Spirovo ( Russian : Спирово ) is the name of several inhabited localities in Russia .
101-1163: As of 2010, one rural locality in Arkhangelsk Oblast bears this name: As of 2010, four rural localities in Leningrad Oblast bear this name: As of 2010, two rural localities in Moscow Oblast bear this name: As of 2010, one rural locality in Novgorod Oblast bears this name: As of 2010, one rural locality in Pskov Oblast bears this name: As of 2010, five inhabited localities in Tver Oblast bear this name. As of 2010, two rural localities in Vologda Oblast bear this name: As of 2010, one rural locality in Yaroslavl Oblast bears this name: Arkhangelsk Oblast Arkhangelsk Oblast (Russian: Архангельская область , IPA: [ɐrˈxanɡʲɪlʲskəjə ˈobɫəsʲtʲ] )
202-487: A decline in sea ice , giving the polar bear less access to its favoured prey and increasing the risk of malnutrition and starvation. Less sea ice also means that the bears must spend more time on land, increasing conflicts with people. Polar bears have been hunted, both by native and non-native peoples, for their coats, meat and other items. They have been kept in captivity in zoos and circuses and are prevalent in art, folklore, religion and modern culture. The polar bear
303-495: A " Roman nose ". They have 34–42 teeth including 12 incisors , 4 canines , 8–16 premolars and 10 molars . The teeth are adapted for a more carnivorous diet than that of the brown bear, having longer, sharper and more spaced out canines, and smaller, more pointed cheek teeth (premolars and molars). The species has a large space or diastema between the canines and cheek teeth, which may allow it to better bite into prey. Since it normally preys on animals much smaller than it,
404-500: A 2011 study concluded that living polar bear populations derived their maternal lines from now-extinct Irish brown bears. Later studies have clarified that gene flow went from polar to brown bears rather than the reverse. Up to 9 percent of the genome of ABC bears was transferred from polar bears, while Irish bears had up to 21.5 percent polar bear origin. Mass hybridization between the two species appears to have stopped around 200,000 years ago. Modern hybrids are relatively rare in
505-419: A bear spots a seal hauling out on the sea ice, it slowly stalks it with the head and neck lowered, possibly to make its dark nose and eyes less noticeable. As it gets closer, the bear crouches more and eventually charges at a high speed, attempting to catch the seal before it can escape into its ice hole. Some stalking bears need to move through water; traversing through water cavities in the ice when approaching
606-588: A carcass when they see an adult male approaching, though are less likely to if they have not eaten in a long time. Whale carcasses are a valuable food source, particularly on land and after the sea ice melts, and attract several bears. In one area in northeastern Alaska, polar bears have been recorded competing with grizzly bears for whale carcasses. Despite their smaller size, grizzlies are more aggressive and polar bears are likely to yield to them in confrontations. Polar bears will also scavenge at garbage dumps during ice-free periods. Polar bear mating takes place on
707-473: A combination of both. The inside of these shelters can be around 1.5 m (4.9 ft) wide with a ceiling height of 1.2 m (3.9 ft) while the entrance may be 2.1 m (6.9 ft) long and 1.2 m (3.9 ft) wide. The temperature of a den can be much higher than the outside. Females hibernate and give birth to their cubs in the dens. Hibernating bears fast and internally recycle bodily waste. Polar bears experience delayed implantation and
808-405: A day are more common during the former. The species is generally diurnal , being most active early in the day. Polar bears sleep close to eight hours a day on average. They will sleep in various positions, including curled up, sitting up, lying on one side, on the back with limbs spread, or on the belly with the rump elevated. On sea ice, polar bears snooze at pressure ridges where they dig on
909-676: A female, a male will try to isolate and guard her. Courtship can be somewhat aggressive, and a male will pursue a female if she tries to run away. It can take days for the male to mate with the female which induces ovulation . After their first copulation, the couple bond. Undisturbed polar bear pairings typically last around two weeks during which they will sleep together and mate multiple times. Competition for mates can be intense and this has led to sexual selection for bigger males. Polar bear males often have scars from fighting. A male and female that have already bonded will flee together when another male arrives. A female mates with multiple males in
1010-761: A genetically distinct population of polar bears associated with the Barents Sea area. Almost all of the area of the Oblast belongs to the basin of the Arctic Ocean , with the major rivers being the (from west to east) Onega River , the Northern Dvina (with the major tributaries the Vychegda , the Vaga , and the Pinega ), Kuloy River , Mezen River , and Pechora Rivers . A minor area in
1111-441: A marine environment, some taxonomists, such as Theodore Knottnerus-Meyer, have placed the polar bear in its own genus, Thalarctos . However Ursus is widely considered to be the valid genus for the species on the basis of the fossil record and the fact that it can breed with the brown bear. Different subspecies have been proposed including Ursus maritimus maritimus and U. m. marinus . However these are not supported and
SECTION 10
#17330854795701212-494: A mid-sized seal out of the water or haul a beluga carcass for quite some distance. Polar bears only occasionally store food for later—burying it under snow—and only in the short term. Arctic foxes routinely follow polar bears and scavenge scraps from their kills. The bears usually tolerate them but will charge a fox that gets too close when they are feeding. Polar bears themselves will scavenge. Subadult bears will eat remains left behind by others. Females with cubs often abandon
