Vitaly Bianki

Vitaly Bianki is a Russian ornithologist, ecologist, Doctor of Biological Sciences and Leading Researcher of the Kandalaksha State Reserve.

He was born in 1926 in Leningrad. His grandfather - Valentin Bianchi - was an ornithologist, founder and head of the Zoological Museum in St. Petersburg, where Vitaly subsequently worked as a guide in the winter. His father - Vitaly Bianchi – is Russia’s most famous children's author of books about nature.

After graduating from university in 1955, Bianchi Jr. was sent to work in the Kandalaksha Reserve, where he has been working for 66 years. He is called a pioneer in the study of seabird colonies in Onega Bay. In addition, Vitaly Bianchi actively participated in the expedition to design the Pasvik Nature Reserve.

He published more than 200 scientific papers and more than 180 popular science articles, and wrote three books. At 97, Vitaly Vitalievich considers himself a happy person. He says that he lived his life the way he wanted, doing his favorite thing with pleasure.