ALROSA has signed an agreement with Yakutia’s Ministry of Ecology for the financial support of the Living Diamonds of Yakutia Natural Park. Considered to be among the company’s best social projects, the park will get a contribution of RUB 4 million from ALROSA, towards its maintenance, this year.

“Thanks to ALROSA, the park has previously acquired new enclosures for bears and the necessary equipment,” the Company said while making the announcement.

The Living Diamonds of Yakutia Natural Park was set up in 2009 through the joint effort of the Government of Yakutia, the Mirny District Municipality and ALROSA. It was founded in an endeavour to preserve natural ecosystems in and around the town of Mirny. The park covering a territory of more than 32 thousand hectares, is located four kilometers away from the Chuonalyr recreation centre – a popular place for residents of and visitors to Mirny to relax in.

The park in inhabited by maral stags, yaks, bison, Yakut horses, spotted deer, elks, bears, peacocks, pigeons, rabbits, dogs and lynxes. “Animals are kept in conditions close to natural, which allows maintaining populations of rare animals,” ALROSA explained. “Since the creation of the park, three calves were born there. The park is one of the few places where you can not only watch, but also feed and stroke the inhabitants.”

The eight employees who work at the park not only take care for the animals, but also conduct environmental monitoring and scientific research to restore disturbed natural, historical and cultural complexes.

“The Living Diamonds Park is one of the brightest of ALROSA’s projects,” said ALROSA Deputy CEO Alexey Dyachkovsky. “It performs both an ecological function – preservation of rare animal populations and nature in its original form -- and a social one. Since its establishment, the park has become one of the favourite resting places for Mirny citizens and guests of the diamond capital.”