Members of the Chukotka Summer-2015 research expedition will study the regional polar bear sub-population. The expedition is being sponsored by Rosneft and will include experts from the Arctic Research Center and the Arctic and Antarctic Research Institute.

The research/survey vessel Mikhail Somov will sail from Arkhangelsk for the Chukotka Sea, the Rosneft press service said in a statement. A team of biologists will assess the health of polar bears and estimate their numbers. This is to monitor the species, minimize anthropogenic impact and prevent conflict between people and bears.

Experts are to conduct research on the coasts of the Chukotka and East Siberian seas. Meteorological and sea ice observations will also be made from the ship, and also the marine mammal and bird populations will be recorded.

This is the tenth Chukotka Summer-2015 research expedition to study nature-climatic and engineering-geological conditions in Russian Arctic seas.