1313-529: A more efficient circulatory system . The polar bear's thicker coat is the result of more copies of genes involved in keratin -creating proteins. The polar bear is the largest living species of bear and land carnivore , though some brown bear subspecies like the Kodiak bear can rival it in size. Males are generally 200–250 cm (6.6–8.2 ft) long with a weight of 300–800 kg (660–1,760 lb). Females are smaller at 180–200 cm (5.9–6.6 ft) with
1414-940: A number of Russian Orthodox monasteries, including the Antoniev Siysky Monastery and the World Heritage Site of the Solovetsky Islands in the White Sea . Plesetsk Cosmodrome is one of three spaceports in Russia (the other two are Kapustin Yar in Astrakhan Oblast and Yasny in Orenburg Oblast ). Arkhangelsk Oblast, which includes the Nenets Autonomous Okrug , borders Kirov Oblast , Vologda Oblast ,
1515-672: A number of smaller islands, are located in Onega Bay. Onega Bay and the Dvina Bay are separated by the Onega Peninsula . The Mezen Bay is separated from the main body of the White Sea by Morzhovets Island . Other major islands in the oblast include Shogly, Zhizgin, Yagry, Lyasomin, Layda, Nikolskiy, and Mudyugskiy islands. Almost all of the oblast is covered by taiga , the coniferous forest dominated by pine , spruce , and larch . Large areas in
1616-418: A season and a single litter can have more than one father. When the mating season ends, the female will build up more fat reserves to sustain both herself and her young. Sometime between August and October, the female constructs and enters a maternity den for winter. Depending on the area, maternity dens can be found in sea ice just off the coastline or further inland and may be dug underneath snow, earth or
1717-723: A soft pulsing call, is made by mother bears presumably to keep in contact with their young. During the breeding season, adult males will chuff at potential mates. Unlike other animals where chuffing is passed through the nostrils, in polar bears it is emitted through a partially open mouth. Cubs will cry for attention and produce humming noises while nursing. Teeth chops, jaw pops, blows, huffs, moans, growls and roars are heard in more hostile encounters. A polar bear visually communicates with its eyes, ears, nose and lips. Chemical communication can also be important: bears secrete their scent from their foot pads into their tracks, allowing individuals to keep track of one another. The polar bear
1818-420: A thick layer of fat. It is more slender than the brown bear, with a narrower skull, longer neck and lower shoulder hump. Its teeth are sharper and more adapted to cutting meat. The paws are large and allow the bear to walk on ice and paddle in the water. Polar bears are both terrestrial and pagophilic (ice-living) and are considered marine mammals because of their dependence on marine ecosystems . They prefer
1919-452: A time and travel an average of 154.2 km (95.8 mi). They can dive for as long as three minutes. When swimming, the broad front paws do the paddling, while the hind legs play a role in steering and diving. Most polar bears are active year-round. Hibernation occurs only among pregnant females. Non-hibernating bears typically have a normal 24-hour cycle even during days of all darkness or all sunlight , though cycles less than
2020-467: A weight of 150–300 kg (330–660 lb). Sexual dimorphism in the species is particularly high compared with most other mammals. Male polar bears also have proportionally larger heads than females. The weight of polar bears fluctuates during the year, as they can bulk up on fat and increase their mass by 50 percent. A fattened, pregnant female can weigh as much as 500 kg (1,100 lb). Adults may stand 130–160 cm (4.3–5.2 ft) tall at
2121-425: A weight of around 600 g (21 oz). Their eyes remain closed for a month. The mother's fatty milk fuels their growth, and the cubs are kept warm both by the mother's body heat and the den. The mother emerges from the den between late February and early April, and her cubs are well-developed and capable of walking with her. At this time they weigh 10–15 kilograms (22–33 lb). A polar bear family stays near
SECTION 20
#17330854795702222-530: A wider frequency range than expected given that their prey mostly makes low-frequency sounds. The nasal concha creates a large surface area, so more warm air can move through the nasal passages. Their olfactory system is also large and adapted for smelling prey over vast distances. The animal has reniculate kidneys which filter out the salt in their food. Polar bears inhabit the Arctic and adjacent areas. Their range includes Greenland, Canada, Alaska, Russia and
2323-608: A year, while drifting ice allows them to move further. Depending on ice conditions, a bear can travel an average of 12 km (7.5 mi) per day. These movements are powered by their energy-rich diet. Polar bears move by walking and galloping and do not trot . Walking bears tilt their front paws towards each other. They can run at estimated speeds of up to 40 km/h (25 mph) but typically move at around 5.5 km/h (3.4 mph). Polar bears are also capable swimmers and can swim at up to 6 km/h (3.7 mph). One study found they can swim for an average of 3.4 days at
2424-480: Is Latin for ' sea bear ' . Carl Linnaeus classified the polar bear as a type of brown bear ( Ursus arctos ), labelling it as Ursus maritimus albus-major, articus in the 1758 edition of his work Systema Naturae . Constantine John Phipps formally described the polar bear as a distinct species, Ursus maritimus in 1774, following his 1773 voyage towards the North Pole . Because of its adaptations to
