Vladimir Putin visits nature reserve full of bears and salmon

Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin visited on August 24 the unique South Kamchatka Federal Nature Reserve before a meeting on the development of the Russian fishing industry as part of his working visit to Russia's Far East. The prime minister was accompanied by Russian Natural Resources Minister Yuri Trutnev, Kamchatka Governor Alexei Kuzmitsky and the director of the nature reserve, Tikhon Shpilenok.

The South Kamchatka Wildlife Reserve is part of the Kronotsky Nature Reserve. It encircles Kurile Lake, which was formed more than 8,000 years ago after a massive volcanic eruption. Kurile Lake is the world's largest salmon spawning grounds. The Ozyornaya River is the only river that flows out of the lake. Sockeye salmon migrate from the Sea of Okhotsk to Kurile Lake along this river.

Up to two million salmon spawn in the nature reserve giving a counterbalance to the effect of commercial fishing.

The huge amount of fish attracts bears to the shores of the lake. One of the bears was caught on camera by a cameraman who was accompanying the premier. During the salmon spawning season, 15-18 species of the world’s biggest subspecies of brown bears can been seen here. Kamchatka bears are mainly on a fish diet. “Here is the world’s most protected population of brown bears," the director of the nature reserve said.

When asked by the premier whether the problem of poaching is topical, Shpilenok replied that the problem exists. In particular, on August 14 poachers who were trying to trap bears were detained. “My men barely made it in time,” the director said.

Putin asked how many bears are killed in Kamchatka annually by poachers. The director of the nature reserve said some 600 bears are killed annually but it is difficult to give an accurate figure. He said in 2007, police seized 400 smuggled bear paws near the village of Ozyorny indicating that poachers had killed at least 100 bears. Kamchatka is home for about 19,000 brown bears or 15% of all Russian bears and 5% of the entire global brown bear population.

The premier was shown the area where the bears feed on salmon. One of the journalists asked the reserve's officials whether it was safe for people to remain near the bears' habitat. "It is bears who should be afraid of people," Putin answered reminding of poachers.

Putin took a motorboat tour of the nature reserve and even drove the boat himself for part of the route around Kurile Lake.