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WWF Polar Bear Expedition Diary

Margaret Williams, leader for WWF's Bering Sea & Kamchatka ecoregion, traveled to Chukotka, the northeastern most corner of Siberia on an expedition in April 2007. With several Russian and American colleagues, Margaret and her team traveled over 700 miles across the roadless, snow-covered Chukotka Peninsula to reach the small village of Vankarem, north of the Arctic Circle on the Chukchi Sea. The expedition is part of an ambitious effort to protect and study polar bears and address an increasing problem caused by climate change -- conflict between polar bears and humans.

Join Margaret on her journey across the vast and frozen tundra, and learn more about WWF's work in the Bering Sea & Kamchatka ecoregion.

Part 8: The first annual polar bear brigade sled dog race
Today Vladilen and Sergey have organized a dog sled race, which hasn't taken place here for years. One by one, the mushers and their burly, furry dogs appear at the edge of the village, each pulling a simple wooden dogsled. There are five teams in from the neighboring settlement Nutepelmen, plus one team from Vankarem that will take part in the race; in total there are some 50 or 60 dogs rarin' to go. The excited crying of the dogs, the wind, the mushers yelling above the din, and neighbors and kids gathering to watch all add to the festive atmosphere.

It's decided that the race course will be on the frozen sea - a circular route that starts along the shore and loops back to the starting point. I'm invited to ride in Igor Pyilo's sled for the race. It's a short run - maybe 15 minutes - but thrilling, as we maneuver around the ice. Igor's commands - short, guttural noises -- are incomprehensible growls to me but the dogs respond immediately, bearing left or right, slowing down or quickening the pace as needed. I am seated with my back to the musher, which is a little unsettling - I cannot see where we are going - but it's a lot warmer to keep my face out of the wind and easier to watch our competition this way.

As the sleds come into the finish line Sergey, Fedot and the small crowd of spectators yell for them to run to the prize pile. Flashlights, thermos cups, a pullover, caps, games and even a small cache of money which we visitors have donated are among the prizes to be collected. The winning three places are all taken by Nutepelmen residents, and all from one family. My team finishes in fourth place. Vladilen announces this to be the first annual Polar Bear Patrol Race, a new tradition to add to the many longstanding ones in this village.

posted by World Wildlife Fund # 9:30 AM