2525-581: Is a federal subject of Russia (an oblast ). It includes the Arctic archipelagos of Franz Josef Land and Novaya Zemlya , as well as the Solovetsky Islands in the White Sea . Arkhangelsk Oblast also has administrative jurisdiction over the Nenets Autonomous Okrug (NAO). Including the NAO, Arkhangelsk Oblast has an area of 587,400 square kilometres (226,800 sq mi), it's the largest of first-level administrative divisions in Europe. Its population (including
2626-669: Is a hypercarnivore , and the most carnivorous species of bear. It is an apex predator of the Arctic, preying on ice-living seals and consuming their energy-rich blubber . The most commonly taken species is the ringed seal , but they also prey on bearded seals and harp seals . Ringed seals are ideal prey as they are abundant and small enough to be overpowered by even small bears. Bearded seal adults are larger and are more likely to break free from an attacking bear, hence adult male bears are more successful in hunting them. Less common prey are hooded seals , spotted seals , ribbon seals and
2727-500: Is a 130,000- to 110,000-year-old jaw bone, found on Prince Charles Foreland , Norway, in 2004. Scientists in the 20th century surmised that polar bears directly descended from a population of brown bears, possibly in eastern Siberia or Alaska . Mitochondrial DNA studies in the 1990s and 2000s supported the status of the polar bear as a derivative of the brown bear, finding that some brown bear populations were more closely related to polar bears than to other brown bears, particularly
2828-414: Is a large bear native to the Arctic and nearby areas. It is closely related to the brown bear , and the two species can interbreed . The polar bear is the largest extant species of bear and land carnivore , with adult males weighing 300–800 kg (660–1,760 lb). The species is sexually dimorphic , as adult females are much smaller. The polar bear is white- or yellowish-furred with black skin and
2929-1086: Is one of eight extant species in the bear family, Ursidae, and of six extant species in the subfamily Ursinae . Giant panda ( Ailuropoda melanoleuca ) [REDACTED] Spectacled bear ( Tremarctos ornatus ) [REDACTED] Sloth bear ( Melursus ursinus ) [REDACTED] Sun bear ( Helarctos malayanus ) [REDACTED] Asian black bear ( Ursus thibetanus ) [REDACTED] American black bear ( Ursus americanus ) [REDACTED] Polar bear ( Ursus maritimus ) [REDACTED] Brown bear ( Ursus arctos ) [REDACTED] Giant panda ( Ailuropoda melanoleuca ) [REDACTED] Spectacled bear ( Tremarctos ornatus ) [REDACTED] Sloth bear ( Melursus ursinus ) [REDACTED] Sun bear ( Helarctos malayanus ) [REDACTED] Asian black bear ( Ursus thibetanus ) [REDACTED] American black bear ( Ursus americanus ) [REDACTED] Polar bear ( Ursus maritimus ) [REDACTED] Brown bear ( Ursus arctos ) [REDACTED] Fossils of polar bears are uncommon. The oldest known fossil
3030-459: Is the primary hunting method from winter to early spring. Bears hunt walrus groups by provoking them into stampeding and then look for young that have been crushed or separated from their mothers during the turmoil. There are reports of bears trying to kill or injure walruses by throwing rocks and pieces of ice on them. Belugas and narwhals are vulnerable to bear attacks when they are stranded in shallow water or stuck in isolated breathing holes in
3131-403: Is thought to signal their fitness to females. The outer surface of the hairs has a scaly appearance, and the guard hairs are hollow, which allows the animals to trap heat and float in the water. The transparent guard hairs forward scatter ultraviolet light between the underfur and the skin, leading to a cycle of absorption and re-emission, keeping them warm. The fur appears white because of
Spirovo - Misplaced Pages Continue
3232-465: Is too specialized for animal matter, though they have been recorded eating berries, moss, grass and seaweed . In their southern range, especially near Hudson Bay and James Bay, polar bears endure all summer without sea ice to hunt from and must subsist more on terrestrial foods. Fat reserves allow polar bears to survive for months without eating. Cannibalism is known to occur in the species. Polar bears hunt their prey in several different ways. When
3333-467: The ABC Islands bears of Southeast Alaska . A 2010 study estimated that the polar bear lineage split from other brown bears around 150,000 years ago. More extensive genetic studies have refuted the idea that polar bears are directly descended from brown bears and found that the two species are separate sister lineages . The genetic similarities between polar bears and some brown bears were found to be
3434-650: The Arctic Ocean and in Barents Sea , Morzhovets Island , and most of the White Sea coast in Mezensky District. In particular, the area includes the town of Mezen and the urban type settlement of Kamenka . In order to visit the zone, a permit issued by the local FSB department is required. Arkhangelsk Oblast is one of the industrial regions of Russia. The region has a developed fishery , forestry, woodworking, cellulose , and paper industry. There are large reserves of natural resources: Lumber , oil , bauxite , titanium , gold , manganese , and basalt . In 2011,
3535-562: The East European Plain , and most of it is forested, hilly landscape. The north-eastern part belongs to the Timan Ridge , a highland mostly situated east from the oblast. The Nenets Autonomous Okrug is essentially a flat tundra ( Bolshezemelskaya Tundra ) with several hill chains like Pay-Khoy Ridge . The Arctic islands including Novaya Zemlya and Franz Joseph Land are mountainous with glaciers and eternally snow-covered. This region has
3636-565: The Great Duchy of Moscow . Until 1703, the Northern Dvina served as the main export trading route of Muscovy . The local centers were Veliky Ustyug and Kholmogory ; however, during the 17th century, Kholmogory lost its significance, and its role was gradually replaced by Arkhangelsk . In 1708, when the governorates were established by Tsar Peter the Great , Arkhangelsk became the seat of one of
