So called the island of Wrangel L.V. Gromov, one of the first geologists who investigated his subsoil in the 1930s. Throughout the Pleistocene era, which began about one million years ago, several times arose and again disappeared by the extensive land, binding Asia and America and called "Beringia". For the last time she existed 25 thousand years ago, during the Sartan glaciation, and again disappeared 10-12 thousand years ago, forming a modern geographic picture of the world. Beringia was the center of the formation of specific tube landscapes and the Mammoth Fauna associated with them, the typical representatives of which was the Mammoth himself, as well as woolly rhino, saigak, sheep, reindeer, cave lion and cave bear. It was here that the main path of settlement by primitive man of the American continent passed.

Before the beginning of the polar night.
Spit dubious, November 1997

Wrangel Island Thanks to his geographical position And the relief features most fully retained some features of the ancient Beringian landscape. In the center of the island there are many relic sites of tundrosponal vegetation. A number of plants and insects, as well as some species of birds living on the island, are more characteristic of the TundR of North America than for our Asian North. Among them are the real relics of Pleistocene, which today are not found anywhere, except for the island of Wrangel. From the plants it is a weather tool, one flowering acute player, in the insects of Wrangel, and from insects, Rinhenus. On the island, the remains of many Pleistocene animals who lived here were found here: rhinos, sheeps, wild horses, reindeers, primitive bizons, and, of course, mammoths, tails and whose teeth are abundant in river polls and stick out from coastal cliffs. With mammoths connected and the most recent sensational discovery - on the island of Wrangel, they have survived their mainland fellow women on the 7-8 millennium and extinct only 3.5 thousand years ago, during the heyday of Egyptian and the ancient Greek civilizations, without reaching the era. To the truth, the island of Wrangel is one of the last "lost worlds" on earth.

Highest top Islands of Wrangel Mount Soviet. April 1999.

"The island of the blizzard"

This definition belongs to G.A. Ushakov, Head of the First Soviet settlement on the island of Wrangel. Indeed, the island is considered to be one of the windy places on Globe. The speed of hurricane "Bors" in the Rogers Bay area can reach 40 or more meters per second. Completely windless days on the island - the greatest rarity. Even if you calm in one place, the strong wind can blow in any of the numerous mountain canyons. Sometimes the border between the calm and the windy zone is expressed so sharply that you can go from the Purgi to the County with several steps and back to the Purga.

Mountain array Drem-Hed is one of the main "maternity houses" of polar bears. April 1999.

Due to the size (145 kilometers in length and 83 - width) and a multi-way relief (from the extensive seaside plains to the central mountains with tops of a more kilometer above sea level), Wrangel Island has a peculiar climate that distinguishes it from most of the Arctic Islands. On the coast affects the influence of the sea, and in the winter it is not too cold here (-25 - 30 ° C), but the average temperature of the hottest month - July ranges only from 1.5 to 3.5 ° C. At the same time, the central part of the island , surrounded by the mountains, has a pronounced continental climate: in the summer, intermountain basins are heated to 8-10 ° C, and even over 20 ° C, while in winter there are frosts up to -40 -50 ° C. Simply put, Wrangel Island - Real little "mainland"!

Sunset over the mountain atterton. September 1994.

"The island of discord"

Ushakovsky village in September 1989

This name gave the Island of Wrangel William McKinley, using a bitter word game: Wrangel (Wrangel) and Wrangle (Quarrel, Odor). McKinley was a meteorologist of the Canadian Arctic Expedition on the Carluk ship. The ship received a hole and sunk in January 1914. Part of the team moved on the ice on Herald Island, where he died. The rest of the people (17 people) came to the north bank of the Island of Wrangel, losing four more. Captain Bartlett, accompanied by one of the Eskimos on foot crossed the ice of Long Strait, was reached through the entire Chukotka to the Bay of Providence, from there, in a random vessel, moved to Alaska and in September of the same year returned at the head of the rescue expedition. Bartlett made an unprecedented feat, which will forever remain in the Arctic srices.

The first "Robinsonad" on the island was accompanied by fear and despair. People did not trust each other, hid food from prying eyes, often quarreled. Two people died of inflammation of the kidneys, one shot himself, one more went crazy. The survivors remembered about the island of Wrangel is not otherwise as a nightmare, hello place ...

