MOSCOW, November 8. /TASS/. A biodiversity expedition of the Russian Academy of Sciences' Siberian Branch discovered a previously unknown species of weevil beetle near Norilsk, the Norilsk Nickel Company's Vice President for Ecology and Industrial Safety Stanislav Seleznev told TASS.
"During the expedition, the scientists had interesting observations and discoveries. They found animals listed on the Red Data Book that have not been seen before," he said. "They even managed to find near Norilsk a new species of weevil beetle."
It is a very big discovery, he continued, since there are generally very few insects in the North. Now, the scientists will have to think of a name for it.
The basic biodiversity survey continues the work, which the Norilsk Nickel Company (Nornickel) and the Russian Academy of Sciences’ Siberian Branch began in 2020. This work has extended into three regions - the Kola Peninsula, the Krasnoyarsk Region's north and the Trans-Baikal Region. The current survey’s purpose is to identify Nornickel’s impact zones and to assess biodiversity in areas of Nornickel’s operations. The research results will be used in building out a corporate biodiversity management system and biodiversity monitoring and conservation programs.