Two powerful snowmobiles and a sled for four people were purchased with funds donated by WWF-Russia supporters in December 2020 as part of the New Year's campaign. The new equipment will be used by employees of the Laplandsky Nature Reserve and community rangers of the Murmansk Salmon Fund to protect the boundaries of the reserve, count the number of reindeer and monitor their migration routes.

Community rangers and the reserve staff conducted a field trip for journalists in the Murmansk region and showed the patrol route on which the new equipment will be used. During the raid, WWF-Russia experts and rangers spoke about the joint work being carried out to protect the Wild reindeer.

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“Thanks to WWF-Russia supporters for their help! The project “Around the Borders of the Lapland Nature Reserve” is a successful example of a coalition between federal protected areas and community rangers. The heads of other protected areas call us and express interest in the project. We will show this successful experience and share it further. By the end of the calendar year, we will summarize it and decide what other projects will be created to monitor and preserve the Wild reindeer population,”comments Oleg Sutkaitis, director of the WWF-Russia Barents office.

The equipment purchased within the framework of the “Around the Borders of the Lapland Nature Reserve” project has already been tested in several field trips and has proven itself reliably. In addition, the project included training of community rangers. With the support of the Murmansk Salmon Fund, 10 eco-volunteers were trained.

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“Recently we were in a raid around the borders of the Lapland Nature Reserve. Public inspectors conducted 5 explanatory discussions with local residents, tourists, fishermen and hunters. We told them about the regime of the Lapland nature reserve and protected zones. We also found places of resting and feeding of the Wild reindeer. The project is very important to us. Thanks to the World Wildlife Fund for their support! ”- comments Valery Irkashev, chairman of the Murmansk Salmon Fund.

Now spring is slowly but surely arriving in the reserve. Deer go to the shores of lakes in search of food. Deer tracks were seen during the entire route of the inspection team.

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“The wild reindeer knows no boundaries, it often leaves the territory of the reserve and becomes the prey of poachers. Now there are about a thousand deer on the territory. Our common important task is to preserve this unique species. I hope this is not the last project with WWF-Russia, and we will continue to work together to protect the Wild reindeer, ”comments Sergey Shestakov, director of the Lapland Nature Reserve.

About the project "Around the Borders of the Lapland Nature Reserve":

In November 2020, WWF-Russia proposed to organize a system for the protection of groups of the Wild reindeer in the Lapland Nature Reserve during their stay outside the protected areas (seasonal migrations). With the support of WWF-Russia supporters, equipment was purchased to protect the boundaries of the reserve, to keep track of the number of reindeer and monitor their migration routes.

For additional information please contact

Oleg Sutkaitis

Head of Barents Ecoregional Office

Tatiana Yulusova

Press officer of Barents ecoregional programme