Regional network meeting in combination with field excursions to Orel-Bryansk and Vologda regions

Russia, 2-12 May 2011

Meeting at WWF office

Moscow meeting at WWF office

On 10 and 11 May 2011 a small LHNet network meeting took place at the WWF office in Moscow on European bison, Reindeer, Kulan, Bukhara deer and Saiga antelope. The objectives of the meeting were:

• Review the role of LHNet in favour of the large herbivores in Russia and Central Asia for the period 2011–2013

   

• Review the status of selected species
• Define objectives for the species
• Agree on priorities and projects
• Identify actions and activities for 2011 – 2013

Minutes of this meeting are available here.

The presentations about the status of the different species, presented by the experts, can be found in our library as well.

Excursion Orel/Bryansk region

With help of our guides we spotted several wisent tracks throughout the forested area. Although there were some radiocollared animals in one of the wisent groups, we did not succeed to trace them. Click for more information about the Orel/Bryansk region.

Our team in the Orel/Bryansk region

Excursion Vologda region

In this remote area there seems to be a high potential for further development of wilderness nature. Although this is already adviced in different reports (see below), more support of local people is needed  to continue their important conservation efforts for the wisent in Eurasia. LHNet therefore is setting up a project in order to reach this.

Spotting three young wisent bulls in the wild, incredibly lucky

Reports that have recognized Vologda as a high potential area for wisents in future:

• European bison (Bison bonasus), current state of the species and an action plan for its conservation, Pucek at all, 2004, description of same strategy in reports of the Council of Europe and IUCN
• Strategy for the conservation of European bison in the Russian Federation, WWF 2002

Institute of Ecology and Evolution

A visit to the Russian Acadamy of Sciences in Moscow brought us into contact with young professionals. They showed us their ongoing projects with some very interesting results. With help of genetic analysis they study species to indirectly contribute to conservation.

Presentation of a final thesis project