Strange and bizarre the story of the island. Those who wanted to find who overcomed many obstacles to him could not even see him. And the opening and first studies were made along the way, between the case, and the more, and the other was happening during the search for the deceased expeditions ... The island changed one name after another: the island of dubious, land Tichegen, the land of Kellta, New Colombia, and finally the island Wrangel ... changed state flags: English, American, Canadian, Russian, Soviet, and, finally, the Russian ... became the arena for political and human passions, tragic events that were destined to play their role in the history of Russia, and and around the world.

In the XVII-XVIII centuries, Russian landlords and Cossacks often reportedly about unknown lands located not far from the Chukotka coast. Most often I mean the American continent, but among the descriptions and sketches of that time you can catch hints on the island of Wrangel. The first cartographic image of the island is the drawing of the Yakut clarifier Ivan Lviv, made in 1710-1714. Probably, taking the basis of this drawing, very accurately pointed out the location of a certain "island of doubtful" in 1763 on his map itself Mikhail Lomonosov. At that time, many reports appeared about the lands lying north of Chukotka, so the search for the Island of Wrangel was buggy with the discovery of bearish islands at the mouth of Kolyma, as well as with the search for the mythical lands of Sannikov and Sergeant Andreev. At the end, in 1821-1823. Several sangue on ice in the East Siberian Sea made Lieutenant Fleet F.P.Vrangel, who gathered the most faithful information about the location of the island from the words of Chukchi, who lived in the vicinity of Cape Sheland. During the third campaign from the Aachim Peninsula, Wrangel reached the latitude of the island and was in some 100 km from his West Bank when the path was blocked by a huge worm of. From High Toros, he tried to see the earth, but in vain. Wrangel did not see the Earth, named afterwards him. If he took the direction to the northeast, it would come to the area of \u200b\u200bCape Blossom and opened his own island, but fate decided otherwise ...

Islanders.

It is Eskamo Yury Alpown,
Sits Chukchi Gregory Kourgin.
Gulf Krasina, August 1990

After 26 years, the Sailor of the English vessel "Herald" under the command of Captain Kellte, kiced in the Chukchi Sea in search of the missing expedition J. Franklin, the first of the Europeans saw the mountains of Wrangel Island. On the same day, Herald Island was opened to the northeast. For the first time on the coastal line of the Island of Wrangel in 1867, the American whaling bark "Nile" Captain T. Long, in honor of which was called the strait between the island and the mainland. In 1879, by the Island of Wrangel, it was fronted by the ice of Zhannetta, the crew of which later died in the Yakut coast. The search for this disappeared expedition in 1881 led to the island of Wrangel two American vessel Thomas Corvin and Rogers, who were commanded by the captains Hooper and Berry. This navigator belongs to the priority of the first researchers of the island, and english names Capes, rivers and mountains still have been preserved in many on the map, surviving the Soviet era.

The development of the island was accompanied by no less tragic events, and accomplished as a result of the next discord. The friction arose between the USSR and Canada, which was in those years by the British Dominion. Here is how it was. Until 1924, Russian courts only made attempts to achieve the island of Wrangel. In 1876, the Clipper "Rider" failed because heavy iceBuried the path. In 1911, members of the famous hydrographic expedition of the Northern Ocean with an icebreaker vessel "Vaigach" landed on the south-west shore of the island. Again Vaigach tried to break through the ice to the island in 1914 to save the carriage crew, but broke the screw and retreated.

However, Robinsonada in 1914 attracted the attention of the famous Canadian polar explorer Villalamur Stefenson to the island of Wargel, which included Karluk. He believed that Canada, and together with her and the British Empire, can claim the Islands of Wrangel and Herald, despite the Russian note from 1916, which secured the right to possession of these islands for Russia. In 1921, Stefenson sent a detachment of five under the leadership of Alan Kraford to research and creating a field base, which would allow Canada to declare uninhabited island With his property. And again - tragedy! In the fall of 1923, when the ship "Donaldson" came for the export of Krauford's party, it turned out that it was practically no one. All Europeans, including the Chief, died, only the Eskimo of Hell Blackjack remained alive. Nevertheless, another shift was planted on the island - 13 Eskimos headed by the former hairdresser Wells. On the attempts of Canadians colonize the Island of Wrangel became known in Moscow. In 1924, the Canonere Boat "Red October" was sent to the island under the command of B.V. Davydov. Canadian colonists were removed from the island, Wells died of inflammation of the lungs upon arrival in Vladivostok, and Eskimos were sent to Alaska.

