Frontpage MOSJ is a governmental system that monitors the environment on Svalbard and Jan Mayen Climate Atmosphere (3) Land (3) Ocean (5) Influence Fishery and freshwater fishing (1) Hunting and trapping (5) Pollution (14) Traffic (5) Fauna Marine fauna (18) Terrestrial fauna (3) Flora Landbased flora (1) Newly updated indicators Fauna Marine fauna Brünnich’s guillemot Since the Brünnich’s guillemot (Uria lomvia) feeds on key species in the ecosystem and is so abundant, it may be a good indicator for the productivity of the ecosystem. The Brünnich’s… Influence Hunting and trapping Polar bear take Polar bears (Ursus maritimus) used to be hunted extensively in Svalbard, but the species has been totally protected since 1973. Few are now killed. Polar bears killed after 1973 have mainly been… Fauna Marine fauna Black-legged kittiwake The black-legged kittiwake (Rissa tridactyla) obtains its food on the surface and hence functions as an indicator for this part of the marine ecosystem. This pelagic gull constitutes a large proportion of the seabirds, in… Fauna Marine fauna Ivory gull The ivory gull (Pagophila eburnea) is a high-Arctic species that is associated with ice-filled waters throughout the year. The species is found in north-eastern Canada, Greenland, Svalbard and… Fauna Marine fauna Common guillemot The common guillemot (Uria aalge) is a dietary specialist that primarily feeds on pelagic fish species such as capelin and herring during the breeding season. This makes it a good indicator of changes in… Fauna Marine fauna Glaucous gull The glaucous gull (Larus hyperboreus) has a circumpolar, high-Arctic distribution and breeds throughout Svalbard. It is a generalist that exploits many different kinds of prey such as fish…
