Wrangel Island is an incredible place where wild northern nature is still preserved. It contains many secrets and mysteries. As he is now, he was many millennia ago. Scientists are doing everything possible to keep it in its original form and beyond.
Today, there are no permanent residents, because the conditions are practically unsuitable for the normal existence of a person. 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 stingy food supplies.
The whole island is a reserve of untouched nature, where man is not in control over the course of evolution. Many facts about the island remain a mystery to the layman of 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 harder to survive on.
We present to your attention 10 interesting facts about Wrangel Island - the harsh but beautiful nature of Russia.
10. Named after the mariner
The island is located in the Arctic Ocean, bears a name known throughout the world. It is named after the prominent Russian navigator and politician Ferdinand Petrovich Wrangel..
Wrangel lived by the sea and the islands, later named in his honor, he personally mapped during one of his expeditions. At age 21, he went on his first trip around the world, which became decisive for him in choosing his life path.
9. The name of the Wrangel are three islands
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 Alaska. Canada and America claimed their rights to the other two islands that belong to Russia, but they could not get them.
8. The remains of mammoths were 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 were found there at a time when the island was inhabited by residents. Most likely, mammoths were the target of tribal hunting.
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 Aboriginal people to hunt for them, making them a source of necessary meat, fat and fur.
7. Severe weather
Severe weather conditions on the island made it almost unsuitable for living. The minimum temperature was -57 degrees Celsius, and the maximum was only +18. Ten months of the year the island is covered by snow and frost prevails, and the polar nights, when the sun does not go over the horizon, last for two months.
Even the long-awaited summer often and suddenly breaks off with sharp frosts and snowfalls. The harsh, arctic climate is a real test for living things, which not everyone can stand.
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 deprived the island of both amphibians and reptiles. They simply are 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, fish are not found in them at all.
5. Russia's largest walrus rookery
The island with its harsh climate has become a cozy home for more than one hundred thousand walruses. Then they made a real rookery, which is the largest in Russia.
Walruses are the only representatives of the walrus family. Males stand out for their massive tusks and impressive size.
Walruses are selected on land only in summer and autumn, and in winter and spring they live mainly on ice floes, hunting and fleeing predators. Walruses are the purpose of fishing, because their fat and tusks are very highly valued by the inhabitants of the north and poachers.
4. Snowstorms with a wind speed of 120-140 km / h
Residents of Russia are accustomed to strong winds and snowdrifts, but even for the most seasoned person it will be very difficult to survive on Wrangel Island. Gusts of wind during a snowstorm reach a speed of 140 kilometers per hour.
Severe frosts, coupled with powerful gusts of wind, make the island one of the most difficult areas for people to live on. The coldest months are February and March. During this period of time, the temperature drops below 30 degrees, and the wind increases to 40 meters per second.
3. There is no permanent population
The island does not have an 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 eponymous state reserve since 1976. In 2010, they were supplemented by six people 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 inhabitants left many years ago. Any official sources claim that the population of the island is zero.
All the indigenous people left these places as soon as the government announced a ban on hunting walruses and bears. This prohibition took away the last desire and possibility of life on this unfriendly land. The village was officially 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 Sea. 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.
The island has more than 1,500 streams and about 900 lakes. Such an amount of water allows the flora and fauna to develop rapidly. Each object has security and protection.
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 have become the 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, Gagachye.
1. Entirely recognized as a UNESCO heritage
The northern nature on this island has been preserved in its original appearance. In this form, it is still thanks to thorough protection and protection from all sides. Everyone 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 eras of the island. It will not be easy to get here, but the beauty and curiosity of nature seen is worth it to overcome the difficult path. What are only rare photographs published in the famous magazine National Geographic.
Fascinating views of untouched nature penetrate the heart and are able to touch with its beauty. The protection of this region will enable future generations to see the world as it was before we appeared on Earth.