3737-479: The Nenets Autonomous Okrug , the Onega Peninsula , and the north of the oblast. The exceptions with functioning airports are Mezen , Leshukonskoye , and Onega . The oil transport system, Baltic Pipeline System , runs through the oblast, with two oil-pumping station located at Urdoma and Privodino . The Kudemskaya narrow-gauge railway in 2010 has appeared in Forbes ranking, of 10 most beautiful railway routes of
3838-750: The Pomors , who reside along the White Sea coast and in the valleys of major rivers, speak Pomor dialects and are in fact the descendants of the Novgorod population who colonized the Russian North in 12th–13th centuries. In 2002 Census, approximately 6,500 residents of Arkhangelsk Oblast indicated their ethnicity as Pomors. Polar bear Ursus eogroenlandicus Ursus groenlandicus Ursus jenaensis Ursus labradorensis Ursus marinus Ursus polaris Ursus spitzbergensis Ursus ungavensis Thalarctos maritimus The polar bear ( Ursus maritimus )
3939-579: The Red Army entered Arkhangelsk, by which time all allied troops had already been evacuated. In the 1930s, the Soviets carried out the same experiments in economics as elsewhere in Soviet Union. The peasants and fishermen were forcibly organized into collective farms . These were heavily subsidized, which eventually brought the agriculture to the collapse in the 1990s, when the subsidies stopped. Arkhangelsk Oblast
4040-732: The Republic of Karelia , the Komi Republic , and the White, Pechora , Barents and Kara seas. Cape Fligely in Franz Josef Land (the northernmost point of Russia, Europe and Eurasia ) and Cape Zhelaniya in Novaya Zemlya (the easternmost point of Europe) are both located within Arkhangelsk Oblast. Mount Kruzenshtern is the highest point of the oblast. Arkhangelsk Oblast is located on
4141-534: The Russian Far East ) and Eastern Basin (Greenland east to Siberia). The polar bear is dependent enough on the ocean to be considered a marine mammal . It is pagophilic and mainly inhabits annual sea ice covering continental shelves and between islands of archipelagos . These areas, known as the "Arctic Ring of Life", have high biological productivity . The species tends to frequent areas where sea ice meets water, such as polynyas and leads , to hunt
Spirovo - Misplaced Pages Continue
4242-783: The Sheksna , along the Slavyanka River into Lake Nikolskoye, then the boats were taken by land to Lake Blagoveshchenskoye, from there downstream along the Porozovitsa River into Lake Kubenskoye and further to the Sukhona and the Northern Dvina. Portages from the Northern Dvina Basin led further to the Mezen and the Pechora . After the fall of Novgorod in 1478, all these lands became a part of
4343-678: The Svalbard Archipelago of Norway. Polar bears have been recorded as close as 25 km (16 mi) from the North Pole . The southern limits of their range include James Bay and Newfoundland and Labrador in Canada and St. Matthew Island and the Pribilof Islands of Alaska. They are not permanent residents of Iceland but have been recorded visiting there if they can reach it via sea ice. As there has been minimal human encroachment on
4444-632: The Ural Mountains . Almost the entire rail network belongs to the Northern Railway , which west of Onega connects to the Oktyabrskaya Railway . There is also a railway line from Severoonezhsk west to Yangory (an extension of the line from Puksa to Navolok), which belongs to the Department of Corrections. A big number of narrow gauge railways were built in the 1950s and 1960s to facilitate
4545-442: The backscatter of incident light and the absence of pigment. Polar bears gain a yellowish colouration as they are exposed more to the sun. This is reversed after they moult . It can also be grayish or brownish. Their light fur provides camouflage in their snowy environment. After emerging from the water, the bear can easily shake itself dry before freezing since the hairs are resistant to tangling when wet. The skin, including
4646-470: The seals that make up most of its diet. Polar bears travel in response to changes in ice cover throughout the year. They are forced onto land in summer when the sea ice disappears. Terrestrial habitats used by polar bears include forests, mountains, rocky areas, lakeshores and creeks. In the Chukchi and Beaufort seas, where the sea ice breaks off and floats north during the summer, polar bears generally stay on
4747-505: The NAO) was 1,227,626 as of the 2010 Census . The city of Arkhangelsk , with a population of 301,199 as of the 2021 Census, is the administrative center of the oblast. The second largest city is the nearby Severodvinsk , home to Sevmash , a major shipyard for the Russian Navy . Among the oldest populated places of the oblast are Kholmogory , Kargopol , and Solvychegodsk ; there are
4848-836: The Nenets Autonomous Okrug also contains a number of bigger lakes. The river basin of the Pinega is characteristic of the karst , with a number of caves in the region. The White Sea coast within the Oblast is split into the Onega Bay (where the Onega is the major tributary), the Dvina Bay (the Northern Dvina), and the Mezen Bay (comprising the Mezen and the Kuloy). The Solovetsky Islands , as well as
4949-419: The Oblast administration, and eventually the governor was appointed/elected alongside elected regional parliament . The Charter of Arkhangelsk Oblast is the fundamental law of the region. The Legislative Assembly of Arkhangelsk Oblast is the province's standing legislative (representative) body. The Legislative Assembly exercises its authority by passing laws, resolutions, and other legal acts and by supervising
5050-400: The Onega downstream from Severoonezhsk, and very few roads on the right bank of the Northern Dvina. Many rivers can be crossed only by ferry boats, which means they cannot be crossed during the ice melting period. There is regular bus service on the main roads. The principal railway line in the oblast is the railroad connecting Moscow and Arkhangelsk. The piece between Vologda and Arkhangelsk
