The 20-day expedition to study the challenges of maintaining a population of the Baikal seal started in Buryatia. This is the first such expedition, organized by the Far East Expeditionary center of the Russian Geographical Society and the Fund for Protection of Lake Baikal.
The expedition began on 17 March in Vladivostok and will proceed further along the route: Ulan-Ude – Irkutsk – Olkhon Island - village Khuzhir – village Gremyachinsk – Ushkany Islands – Ulan-Ude – Vladivostok. During the expedition a documentary about the current state of Lake Baikal will be filmed. In addition, a photo exhibition will be prepared according the results of the expedition.
It is no coincidence that the expedition takes place in this period of time. From late February to mid-April seal pups, called whitecoat (by the characteristic coloring of their skin) are born. Newborn seals become easy prey for poachers who kill them because of the valuable fur. Baikal seal, the only representative of its family, living in fresh water.
The following media partners joined the expedition: the TV channel “Rossiya”, “My Planet”, newspaper “Far East News”, magazines “Travel club”, “NG Russia”, “GEO” and others. Diaries of the expedition will be available in the social networks – Facebook, Twitter and LiveJournal.

Head of Far East Expeditionary Center “White Dragon” Sergey Sablin with the FPLB flag in Ulan-Ude