Polar Bear Research between Two Countries

US and Russian biologists team up on polar bear research

Polar bears don’t recognize national borders. In the frigid waters of the Chukchi Sea, they travel freely between the US and Russia, moving with the ice as they hunt seals. The US Fish and Wildlife Service has conducted capture-recapture surveys of polar bear populations in the region since 2008. They shared their techniques with Russian biologist Natalia Illarionova in April 2011, during a research exchange aiming to strengthen both countries’ understanding of the bears. Elisabeth Kruger, of WWF’s Arctic field office, served as translator for the team.

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World Wildlife magazine provides an inspiring, in-depth look at the connections between animals, people and our planet. Published quarterly by WWF, the magazine helps make you a part of our efforts to solve some of the most pressing issues facing the natural world.

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