This was reported by the regional administration.
“The Department of Natural Resources, Ecology and Agroindustrial Complex of the Nenets Autonomous Okrug has introduced a temporary ban on visiting the Atlantic walrus rookery on Vaygach Island.
The basis for the temporary ban on visiting the rookeries was the data of scientific research, according to which a decrease in the walrus population was revealed at the coastal rookery of the Lyamchin nos peninsula, located within the boundaries of the Vaygach reserve, the press service told TASS.
Scientists who worked at Vaygach saw how tourists landed on an empty walrus rookery directly at the time when the animals should go ashore, they added.
“We do not prohibit visits to a specially protected natural area - the Vaygach State Wildlife Refuge, but we introduce a restriction for tourists when visiting Cape Lyamchin Nos, where one of the favorite places of Atlantic walruses is located,” said the head of the department, Albert Chabdarov.
The Atlantic walrus is a unique species of the Barents Sea, it is listed in the Red Book of Russia.
In summer and autumn, walruses gather on coastal rookeries, in winter and spring they live on ice, where females bring offspring.
In December 2019, Rosprirodnadzor did not allow the sale of six walruses from Primorye abroad for cultural and educational purposes.
They were sent to Crimea.