Wildlife photographer Alexey Ebel has just returned from an expedition to the Laptev Sea in Arctic Russia where he concentrated his lenses on the local populations of walrus and polar bear.
The project was set up to see if these populations are related to groups to the east or west.
The answer to this on-going genetic mystery may have implications for conservation management in this whole region, whose populations are vulnerable in the current climate, in which we're seeing melting ice in northern Russia and the increased shipping and oil and gas exploration.
Abel is a Russian photographer specialising in wildlife photography. He provided The Huffington Post the following tips for other photographers after joining the Canon-sponsored WWF expedition to Siberia.