5151-611: The allies were Shenkursk and Verkhnyaya Toyma . The allies were hoping that the Aleksandr Kolchak 's forces would move in the direction of Kotlas , however, the White Army was unable to advance in this direction. In January 1919, after the Battle of Shenkursk , the allied forces were driven out of the Shenkursk area. Battles around the station of Plesetskaya followed. On 20 February 1920
SECTION 50
#17330854795705252-564: The annual sea ice but live on land when the ice melts in the summer. They are mostly carnivorous and specialized for preying on seals , particularly ringed seals . Such prey is typically taken by ambush; the bear may stalk its prey on the ice or in the water, but also will stay at a breathing hole or ice edge to wait for prey to swim by. The bear primarily feeds on the seal's energy-rich blubber . Other prey include walruses , beluga whales and some terrestrial animals. Polar bears are usually solitary but can be found in groups when on land. During
5353-605: The bears' remote habitat, they can still be found in much of their original range, more of it than any other large land carnivore. Polar bears have been divided into at least 18 subpopulations labelled East Greenland (ES), Barents Sea (BS), Kara Sea (KS), Laptev Sea (LVS), Chukchi Sea (CS), northern and southern Beaufort Sea (SBS and NBS), Viscount Melville (VM), M'Clintock Channel (MC), Gulf of Boothia (GB), Lancaster Sound (LS), Norwegian Bay (NB), Kane Basin (KB), Baffin Bay (BB), Davis Strait (DS), Foxe Basin (FB) and
5454-549: The breeding season, male bears guard females and defend them from rivals. Mothers give birth to cubs in maternity dens during the winter. Young stay with their mother for up to two and a half years. The polar bear is considered a vulnerable species by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) with an estimated total population of 22,000 to 31,000 individuals. Its biggest threats are climate change , pollution and energy development. Climate change has caused
5555-619: The breeding season. They have been recorded forming stable "alliances", travelling, resting and playing together. A dominance hierarchy exists among polar bears with the largest mature males ranking at the top. Adult females outrank subadults and adolescents and younger males outrank females of the same age. In addition, cubs with their mothers outrank those on their own. Females with dependent offspring tend to stay away from males, but are sometimes associated with other female–offspring units, creating "composite families". Polar bears are generally quiet but can produce various sounds. Chuffing ,
5656-582: The chairman of the oblast Executive Committee (executive power). In 1991 the CPSU lost all power. The head of the Oblast administration, and eventually the governor, came to be elected or appointed. The economic crisis of 1990s , after the fall of the Soviet Union , struck Arkhangelsk Oblast very badly. Although there remains a strong demand for timber, the basis of the oblast's economy, the population of Arkhangelsk Oblast has steadily declined, especially in rural areas. Many villages either have been deserted, or are on
5757-713: The cold climate. Ustyansky District is notable for bee-keeping. Two notable breeds originate from Arkhangelsk Oblast. The Kholmogory cattle , from Kholmogory and Arkhangelsk countryside, mostly black and white, was particularly stable against cold climate in Northern Russia and eventually spread well beyond the Arkhangelsk Region. The Mezen horses , bred in the Mezen River valley, are rather small but suitable for difficult work and easily survive cold winters. The area of current Arkhangelsk Oblast has always been located on
5858-554: The command of Vladimir Voronin , sailing from Arkhangelsk, crossed the Northern Sea Route in a single navigation. Arkhangelsk Oblast proper was established in 1937. Before 1991, the high authority in the oblast was shared between three persons: the first secretary of the Arkhangelsk Oblast CPSU Committee (who in reality had the biggest authority), the chairman of the oblast Soviet (legislative power), and
5959-418: The fertilized embryo does not start development until the fall, between mid-September and mid-October. With delayed implantation, gestation in the species lasts seven to nine months but actual pregnancy is only two months. Mother polar bears typically give birth to two cubs per litter. As with other bear species, newborn polar bears are tiny and altricial . The newborns have woolly hair and pink skin, with
6060-461: The ice and then pokes its head in to catch the pup before it can escape. A ringed seal's lair can be more than 1 m (3.3 ft) below the surface of the ice and thus more massive bears are better equipped for breaking in. Some bears may simply stay still near a breathing hole or other spot near the water and wait for prey to come by. This can last hours and when a seal surfaces the bear will try to pull it out with its paws and claws. This tactic
6161-463: The ice, though a large portion of the population (15–40%) has been observed spending all summer on land since the 1980s. Some areas have thick multiyear ice that does not completely melt and the bears can stay on all year, though this type of ice has fewer seals and allows for less productivity in the water. Polar bears may travel areas as small as 3,500 km (1,400 sq mi) to as large as 38,000 km (15,000 sq mi) in
SECTION 60
#17330854795706262-399: The ice. When stalking reindeer, polar bears will hide in vegetation before an ambush. On some occasions, bears may try to catch prey in open water, swimming underneath a seal or aquatic bird . Seals in particular, however, are more agile than bears in the water. Polar bears rely on raw power when trying to kill their prey, and will employ bites and paw swipes. They have the strength to pull
