The Swan Champions of the Russian Arctic

This session will follow the story of a collective of community leaders and influencers in the Russian Arctic who have set out to reduce the illegal shooting of the declining Northwest European Bewick’s swan. Globally, illegal killing is the second largest threat to migratory birds second only to habitat loss, and often remains an intractable conservation conflict with great costs to wildlife, the conservation sector and society. In the Russian Arctic, multi-disciplinary and participatory approaches have been used to understand the issue and implement activities to reduce poaching. Motivations for hunting, individual hunting behaviour, attitudes towards swans and activities to reduce illegal hunting have been identified through dialogue and surveys with local communities. Conservation workers, hunters, indigenous groups, teachers and government bodies have planned activities to reduce poaching. Collectively they are known as ‘The Swan Champions’.