But the point on this was not. In the same 1924, having enlisted with the support of the United States government, the founder of home reindeer reindeer at Alaska, the founder of home reindeer reindeer at Alaska, on Wrangel Island. This campaign failed, only the Herman vessel reached Herald. Soviet-American confrontation due to the Island of Wrangel managed to avoid.

Finally, in 1926, the Soviet settlement of 51 Eskimos and 9 Russians led by the first "head of the island" was founded on the island in Rogers Bay. Ushakov (who was later the first researcher North Earth, Head of the High Speed \u200b\u200bExpedition on the Sadko steamer and the head of the Main Department of Hydrometeorology at the Soviet University of the USSR, and then worked for many years at the Academy of Sciences). Growing in this place the village was called Ushakovsky, in honor of its founder. Now the question of the state affiliation of Wrangel Islands and Herald did not arise. Nevertheless, even recently, in 1986, the US Senate considered the statement of Alaska about the rights to these islands ...

Many still tragic events have seen in his century Island of Wrangel: the wreck of "Chelyuskin", who tried to bring the command of wintering to the island; Hunger and epidemic among Eskimos in the winter of 1934-1935, when 12 people died; The shittomaty "Case of the murder" of the doctor N.L. Wulfson, thanks to which the "star" of the investigator and writer L.R. Sheinina and the infamous state prosecutor A.Ya. Vyshinsky; The first in the Soviet Arctic shot "enemies of the people": Head of the Polar Station Semenchuk and Caiur Stairs ... and later there was enough ridiculous deaths and mutual offensive. The "island of discord" was and remains a harsh examiner of man for humanity.

"Maternity house of polar bears"

Footprints of a polar bear in the mountains of the dere-Head.
March 1999.

So called the island of Wrangel Zoologists S.M. Assumption and FB Chernyavsky, with the names of which are connected by the first detailed studies of the ecology of the White Bear in the Chukchi Sea. The phrase has taken root among journalists and popularizers, and it is really based on an immutable fact: Wrangel Islands and Gerald is a reproduction location about? All the beasts of the Chukotka-Alaskan population. Every year there is from 200 to 400, and sometimes more than 500 generic burgrels. On some comfortable snowy slopes, their density reaches the highest values \u200b\u200bin the entire Arctic - up to 4-5 per square kilometer. Such an abundance of Berherry promotes the privacy of the islands and ice furnishings around them. At the end of summer and in the fall, the southern edge of the ice is nearby, on which white bears are in a large number. In September-October, pregnant marshs in search of a place for Berlogs go to the nearest land - Wrangel Islands and Herald. Bear appears in December, and already in March and April, bearish families go to ice.

Bear playing. Braid doubtful
September 1991.

The island is not only the main reproduction site of polar bears. These largest predators of the planet are common here for a year. Especially many bears can be seen on the coast at the end of summer and in the fall in those years when the Chukotka Sea is completely cleaned by ice from ice. During this period, the bears are usually concentrated on Capes and Cosos speakers, where the frying frying are located. Adult Berzha Bear is not possible to get under power, so predators try to catch small bolds. The most experienced hunters are resorted to the safest and mining method: they dismissed the walrles, which in a panic begin to go into the water, inflicting severe injuries to each other. On the shore there are many, sometimes more than a hundred depressed walrus. The grand fertility is assembled to one and a half or two hundred white predators. Bears are eaten, swelling, exploring the surroundings, get acquainted, play for a long time in snow nanos. Such a carefree life continues until the stock of meat is over ...

Bears are breastged with fallen walruses.
Spit dubious, October 1996

For the White Bears, Wrangel Island is not only a "maternity hospital", but also "Restaurant", and "Club" for communication, in some way - the bear "Capital".

