Barents-Kara Seas - A Global Ecoregion

One of the richest, most productive regions of the Arctic Ocean

Snapshot: Ecoregion 198

Size:
N/A

Habitat type:
Polar

Geographic Location:
Arctic Ocean, north of Norway and Russia

Conservation Status:
Critical/Endangered

Quiz Time!

Do you know how far the Arctic terns travel to winter in Antarctica?

Answer:
Arctic terns breed in this ecoregion before travelling about 36,000 kms to spend the winter close to Antarctica.

About the Area
Compared to neighboring Arctic seas, the Barents-Kara is shallow and free of ice all through the year due to warm Ocean currents from the North Atlantic and high salt levels.

These waters are highly productive, allowing inland tundra to be occupied by breeding seabirds as nesting colonies of migrating seabirds abound. Abundant marine mammal populations occur in this ecoregion and it includes the Franz-Josef-Land nature reserve - the largest marine protected area on the Northern Hemisphere.

Local Species
Birds include little Auk (Alle alle), Barnacle goose (Branta leucopsis), Pink-footed goose (Anser brachyrhynchus), Sabine's gull (Xema sabini), and White-billed diver (Gavia adamsii).

Other important species include the Arctic cod (Boreogadus saida), Flatfish (Order, Pleuronectiformes), Smelt (Family, Osmeridae), Polar bear (Ursus maritimus), Bearded seal (Erignathus barbatus), Walrus (Odobenus rosmarus), and Narwhal (Monodon monoceros).

Threats
Overfishing and oil and gas development pose severe threats to the ecoregion. The dumping of radioactive materials has killed millions of fish, porpoises, sea stars, shellfish, and seals.