News from the Far East: Altai State University student Semyon Aparin is currently in the Sea of Japan, conducting direct observations of sea lions. As part of the expedition, he visited the old lighthouse at Cape Aniva on Sakhalin Island and also traveled to Moneron Island, specifically Cape Kamera. This cape received its working name from a special camera installed there to record Steller sea lions.

Semyon Aparin is a first-year master’s student at the Institute of Geography at Altai State University. In March 2026, he won a special competition for students of the institute, organized by Irina Sayutina, author of federal media projects in tourism and founder of the “Watch Expeditions” project. The aim of the competition was to develop habitat zoning maps for northern sea lions (Steller sea lions)—an important conservation initiative intended to establish local guidelines for safe animal observation. Moneron Island became the project’s first pilot site: it opened to tourism in 2021, and the growing number of visitors has increased risks to the local fauna. The project’s goal is to create an observation system that is safe for both people and animals.

As the winner of the competition, Semyon received the grand prize—participation in a scientific expedition to Moneron Island. He is now able not only to observe the locations he previously studied in theory but also to refine his maps based on direct observations of Steller sea lions in their natural habitat.

The data collected by Semyon and other participants will later be adapted for use in other Russian regions where these marine mammals inhabit, including Kamchatka, the Kuril Islands, and the Commander Islands.