PleistocenePark
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Musk ox expedition and other updates
🕑 Added 2024-07-10 22:46:27 +0000 UTCGreetings everyone
About a week ago our camel expedition finished and we got 15 camels into the Park succesfully. I been walking in the Park in the recent days and places where first groups of camels roamed look incredibly good - with a lot of good grass and shortened shrubs with lots of leaves on them. So they are indeed a good "tool" to have effect on the ecosystems. So happy that population of camels has increased.
Unfortunately these are all good news we have at the moment. I think I mentioned in the previous updates that last year we started to get support from big Russian business run by Andrey Melnichenko. They publicly stated that support will be for many years, and we made a plan to expand the Park, develop infrastructure, get more animals and in several years the plan was to introduce first predators. So all this winter we been making the preparations for the fence construction, and preparing expeditions with animals.
In addition this spring we conducted a big research campaign measuring carbon content in the Park and outside the Park and comparing it with data we had from 2018. As a result we obtained 300 frozen soil cores this year (and same amount in 2018). Which is probably one the largest (if not the largest) database in the Arctic. Results turned out very good. We got a sequestration of carbon in the Park, and loss of carbon in the territory outside of the Park. First one is because we promote development of vegetation which has a deep root system. This vegetation is replacing low productive vegetation with little to no deep roots. And outside of the Park loss of carbon is happening near the soil surface and this can be attributed to climate warming, which is lowering the carbon carrying capacity of soils (that is actually a very bad sign in terms of global problems).
Also, team of experts from the Institute of the Atmosphere from Moscow been measuring albedo and temperature regime of the surface in April. For this purpose they used drones equipped with special sensors. Results turned out to be very good as well. Animals open landscape, and winter albedo is increasing dramatically. Temperature difference between two originally similar sites (inside the fence and outside) can reach 5C during the day hours in April.
In this sense our project stand really well against many other Nature-Based Solutions. Recent publication in Nature Communications showed that tree planting in most of the world doesn't give much climate mitigation profits, since carbon sequestration is getting balanced by decreasing albedo which in contrary warms the air temperatures. Arctic rewilding in contrary have albedo effect strengthening the carbon sequestration.
Despite all the progress we made and scientific data we gathered, Melnichenko decided to cancel the support for the Park. This was announced to us just 10 days ago. By that time we already had 3 expeditions with animals ongoing, had a full assemblage of employees and construction of fencing went into an active phase. This involved preparation of 12000 5 meter long wooden posts for the fencing which was conducted 1000km up the Kolyma from the Park. So now we have to cancel pretty much all the work and still Park has to cover many expenses for activities which already took place and have to pay some fines for contracts cancellation.
So this puts us into a very complicated situation. Still there is one expedition I am intending to finish at any cost. Tommorow I leave Cherskii and fly to Vladivostok. I already obtained a captains licence and in a few days we are going to depart on from Vladivostok on "The Ark" the old calmari fishing vessel which we turned into a musk ox transporter. It will take us few days to get all the supplies, atvs, trailers, cages etc on board. From there we will head out to Cherskii. The route will go past Sakhalin island, Japan, Kuril islands, Kamchatka and Bering straight. In Cherskii we will get veterinarians, rangers from ministry of nature and couple filmmakers on board and continue towards the Taimyr peninsular. Just before it, there is a Big Begichev island. There we plan to catch musk ox.
We already had several unscuccessfull attempts trying to get musk ox from the Arctic islands, but I hope this time it will work. But still even in my standarts it is a crazy complicated trip. Total distance which we will have to cover is 11000km by seas. uhh.
Anyway Park is going to experience a rough times. Incomes have really went down from all our sources and right now it is not clear if in the future we will be able to get enough funds to maintain the Park and research on the station. Still hoping that things will workout somehow.
In any case really greatfull for all your support. This time it is really much needed.
All the best
Nikita
Comments
Ольга Горшкова
Никита, очень печально слышать такие новости. Как же так.... Я очень надеюсь, что у вас появятся новые источники дохода и более надежные партнеры, пусть потихоньку, шаг за шагом всё получится. Со своей стороны могу только продолжать вас поддерживать и рассказывать друзьям. С большим трепетом и интересом слежу за вашей работой. Удачи с вашей невероятной экспедицией! И очень интересно было узнать про новые научные измерения, это очень здорово.
