In spite of all difficulties, the research expedition to the Arctic Regions “Ecumene Edge” has been completed successfully. From July 6 till August 16, 2017 the participants of the expedition sailed about 2700 km on the Kara Sea on a sail and motor trimaran “Finval”. We gathered large amount of data on distribution, numerosity, migration of many birds, marine and terrestrial mammals species. We collected herbaria, local mollusca samples. During the first stage of the expedition the participants enjoyed calm and sunny weather, while about half of the second stage it stormed severely. Two meetings with polar bears with two cubs (in each case) made the expedition more exciting. Beside coastal routes the expedition participants visited hard-to-reach islands: Vilkitsky Island, Shokalsky Island, Neupokoev Island, Sibiryakov Island, Oleniy Island and many others. The expedition program was fulfilled one hundred percent.

The scientific and educational expedition to Mongolia arranged from May 12 till June 15, 2017 has been successfully completed. Total length of the car route constituted approximately 7000 km. The expedition team consisted of a zoologist, botanists, a mycologist, geographers, an ethnographer, sociologists as well as travellers and wild nature lovers from different cities and towns of Russia. Major part of the expedition took place in the remote, isolated regions of the country. The expedition participants were delighted by plenty of birds, wild animals, reptiles, plants, unique archaeological and historical monuments every day. What a wonderful and beautiful country!

The article «First record of Ring-billed Gull Larus delawarensis for Russia” was published in 25th issue of the «BirdingASIA” magazine (Great Britain). The Ring-billed Gull was found and photographed by a Swedish ornithologist Alexander Hellquist during the expedition to the Arctic Regions arranged by the “Finval” Research Centre in summer 2015. The article will be soon available on the website “BirdingASIA”.

Scientific and research expedition “Lost Islands” to the Arctic Regions arranged by the “Finval” Research Centre has been successfully completed. 6 participants of the expedition sailed about 2700 km of difficult sea routes around the Taimyr Peninsula on a sail and motor trimaran “Finval”, and explored many Arctic islands. The expedition started at the Khatanga settlement and finished in the Dikson village on September, 4th. The expedition lasted for 45 days. Twice the trimaran was blocked by heavy ice: on the Preobrazheniya Island and on the South Peter Island; three times polar bears approached the trimaran and we had to frighten them urgently off; hurricane wind and storms many times tested the strength of the expedition participants and the vessel… During the expedition we collected unique scientific data on marine mammals (walrus, polar bear, true seals, cetaceans), terrestrial mammals, birds, molluscs, plants etc.