Pleistocene Park Autumn Update

Greetings to all our Patreon supporters!

I don't know how many of you are subscribed to our social networks on Instagram or Facebook, but those who do, are already aware that we had to cancel our expedition to the Wrangel Island.

Since I spent really a lot of efforts and resources for expedition to happen I was quiet in upset mood in the last few weeks. I did detailed description of the expedition preparation in the previous posts, but overall it appeared to be even more complicated than I anticipated. When we finally put together all (most of them actually) the permissions, members of the expedition (some were brought from abroad, and with COVID it is actually impossible for them to come, and they still did) and money to make it happen, it was already too late in the season and window with acceptable weather closed, and we just drove 200km away from home, entered the Arctic ocean, and then some members of the team voted to return. Maybe it was the right thing to do, but I personally would prefer to suffer a bit (probably a lot) but to reach the Island.  Well it will be a lesson for me in the future, and I hope next time planning the expeditions we will not face same problems. 

So overall have to admit that this wasn't the best year in terms of Park development. But please raise your hand, person to whom it was a great year.  At least we are afloat, we try to do some activities and we do have a lot of plans for 2021.

About the Park updates. Autumn is rather late this year. River to the Park froze in the first dates of October, but then melted back, and it is still partially open. Which is considered as very late. 

Animals do good so far. Mostly they now hangout in the big area. Some of them (like cows) will be brought into smaller fenced areas with shelters, and some will be left where they are. Harvest is not the best this year because of the draught in the first part of the summer, but it should be alright.

Yesterday we recieved the last container with forage for animals, and having total of 37 tons of different concentrated forage supplies and around 20 tons of hay, we should have enough storage and ready for any extreme weather events.  

As I also previously wrote we are working on rebuilding the fence. Hopefully will be able to finish work in 2021.

About our plans.  With no musk ox from Wrangel Island we will now try organize musk ox transportation from Yamal Peninsula. I know they have 17 musk ox they need to spare, and I hope we can arrange from the Yamal government the approval to receive those animals. If everything will workout we will try to bring animals in during the spring months of March-April.  
About 10 days ago we had a high ranked visitor in the Pleistocene Park. Nikolaev Nikolai Petrovich. He is the head of Natural resources commitee in the Russian Parliament. He was on the business trip to inspect federal nature reserve opened in our region recently, and found infromation about the Pleistocene Park. He stayed on our station and visited the Park (even though we had to break the ice to get to the place). Looks like he like the Park idea and promised to help up to get in contact with Yamal government. 

I think we are still long ways from making rewilding and ecosystem restoration governmental or international mainstream Nature policy, but at least we are increasing awareness and getting more and more supported. Which a good thing,

Of the other plans.  We already purchased 40 fur goats for the Pleistocene Park . They will be kept at the farm of our former head of rangers Rinaldo Malliamov, who is now at his place in central Russia. Animals will be taken to the Park somewhen in the spring (either March-April or in May-June). Over winter Rinaldo will inspect animals and see how they handle harsh enveronments and probably cut the number of animals down to 30, to avoid taking animals which are less adapted to cold environment. 

Overall our main goal until next spring is to raise enough funds to make all our plans come true. In this regard, thanks for all your support and I hope you will continue supporting us in the future, and also would be nice if you could share the word about Pleistocene Park to attract more poeple to support our project.

Below I will post some photoes from the park with captions.

All the best

Nikita

Fence construction in the Pleistocene Park

Looks like somebody has destroyed one of our temperature loggers installed in the Park. Rangers had to catch him to take the wires off.

Sunset over the basecamp of the Park. Note that everything is still brown but the grasses on the partially drained lake within the fenced area is still green

First snow (which melted back)

Cows are cows, and their behavior is not like bison (whom we can't even take picture of), and they tend to slowly hangout not far from basecamp. However 3 cows did dissapear couple weeks ago, and were found in the furthest part of the fenced area in the forest.