ARKHANGELSK, July 15. /TASS/. Russian scientists will count ivory gulls in the Russian Arctic zone during a helicopter expedition, which began on Monday from Khatanga, the Krasnoyarsk Region, the expedition’s leader Maria Gavrilo told TASS.
"The expedition to count ivory gulls is a part of the global counting, which involves all the countries where these birds nest: Canada, Greenland - thus, Denmark, Norway with Spitsbergen, and Russia," she said. "We take helicopters to go to islands in the Kara Sea, where about a half of the global population nests."
Arctic’s symbol
It took scientists two years to agree expeditions so that all involved countries do the counting at the same time. "The species is in all countries’ Red Books, but without updated information we are unable to speak about its status," she said. "Finally, we have planned all the four countries will count birds at the same time, and our counterparts have begun their part of the job."
Russia continues working on the project under the Arctic Council’s Conservation of Arctic Flora and Fauna (CAFF) working group. "Like our counterparts, we work on board helicopters, as these gulls make nests in remote locations, nests could be far from each other, and it would be impossible to see big areas at a time by any other means," the expert said. "If we speak about a vessel, it should be of the ice class, which is very expensive, thus we can use only helicopters."
Ivory gull is another symbol of the Arctic, along with polar bears. The bird never migrates from high latitudes, staying by the ice edge, where it finds food. "Ivory gulls are not great swimmers, but they fly well and can pull and grasp food from under the ice," the ornithologist said.
Earlier, Russia organized counting of ivory gulls in 2006. "Back then, scientists registered more than 10,000 couples," she added.
The airborne method
The Russian team consists of six specialists - biologists and photographers. "The team is not big, but we all are experienced in working with this bird and in working in high latitudes," the expedition leader said, adding they would count birds from the helicopter: ivory gulls make nests in big colonies in open areas, and the specialists will see them easily from the air.
"We call our method airborne studies - though it has a military sounding," she continued. "We have a few locations, where historically the birds used to make their colonies, and if weather conditions and time allow, we shall land to study a nesting colony, to ring birds there."
Ivory gull is on top of a food chain, and its body may accumulate various pollutants. "Results of the 2006 expedition show that in some colonies, for example, on Franz Josef Land, those are among "most polluted" birds in the Arctic," she said. "The results were very alarming, and we want to make new tests, and to analyze more probes."
Changing climate
"Clearly, we consider as negative the influence [from the climate change]," the scientist said, adding the expedition may come across "splashed" colonies, when birds have to leave flat areas to make nests on rocks to escape polar bears and polar foxes, which have been expanding lately. As the ice edge retreats, polar bears have to find new food sources, including birds and eggs.
"The area, where gulls can find food, is shrinking, and we want to understand how the birds react to this change," the scientist said. "Gulls may have to get adapted [to the changing climate by] changing behavior, but we cannot say whether this process is quick. Ivory gulls’ lifespan is rather long - about 30 years."
Ivory gulls, like many sea birds, are known for so-called nest conservatism - they would return to the places, where their previous reproduction was successful. But if conditions are bad - no food, many predators - the birds may "postpone the reproduction." "They will save health and strength for coming years," the expert said, adding nobody can say how many seasons the birds may skip the process. "This is what we could find out if we manage to watch ringed birds."
The expedition will continue to end of July.