In spring 2009, Russian biologist Nikita Ovsyanikov participated in polar bear research in the Chukchi Sea led by the US Fish and Wildlife Service.
During this time, USFWS biologist Eric Regehr familiarised Ovsyanikov with the methods used to immobilise polar bears for research, and the suite of measurements, samples, and demographic information obtained from them.
Ovsyanikov’s knowledge of polar bear behavioor brought a unique perspective to the project, and provided ideas about how to improve handling methods.
Polar bears in the Chukchi Sea move freely across the international border, and depend upon habitats in Russia for critical aspects of their life history (e.g. maternal denning).
To understand the status of the entire Chukchi population and ensure its sound management, coordinated research programs, including live-capture and radiotelemetry, must be initiated in both countries.
Ovsyanikov’s visit provided a unique opportunity for the exchange of information on the ecology and current status of the Chukchi Sea population, and on the best methods used to study polar bears.
It was an important step toward collaborations between the US and Russia to study polar bears in the Chukchi Sea.
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