The project involves hands-on participation in the daily activities in traditional biological field research on wolves and brown bears.

We aim to trace wolves and bears after their return to nature and to monitor their interactions with wild animals. This includes radiotracking of released wolves and bears, locating and following wolf trails, faeces and prey remains. When footprints are sighted, the number of animals, their ages and sex is recorded. We study the local migration routes and the size of the home-ranges so as to understand better the travelling patterns of these highly social and intelligent animals.

Since 2001, similar studies have been carried out around the world. In 2002-2003 eight wolves were returned to the wild.

The biological station is located approximately 450 km northwest of Moscow, in Central European Russia. The reserve and the station are situated in the south-western Valday Hills, where three important Russian rivers originate: Volga, Dnepr and Zapadnaya Dvina.