10 interesting facts about Wrangel Island – a unique reserve in Russia

Wrangel Island is an incredible place where the wild northern nature is still preserved. It keeps many secrets and mysteries. As it is now, it was many millennia ago. Scientists are doing everything possible to keep it in its original form and further.

Today there are no permanent residents, because the conditions are practically not suitable for a normal human existence. The island is home to many animals and acts as their refuge from predators and poachers. Polar bears, walruses, birds, even butterflies survive despite the cold and scarce food supplies.

The entire island is a reserve of untouched nature, where man has no control over the course of evolution. Many facts about the island remain a mystery to the layman in urban areas.

Our today’s list is designed to slightly lift the veil of secrecy and immerse the reader in a unique and amazing world, which is difficult to get to, but even more difficult to survive on it.

We present to your attention 10 interesting facts about Wrangel Island – the harsh but beautiful nature of Russia.

10 Named after the navigator

The island, located in the Arctic Ocean, bears a name known throughout the world. It is named after the outstanding Russian navigator and politician Ferdinand Petrovich Wrangel..

Wrangel lived by the sea and the islands, later named after him, he personally mapped during one of his expeditions. At the age of 21, he set out on his first trip around the world, which became decisive for him in choosing his life path.

9. Three islands bear the name of Wrangel

The name of the legendary naval officer Wrangel bears not one, but three islands, two of which are part of Russia, and the third is American. The island in the United States is part of the Alexander Archipelago and is located in the state of Alaska. On the other two islands that belong to Russia, Canada and America claimed their rights, but they could not get them.

8. Mammoth remains discovered

The remains of mammoths were discovered on the island. Interestingly, the established age of the bones is about three and a half thousand years. This indicates that ancient creatures lived there at a time when the island was inhabited by inhabitants. It is most likely that mammoths were the target of hunting tribes.

It is worth noting that the mammoths were special, or rather, dwarf. This was probably due to the scarcity of food that could be found on the island. The small size of the animals made it easier for the natives to hunt them, making them a source of much-needed meat, fat, and fur.

7. Severe weather conditions

Severe weather conditions on the island made it almost uninhabitable. The minimum temperature was -57 degrees Celsius, and the maximum was only +18. Ten months of the year the island is covered with snow and frost, and the polar nights, when the sun does not rise above the horizon, last for two months.

Even the long-awaited summer often and suddenly ends with sharp frosts and snowfalls. The harsh, arctic climate is a real test for living beings, which not everyone can withstand.

6. Amphibians and reptiles are not found

The animal world does not please us with the variety of species on this island. Harsh natural conditions have deprived the island of both amphibians and reptiles.. They are simply not able to adapt to such extreme conditions and life is simply impossible for them. But the island is inhabited by more than 30 species of spiders, beetles and even butterflies. Freshwater lakes are empty, there is no fish in them at all.

5. The largest walrus rookery in Russia

The island with its harsh climate has become a cozy home for more than a hundred thousand walruses. Here they arranged for themselves a real rookery, which is the largest in Russia..

Walruses are the only members of the walrus family. Males stand out for their massive tusks and impressive size.

Walruses get out on land only in summer and autumn, and in winter and spring they live mainly on ice floes, hunting and escaping from predators. Walruses are the target of fishing, because their fat and tusks are highly valued by the inhabitants of the north and poachers.

4. Snow storms with wind speeds of 120-140 km/h

The inhabitants of Russia are accustomed to strong winds and snow drifts, but even for the most seasoned person, surviving on Wrangel Island will be very difficult. Wind gusts during a snow storm reach speeds of 140 kilometers per hour.

Severe frosts, coupled with powerful gusts of wind, turn the island into one of the most difficult parts of the earth for people to live. The coldest months are February and March. During this period, the temperature drops below 30 degrees, and the wind increases to 40 meters per second.

3. No permanent population

The island has no indigenous population. Only meteorologists, reserve workers and the military live here. But even they come here only for a while, perform tasks, working on a rotational basis.

Employees have been living in the state reserve of the same name since 1976. In 2010, six people were added to them, who work in shifts at the station, which was built in the village of Ushakovskoye.

In 2014, a military station was built in the same village, whose residents left many years ago. Any official sources claim that the population on the island is zero.

All indigenous people left these places as soon as the authorities announced a ban on hunting for walruses and bears. This ban took away the last desire and the possibility of life on this unfriendly land. Officially, the village was closed in 1997, but several people did not immediately leave their homes.

2. There are 900 lakes on the island

The island borders the East Siberian and Chukchi Seas. Glaciers dominate here all the time, and mountains rise on land. The highest point on the island is Mount Sovetskaya. Near the sea, the land is rocky with steep cliffs on which birds like to nest.

There are more than 1 streams and about 500 lakes on the island. This amount of water allows the rapid development of flora and fauna. Each object is guarded and protected.

All lakes are carefully researched and maintained in their original form. All rivers do not exceed a length of 1 kilometer, but five rivers with a length of 50 kilometers are an exception.

Most of the lakes are located in the north of the island (in the Academy Tundra). The average depth of the lakes does not exceed 2 kilometers. The largest of them: Kmo, Komsomol, Gagachie.

1. Entirely recognized as a UNESCO heritage

Northern nature on this island has been preserved in its original form. In this form, it is still thanks to careful protection and protection from all sides. Anyone who is not indifferent to the northern nature will definitely like this place.

Wrangel Island is part of the reserve of the same name, which is recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.. This organization helped in the study of all the geological epochs of the island. It will not be easy to get here, but the beauty and wonder of nature seen is worth it to overcome the hard way. What are only rare photographs published in the famous National Geographic magazine.

Fascinating views of untouched nature penetrate the heart and are able to touch with their beauty. The protection of this region will enable future generations to see the world as it was before our appearance on Earth.