6363-545: The implementation and observance of the laws and other legal acts passed by it. The highest executive body is the Oblast Government, which includes territorial executive bodies such as district administrations, committees, and commissions that facilitate development and run the day to day matters of the province. The Oblast administration supports the activities of the Governor who is the highest official and acts as guarantor of
6464-646: The main river valleys. The main historical areas of the Arkhangelsk region were Poonezhye ( Поонежье ) along the Onega , the Dvina Land along the Northern Dvina , Pinezhye ( Пинежье ) along the Pinega , Mezen Lands along the Mezen , and Pomorye ( Поморье ) on the White Sea coast. The main waterway was the Northern Dvina, and Novgorod merchants used the Volga and its tributary,
6565-422: The main trading harbour of the Russian Empire. However, in the early 20th century Arkhangelsk was an important starting point for Russian Arctic expeditions . For instance, in the 1830s Pyotr Pakhtusov sailed twice from Arkhangelsk to investigate and map Novaya Zemlya . In 1918 and 1919, Arkhangelsk Governorate became one of the most active battlegrounds of the Civil War in Russia . On 2 August 1918 Arkhangelsk
6666-428: The middle of taiga are devoid of trees and covered by swamps . In the floodplains of the rivers, there are meadows. A number of areas in Arkhangelsk Oblast have been designated as protected natural areas. These are subdivided into national parks , nature reserves ( zapovedniks ), and zakazniks of the federal level. The following protected areas have been designated, Kenozersky and Vodlozersky National Parks have
6767-478: The more temperate-living harbour seals . Polar bears, mostly adult males, will occasionally hunt walruses both on land and ice. They mainly target young walruses, as adults, with their thick skin and long tusks, are too large and formidable. Besides seals, bears will prey on cetacean species such as beluga whales and narwhals , as well as reindeer , birds and their eggs, fish and marine invertebrates . They rarely eat plant material as their digestive system
6868-455: The most remote Russian Orthodox monasteries. After the great schism in the Russian Orthodox Church in 1653, the area attracted many Old Believers , who were persecuted by the state. Most would later flee to even more remote locations such as Siberia . In 1703, with the construction of St. Petersburg, Arkhangelsk, which lacked St. Petersburg's geographical proximity to Europe and the non-freezing harbour of Murmansk , lost its significance as
6969-417: The nose and lips, is black and absorbs heat. Polar bears have a 5–10 cm (2.0–3.9 in) thick layer of fat underneath the skin, which provides both warmth and energy. Polar bears maintain their core body temperature at about 36.9 °C (98 °F). Overheating is countered by a layer of highly vascularized striated muscle tissue and finely controlled blood vessels. Bears also cool off by entering
7070-421: The observance of the oblast Charter in accordance with the Constitution of Russia . In the period when they were the most important authority in the oblast (1937 to 1991), the following first secretaries were appointed Since 1991, governors were sometimes appointed and sometimes elected, On 8 September 2013, regular elections of deputies to the legislative Arkhangelsk Oblast Assembly of Deputies were held in
7171-406: The one (paved) from Konosha southwards, and two (unpaved) from Kargopol to Pudozh and to Solza and Belozersk . Most of the local roads are unpaved. Until 2008, there were no all-season roads connecting the main road network with the north-east of the oblast, including the town of Mezen and the selo of Leshukonskoye, and there are still no roads into the Nenets Autonomous Okrug, on the left bank of
7272-624: The paper production and related industries were responsible for 55% of all industrial production of the Oblast, food production – 11%, timber processing (excluding paper production) and furniture production – 12%. The principal industrial enterprises in Arkhangelsk Oblast are shipyards in Arkhangelsk and Severodvinsk (including Sevmash ), pulp and paper mills in Koryazhma and Novodvinsk, and bauxite extraction plant in Severoonezhsk . Almost any town has some timber works. Fishery traditionally
7373-519: The parties of Russia, in the present convocation are: The oblast is administratively divided into six cities and towns under the oblast's jurisdiction ( Arkhangelsk , Koryazhma , Kotlas , Novodvinsk , Onega , and Severodvinsk ), one city under the federal jurisdiction ( Mirny ), twenty-one districts (one of which is Novaya Zemlya ), and two island territories ( Franz Josef Land and Victoria Island ). Another six towns ( Kargopol , Mezen , Nyandoma , Shenkursk , Solvychegodsk , and Velsk ) have
7474-526: The polar bear does not have a particularly strong bite. Polar bears have large paws, with the front paws being broader than the back. The feet are hairier than in other bear species, providing warmth and friction when stepping on snow and sea ice. The claws are small but sharp and hooked and are used both to snatch prey and climb onto ice. The coat consists of dense underfur around 5 cm (2.0 in) long and guard hairs around 15 cm (5.9 in) long. Males have long hairs on their forelegs, which
7575-413: The polar bear is considered to be monotypic . One possible fossil subspecies, U. m. tyrannus , was posited in 1964 by Björn Kurtén , who reconstructed the subspecies from a single fragment of an ulna which was approximately 20 percent larger than expected for a polar bear. However, re-evaluation in the 21st century has indicated that the fragment likely comes from a giant brown bear. The polar bear
