ИСТИНА

The Atlantic Walrus population of the southeastern part of the Barents Sea (the socalled Pechora Sea) undergoes the rapid growth during the last decades. The number of walruses in this region did not exceed 100 ind. throughout the XX century. More than 300-600 (up to 900 according to the latest estimates) of individuals are recorded near the islands of the Pechora Sea over the last years. Walruses of this region fed on large burying clams mainly. According to benthic surveys, clum resources do not cover the needs of the growing herd. The Mussels (Mytilidae) could serve as additional food object: extensive stocks of mussels are found on the shallows surrounding the islands inhabited by walruses. However, mussels have never been mentioned as a signicant food object for walruses, and it is not known whether walruses are able to utilize this type of food. Direct monitoring of the Atlantic Walrus feeding in the Pechora sea is absent; the gut content analysis is impossible due to conservation status of the species. To study the diet we involved the molecular genetic methods for feces analysis. We have developed a method of inexpensive isolation of DNA from walrus feces. Using the specic mytilid primers (for PCR and sequencing) we showed that the DNA of Mytilidae is at least detected in Atlantic Walrus scats. This need further conrmation and quantication using qPCR and RT-PCR methods.