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Pleistocene Park Foundation

Our foundation is dedicated to the restoration of high productive grazing ecosystems in the Arctic. It will not only create an ecosystem similar to the African Serengeti on vast abandoned territories but will also help mitigate climate change.

The Permafrost Problem

1.4 trillion tons of carbon

estimated in the artic permafrost 1

Tree
3x
the carbon contained in all earth's forest
Globe
2x
the carbon currently in earth's atmosphere

What is Permafrost?

A layer of soil and rock beneath the surface that stays frozen all year. It contains large quantities of organic carbon leftover from dead plants that didn't decompose due to the cold.

What Happens if it thaws?

If with climate warming permafrost thaws microbes will decompose the organic material and release greenhouse gases like carbon dioxide and methane into the atmosphere.

Nature can provide a Solution

Restore the Mammoth Steppe Ecosystem

During the last Ice Age, steppes with millions of mammoths, bison, horses, reindeers, tigers, wolves and numerous other animals occupied vast landscapes, spanning from Spain to Canada and from the Arctic islands to China. The first humans came to this place and quickly killed most animals, driving many species extinct, and destroying the fragile symbiosis between plants and animals. We want to reintroduce these animals back to their ancient land and let them transform it.

animals grazing together in pleistocene park

Horses, bison and musk ox are grazing together for the first time in 10,000 years the Pleistocene Park; proving that high productive grazing ecosystem can flourish today

How grazing ecosystems mitigate climate change

animals trampling snow
Permafrost Cooling
Herbivores compact snow in winter as they graze, removing a layer of insulation and exposing permafrost to extreme cold
sun on snow landscape
Albedo Effect
Grassland terrain is lighter in color than shrubland and forests, reflecting more sun and reducing overall heat absorbtion
grassland in pleistocene park
Photosynthesis
Grasses absorb carbon dioxide with photosynthesis and create a massive root system which locks carbon in the cold Arctic soils

Scientific Background

Documentary on Pleistocene Park

pleistocene park from drone

Pleistocene Park

Located in northeastern Siberia on the Kolyma River south of Chersky in the Sakha Republic, Russia. The total areas of the park is 144km2 with 20 km2 fenced up to date. So far we have reintroduced reindeer, Yakutian horses, moose, musk ox, yaks, sheep, Kalmykian cows and bison in the park.

More about the park

sergey and nikita zimov

Led by the top scientists in Artic Ecology

Pleistocene Park was founded by Sergey Zimov, a well known Arctic ecologist. Over his scientific career he published multiple scientific papers including five articles in Science Magazine as the first author. With his son Nikita he runs North-East Scientific Station, one of the largest Arctic research stations in the world.