Cécilia Bletterie
Je partage votre déception et vos préoccupations. Je vais essayer de sensibiliser des gens autour de moi pour augmenter vos chances de réussite. Votre projet me semble grandiose et a été mené avec brio. Je crois encore toujours à votre intelligence et votre force pour avancer plus loin. D'autres personnes pourraient remplacer cet entrepreneur. Je vous envoie tous mes voeux de réussite, de chance, de courage. Bravo pour ce qui a été déjà héroïquement accompli, cela relève du miracle à mes yeux !
Keith
Sorry Nikita for the continued disappointment. I will always find a way to tell more people and donate more when I can. Your work is vital now more than ever and I am immensely impressed with your results so far…
Davis Nardi
If anyone can figure this out, it's you! You've overcome so many challenges and obstacles in the years since I started following this incredible journey and I entirely believe you aren't going to give up now. Funds may come and go, but what you are doing really matters. I hope this huge journey for Musk Ox goes well, that much time at sea won't be fun but it will be worth it if you can get more Musk Ox for the park. Sending you our nice California weather for the journey!
P1neapple
I am incredibly sorry that you were swindled and betrayed by a greedy so called philanthropist. Not to dive into a political rant but its unfortunately a vary common phenomenon where the rich so often make promises to better the world, yet very rarely keep them. I wish there was more I could do to support your cause as pleistocene level rewilding is something I am immensely passionate about. Alas despite graduating school with degrees in biology I haven't been able to land a steady job. Our world is currently experiencing an apocalypse. And whilst many good people like y'all at the park are trying your best to mitigate that. So often the people with power at best simply don't care, and at worst actively destroy any progress made near instantaneously.
Stuart Riches
You people, and everyone who contributes are among the most beautiful people on the planet. Between us supporters we need to do everything we can to awaken more interest. Sending love.
Sasha Rosen
Oh, Nikita! What disappointing news about Andrey Melnichenko! If he is an honourable person, he should at least pay for what you have spent, based on his promise and, he should also pay the fines for the cancelled contracts. I wish you well, and please be safe on your journey to get the musk ox.
Baptiste
I can only give you all my support, love and admiration…
Nikita Zimov
Thank you very much. Luck is much needed:)
Nikita Zimov
Well if we will manage to accomplish expedition successfully it will be a really great achievement. I am sure things will get better after
Nikita Zimov
Dear Curtis, thank you very much for helping!
Nikita Zimov
Dear Betty, thank you very much for your support. Indeed there is not much which can be done on a global scale. But we are planning to hold on, develop the Park and hope for "good life" in the future
Nikita Zimov
We are not:) Just getting harder
Nikita Zimov
Thank you very much for your kind words. They do mean a lot!
Nikita Zimov
Добрый день! Спасибо за добрые слова! Держимся
Betty Wegen
I wish I could do more but I'm a senior and miss the cheap gas from Russia. Life was good then. Can't change the mind of my country. I do hope you will find more people who can support you. Anyway I will try to find some friends who are able to send some every month via Patreon. Wish you the world and all of us good luck to finish it and make it a success.
Urs
This is extremely frustrating! I can't imagine how it must feel for you. Still great that you have more camels in the park now and are heading for the next muskox expedition. I wish you all the best with that expedition. ...and of course I will keep supporting this project!
Curtis Keohane
Very sorry about the funding issues. I hope we can find more funding for this important project. I'll reach out to who I can...
M&M
Good luck with the voyage.
serge paulus
You are a symbol of hope for us. We encourage you to continue against all odds !
Therese Bocklage
Do not give up!
Kholadaevich
Никита, новость о прекращении поддержки со стороны фонда Мельниченко невероятно обидная :( Представляю, как вам было тяжело её принять! Пожалуйста, держитесь и не унывайте - будем надеяться, что найдётся другой спонсор, который оценит ваш труд по достоинству и поддержит Парк. А пока возможно стоит напомнить подписчикам/наблюдателям о важности добровольных пожертвований. Чем сможем, поможем🫱🏻🫲🏼 Успеха вам в грядущей экспедиции!