7676-540: The region. Election results by party: The Regional Assembly of Deputies of the sixth convocation began work on 25 September 2013. Viktor Novozhilov was elected Chairman of the Arkhangelsk Oblast Assembly of Deputies, elected from the Arkhangelsk regional branch of United Russia. Party factions formed: The deputies of the State Duma of Russia, as representatives of the Arkhangelsk Oblast and members of
7777-525: The result of interbreeding. A 2012 study estimated the split between polar and brown bears as occurring around 600,000 years ago. A 2022 study estimated the divergence as occurring even earlier at over one million years ago. Glaciation events over hundreds of thousands of years led to both the origin of polar bears and their subsequent interactions and hybridizations with brown bears. Studies in 2011 and 2012 concluded that gene flow went from brown bears to polar bears during hybridization. In particular,
7878-424: The sea ice and during spring, mostly between March and May. Males search for females in estrus and often travel in twisting paths which reduces the chances of them encountering other males while still allowing them to find females. The movements of females remain linear and they travel more widely. The mating system can be labelled as female-defence polygyny , serial monogamy or promiscuity . Upon finding
7979-463: The seal or swimming towards a seal on an ice floe. The polar bear can stay underwater with its nose exposed. When it gets close enough, the animal lunges from the water to attack. During a limited time in spring, polar bears will search for ringed seal pups in their birth lairs underneath the ice. Once a bear catches the scent of a hiding pup and pinpoints its location, it approaches the den quietly to not alert it. It uses its front feet to smash through
8080-474: The seven governorates of the Russian Empire. At the same time, Arkhangelsk lands were one of the most remote areas in Russia. This fact was attractive for monks fleeing the crowds. In 1436, Solovetsky Monastery was founded, and it quickly became one of the richest and most influential Russian monasteries. Other monasteries followed. For instance, Kozheozersky Monastery , founded in 1552, still remains one of
8181-670: The sheltered side and lie down. After a snowstorm, a bear may rest under the snow for hours or days. On land, the bears may dig a resting spot on gravel or sand beaches. They will also sleep on rocky outcrops. In mountainous areas on the coast, mothers and subadults will sleep on slopes where they can better spot another bear coming. Adult males are less at risk from other bears and can sleep nearly anywhere. Polar bears are typically solitary, aside from mothers with cubs and mating pairs. On land, they are found closer together and gather around food resources. Adult males, in particular, are more tolerant of each other in land environments and outside
8282-418: The shoulder. The tail is 76–126 mm (3.0–5.0 in) long. The largest polar bear on record, reportedly weighing 1,002 kg (2,209 lb), was a male shot at Kotzebue Sound in northwestern Alaska in 1960. Compared with the brown bear, this species has a more slender build, with a narrower, flatter and smaller skull, a longer neck, and a lower shoulder hump. The snout profile is curved, resembling
8383-485: The status of UNESCO Biosphere Reserve . In addition, there are two protected areas in the Nenets Autonomous Okrug, adjacent to each other: Nenetsky Nature Reserve and Nenetsky Zakaznik . The area of Arkhangelsk Oblast has been settled by Finno-Ugric peoples since prehistoric times, and most of the toponyms in the region are in fact Finno-Ugric. It was subsequently colonized by the Novgorod Republic . Kargopol
8484-533: The status of the towns of district significance. Nenets Autonomous Okrug , which is administratively subordinated to the oblast, is administratively divided into one district ( Zapolyarny District ) and one town of okrug significance ( Naryan-Mar ). Huge areas within the limits of the oblast are included in the border security zone , intended to protect the borders of the Russian Federation from unwanted activity. These restricted areas include all islands in
8585-499: The trading routes connecting central Russia to the White Sea, and, in fact, in the 17th century the White Sea was the main sea export route for Russia. The whole course of the Northern Dvina is navigable, as well as the lower course of some of its tributaries, most notably the Vychegda, the Vaga, and the Pinega. The Mezen is also navigable in the lower course. The Onega is not navigable except for
8686-495: The transport of timber, but since then most of these became unprofitable and have been destroyed. In the 1970s and 1980s the aviation was active, with all district centers connected to Arkhangelsk with regular flights, Kotlas being the second important hub. Currently, it has almost disappeared. There are two airports in Arkhangelsk, but regular local flights are only carried out to the destinations which do not have rail or road connections, such as Novaya Zemlya , Solovetsky Islands,
8787-438: The two relatively short stretches because of the rapids . However, except for the lower course of the Vychegda and some parts of the Northern Dvina, there is currently very little or no regular passenger navigation on these rivers. They are used for cargo traffic though. In 1765, a road was built between Saint-Petersburg and Arkhangelsk, mainly for postal service. The road still exists and passes Kargopol and Plesetsk , and it
8888-516: The verge of disappearing. During the Soviet period, the high authority in the oblast was shared between three persons: The first secretary of the Arkhangelsk CPSU Committee (who in reality had the highest authority), the chairman of the oblast Soviet (legislative power), and the chairman of the oblast Executive Committee (executive power). Since 1991, CPSU lost all the power, and the head of
