Kanin Peninsula

The Kanin Peninsula (Канин) is a large peninsula in Nenets Autonomous Okrug, Russia.

Geography
It is surrounded by the White Sea to the west and by the Barents Sea to the north and east.

Shoyna (also spelled Shoina) is one of the few communities on the peninsula and situated on the western side. A settlement of some 300 people in 2010, historically it had a much larger population (1,500 in the 1950s). However, the destruction of the local fishing industry as a result of overfishing led to a loss of population in the region, resulting in much of the settlement being reclaimed by sand. An airstrip and lighthouse are also near Shoyna.



Fauna
For cetaceans, beluga whales are most commonly found. Male sperm whales are known to occur as well.

Butterflies
There are 29 butterfly species in the forest-tundra and 14 species in the hypoarctic tundra. The data on the fauna and distribution of species in the forest-tundra of the Kanin Peninsula are generally typical of this natural zone. The most abundant species are Erebia disa, Oeneis norna, Clossiana freija, Pieris napi, and Vacciniina optilete. The dominant species in southern tundra localities are Erebia euryale, Erebia pandrose, and Boloria aquilonaris, which coincides with the result of the 1903 research. A high abundance of E. pandrose is a specific feature of the northern part of the Kanin Peninsula and Kolguev Island, pointing to the connection of the biota of these territories with the subarctic regions of Fennoscandia.

Climate
The climate on the Kanin Peninsula has cold winters with moderate maritime influences and cool summers. The north has a tundra climate (ET) and the south a subarctic climate (Dfc) thanks to the warmer summers.