote. "Eight years ago, ornithologists found that the world's rarest species of falcon nests on our railway bridges. Since then, the population has tripled."

The birds have a good food supply and feel safe, as no industrial facilities disturb them, he added.

"The gyrfalcon population's growth demonstrates that the predator, located at the top of the Arctic food chains, lives in the ecosystem on the Yamal in good conditions. Major factors include first of all the growing numbers of partridges in recent years - they are gyrfalcon's main prey. In July, we plan to return to the railway line to take off the automatic cameras and take genetic samples," the regional press service quoted Alexander Sokolov, senior researcher at the Arctic research center, as saying.

The Ob-Kara railway line has offered unique conditions for the northbound progress of gyrfalcon's natural range, the scientist continued. The increase in the number of gyrfalcons and the successful breeding of offspring prove the railway is being operated competently and with care.

Gyrfalcon is the world's largest species of falcons. It is on the Russian Federation's Red Data Book. The Ob - Bovanenkovo - Kara railway line is the northernmost operating railway in the world. It is made of bridges not to disrupt the nomadic lifestyle of local indigenous peoples, in particular of reindeer herders.