8989-556: The water. The eyes of a polar bear are close to the top of the head, which may allow them to stay out of the water when the animal is swimming at the surface. They are relatively small, which may be an adaption against blowing snow and snow blindness . Polar bears are dichromats , and lack the cone cells for seeing medium, mainly green, wavelengths. They have many rod cells , which allow them to see at night. The ears are small, allowing them to retain heat and not get frostbitten . They can hear best at frequencies of 11.2–22.5 kHz,
9090-781: The west of the Oblast, most notably the basin of the Ileksa River , drains into Lake Onega and eventually to the Baltic Sea . A very minor area in Kargopolsky District in the south-west of the Oblast drains into the Kema River which belongs to the basin of the Caspian Sea . The area in the Onega River basin containing the biggest lakes in the oblast, such as Lake Lacha , Lake Kenozero , Lake Undozero , and Lake Kozhozero . The tundra of
9191-500: The west, to Onega and further to Belomorsk , was built during World War II to secure the transport of goods from the harbour of Murmansk to central Russia. A piece of railroad between Arkhangelsk and Karpogory was also built in the 1970s and is expected to become part of the Belkomur project — a railway line connecting Arkhangelsk via the Komi Republic with the Perm Krai and
9292-577: The western and southern Hudson Bay (WHB and SHB) populations. Bears in and around the Queen Elizabeth Islands have been proposed as a subpopulation but this is not universally accepted. A 2022 study has suggested that the bears in southeast Greenland should be considered a different subpopulation based on their geographic isolation and genetics. Polar bear populations can also be divided into four gene clusters : Southern Canadian, Canadian Archipelago , Western Basin (northwestern Canada west to
9393-493: The wild. Analysis of the number of variations of gene copies in polar bears compared with brown bears and American black bears shows distinct adaptions. Polar bears have a less diverse array of olfactory receptor genes, a result of there being fewer odours in their Arctic habitat. With its carnivorous, high-fat diet the species has fewer copies of the gene involved in making amylase , an enzyme that breaks down starch , and more selection for genes for fatty acid breakdown and
9494-455: The world. Population : 978,873 ( 2021 Census ) ; 1,227,626 ( 2010 Census ) ; 1,336,539 ( 2002 Census ) ; 1,570,256 ( 1989 Soviet census ) . Vital statistics for 2022: Total fertility rate (2022): 1.49 children per woman Life expectancy (2021): Total — 69.60 years (male — 64.33, female — 75.08) Fertility rates of the region 2000–2018 A notable subgroup of Russian population are
9595-474: Was and remains attractive as an area for exile, forcible resettlement, and prison camps. Actually, the first prison camp, Solovki prison camp , was created in 1920 on the premises of the former Solovetsky Monastery. Novaya Zemlya from the 1950s, when its population (mostly the Nenets ) was strongly recommended to leave, became the military ground for nuclear bomb testing. In 1932, the icebreaker Sibiryakov under
9696-471: Was constructed in 1890s and passed through previously uninhabited areas between the valleys of the Northern Dvina and the Onega. The railroad construction gave the momentum to the population and exploitation of these areas. A branch from Konosha eastwards to Kotlas and further to Vorkuta was constructed in the 1940s to facilitate the transport of coal from the Komi Republic . From Kotlas, another branch continues south to Kirov . A branch from Obozersky to
9797-462: Was first mentioned in the chronicles in 1146, Shenkursk was mentioned in 1315, and Solvychegodsk was founded in the 14th century. By the 13th century the Novgorodian merchants had already reached the White Sea , attracted to the area for fur trading . The Novgorodians penetrated the area using the waterways, and this is why most of the ancient (as well as the modern) settlements were located into
9898-778: Was given its common name by Thomas Pennant in A Synopsis of Quadrupeds (1771). It was known as the "white bear" in Europe between the 13th and 18th centuries, as well as "ice bear", "sea bear" and " Greenland bear". The Norse referred to it as isbjørn ' ice bear ' and hvitebjørn ' white bear ' . The bear is called nanook by the Inuit . The Netsilik cultures additionally have different names for bears based on certain factors, such as sex and age: these include adult males ( anguraq ), single adult females ( tattaq ), gestating females ( arnaluk ), newborns ( hagliaqtug ), large adolescents ( namiaq ) and dormant bears ( apitiliit ). The scientific name Ursus maritimus
9999-756: Was occupied by British and American troops, allied with the White movement . Administratively, they established the Northern Oblast with the center in Arkhangelsk. This episode of the Civil War is known as the North Russia Intervention . The troops advanced to the south, occupied the station of Obozerskaya in September 1918, and moving along the Northern Dvina and the Vaga Rivers . The southernmost points occupied by
10100-459: Was paved in 2011. One of the principal highways in Russia, M8 , connects Moscow and Arkhangelsk, and passes Velsk . This highway is paved and heavily used. In general, the road network is grossly underdeveloped. Only several all-season highways, in addition to M8, cross the oblast boundaries: the one (partially unpaved) connecting Kotlas with Syktyvkar ; the one (paved) connecting Kotlas to Veliky Ustyug and eventually with Vologda and Nikolsk ,
10201-527: Was the main means of subsistence in the Pomor villages at the White Sea coast. During the Soviet times, the fishermen were organized into collective and state farms ( Sovkhoz 's) and the fishery was heavily subsidized. In the 1990s the subsidies were stopped, and the fishery went into a serious crisis, some of the villages were deserted. In the valleys of the main rivers, there is some cattle breeding and crop and potato growing, which is, however, difficult due to
#569430