Monitoring and conservation of the wild reindeer (Rangifer tarandus tarandus) in the Lapland Nature Reserve: Current status and prospects for recovery in the western part of the Murmansk Oblast, Russia

Abstract

This study assesses the status of the western population of wild reindeer within the Lapland Nature Reserve (Murmansk Oblast, Russia) and adjacent areas. The aim was to clarify the conditions and current relevance of population recovery measures by analyzing the present state of the population, identifying limiting factors, and evaluating the effectiveness of existing monitoring approaches. The research combined aerial surveys with long-term records from the Chronicle of Nature of the Lapland Nature Reserve, photographic monitoring data, and official statistics on predator abundance. The findings support the development of regional biodiversity conservation programs, inform the planning of conservation interventions, and strengthen the wildlife monitoring system of the Murmansk Oblast.