The Russian Geographical Society (RGS) is...

Scientists will also study polar bears" seasonal migration, the RGS said.

"One of the goals of the expedition is to study the rate of the decrease in polar bear populations," the RGS statement said.

Members of the month-long expedition "will focus on studying bears recently awakened after winter hibernation. Scientists will fix special satellite collars to monitor their movements and then analyze the data," the RGS statement said.

Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin called for the protection of polar bears during a meeting of the trustees of the Russian Geographical Society in March.

"The polar bear must be protected, not only in zoos, but also in their natural habitat," Putin said.

MOSCOW, April 2 (RIA Novosti)