There is a place in Russia that has been preserved pristine for thousands of years. This is Wrangel Island. All due to the fact that its conditions are not suitable for the existence of people. But the island has become home to polar bears, walruses, etc. Like a real home, it protects them from poachers. And the military, meteorologists and scientists temporarily residing here have become good neighbors for the animals.
This island is difficult to get to, even more difficult to survive here. A lot of facts about him for the average city dweller remain a mystery. Here are a few of them about this amazing arctic island.
History around the title
The name of the island, known all over the world, was not given in honor of the discoverer. The outstanding Russian navigator Ferdinand Wrangel led an expedition to the coast of the Arctic Ocean. For four long years in incredibly difficult conditions - on foot, on dogs, on boats - the expedition conducted research. As a result, they completely described the north of Siberia and Chukotka, made an accurate map of it. The island could not be found due to natural and weather conditions. But Wrangel unmistakably indicated his place on the map.
It was discovered more than 40 years later by Thomas Long, an American whaler, in 1867. An educated man, Long knew about all the merits and many years of searching for Wrangel. He showed gentlemanliness and named the island after the navigator. He did not offend himself either, and named the strait, which separates the island from the mainland, the Long Strait.
By the way, the inhabitants of Chukotka have their own name for the island - umkilir, that is, the island of polar bears.
Climate is not for people
Photo: Boris Solovyev
There is no indigenous population here, and no permanent residents. Even for Siberians, who are accustomed to winds and snow drifts, the arctic climate of the island is very harsh. During snow storms, wind gusts exceed 40 m / s. There are no fish in many lakes and rivers, because the reservoirs freeze through in the fierce Arctic winter.
Even in summer, there are frosts and snow falls. The frost-free period lasts no more than 20-25 days per year. In the most difficult times for all living things, on the polar night, the island is illuminated only by the northern lights.
In the summer of 2007, meteorologists recorded a one-time anomalous temperature in August - 14 degrees. Perhaps, global warming is gradually reaching the Arctic….
An interesting fact: the bones of mammoths found here in good condition are about 3, 5 thousand years old. Mammoths were dwarf, apparently due to the scarcity of food in the tundra. There is every reason to believe that the island was then inhabited, and mammoths were the subject of hunting by the aborigines.
Maternity hospital for polar bears and walrus nursery
Since only ecological tourism is allowed here, all wild animals feel like the masters of the island. And he bears the title of the most prolific in Russia.
The maternity hospital would be more accurately called a maternity den. About 500 of them are recorded annually - the situation is favorable. Cubs are born in December - early January, and already in March - April, the babies with their parents go into the ice. The sea is the main source of food in this harsh land.
But not for musk oxen. Mammoths of the same age were brought here back in 1974. They have completely adapted and live great without any human intervention. Tundra vegetation completely suits them as a diet. And today the population has exceeded a thousand heads. With polar bears, the habitats are shared in a brotherly way: one tundra, the other the sea.
During the short summer, when the coast of the island is free of ice, one can see huge walrus rookeries, the most numerous in the Arctic. Basically - mothers with cubs. The little one splashes in shallow water, crawls along the shore and the carcasses of their parents, for which they often receive a flipper, for educational purposes. There is enough food: the bottom near the island is full of shellfish.
On the ice floes along the coast of the island, seals, seals, and bearded hares fish. The coastal waters of the island are also "patrolled" by birds. They feed on capelin, Arctic cod and other local fish. About 170 bird species can be found here. Many - in transit, about 50 species nest on the island. Almost all local birds are included in the Red Book of Russia.
UNESCO site and nature reserve
In 1976, the Wrangel Islands nature reserve was established. It is the islands, because the neighboring Herald and about 1.5 million hectares of water area came under protection. And in 2004 the island became a UNESCO World Natural Heritage Site. The protection of these territories will allow subsequent generations to see the world as it was before the appearance of man on Earth.
Leaving a cozy metropolis and a long, expensive journey … Where there is no sea and lush vegetation. What for?
- To see the maximum of Arctic exoticism on one island.
- To see how the aurora shimmers bloom and twinkle.
- Visit the turn of the western and eastern hemispheres - the border runs through the island.
The main thing is to see the enchanting beauty of the pristine northern nature in the form in which it was before us and will be after us.