"Island of Arctic Treasures"

This name gave his book about the island of Wrangel, all the same zoologist FB Chernyavsky. For a naturalist scientist, an island without any exaggerations is a real treasury. Among other Arctic territories, there is not one that could compete with the island of Wrangel in a variety of species of plants and animals. Some of the vascular plants here are already over 400 species and subspecies, which is twice as much of any island and archipelago in the Arctic. No less rich in the fauna insects and other arthropods. On the island there are 169 species of birds, of which 56 nests (it is one and a half times more than in other arctic tundra). By the number of types of marine and terrestrial mammals, the island of Wrangel is also allocated among other Arctic islands.

The walrus group is chosen on the ice. Gulf Krasina, September 1994

Wrangel Island is a "maternity hospital" not only for polar bears, but also for some other mammals and birds. The density of brood norpess and sockets of white owls is much higher here than in other areas of Chukotka. The reproduction of sands and owers is usually strongly dependent on the abundance of rodents: mice and lemming. On the island of Wrangel, these predators may feed themselves at the expense of a large number of nesting birds, so they properly multiply and during the years with a low number of lemming. In the "Harvest" on the lemmings years, the density of the Soviet nest reaches 2-3 per square kilometer, and the shed holes are 20 and more per 100 square kilometers. On the Chukotka, the sockets of owls and the songblings are relatively rare. On the island of Wrangel is the largest in the eastern Arctic the focus of the reproduction of seabirds - "bird bazaars" at Cape Wering and Cape, which is called - a bird market.

Olennok. Cape Blossa, May 1997

Well, of course, it is impossible not to remember about the sole in Eurasia a large colony of white geese in the valley of the Tundrova River. Pacific walkers multiply in the Bering Sea, but in the summer migrate to the arctic waters, forming clusters on the edge of the ice. In some years, there are two thirds of the entire Pacific Masha population in the area of \u200b\u200bWrangel Island, and the bulk of animals is females and young. Therefore, the island can be deserved to be called walrus "nurseries." In addition to a walrus, a ringed nepary in coastal waters live, Lahtak (sea hare), Beluha, gray and Greenland whales, finval and small polysya, appear regularly. In 1975, shebians were delivered to the island with Alaska, who perfectly accustomed and achieved the number of over sixth of the heads. The familiar French naturalist Pierre Vakalon visited various Arctic regions, but, twice visiting the Island of Wrangel, said that he had never seen such a focus of polar exotic on So limited territory. It is not surprising that in 1976 the first Arctic Reserve, existing and soyne, was formed here.

"Pearl of the Arctic"

Arrival of white geese in the Valley of the Tundrov River. May 1997.

This capacious definition of the Island of Wrangel, quickly picked up by journalists, belongs to the biologist Yu.A. Gerasimov. I think that it is not necessary to prove the legality of this name. The island combines the standard of Arctic nature and a number of unique features that allocate it among other polar territories. And the exciting history of the search, discoveries and development makes his "pearl" shine brighter.

Sands during the Gon. Dwarf Dwarfs, March 1999

I happened to live and work on the island of Wrangel for more than ten years, to catch the flourishing of human activity and witness to her gradual fuss. In the late 1980s. There were more than 200 inhabitants on the island: military, polar explorers and, of course, the reserve staff who lived and worked in the village of Ushakovsky on the shore of Rogers Bay. The economic crisis in the country could not but affect the fate of this very isolated village in Chukotka. During the 1990s. Communication with the mainland became increasingly problematic, almost ten years on the island did not bring fuel and lubricants, building materials and coal. Product reserves accumulated in warehouses in 1991-1992. Were taken from the island for their quick and profitable sales. Already in the mid-1990s. Due to the high cost of the flight time and the frequent breakdowns of the old helicopter, based in the village of Schmidt, a long-term interruptions in the supply began to appear in Ushakovsky. I remember the period when there was no flour on the island for several months, and the inhabitants of the baked cakes from semolina. The absence of sugar and cigarettes were just chronic, not to mention canned food. Over the course of several years, the main food islanders was venison, since he was held annually a shooting of wild reindeer. After a few years and with this product there were interruptions due to the deficit of ammunition. Mail, store, kindergarten and school were closed in the mid-1990s. People gradually left the island. In 1997, a doctor left, which became a big blow for the remaining inhabitants, especially those who had children. The office of the reserve moved first to the district center Cape Schmidt, then in svek. People born and grown on the island were exported there. In 1999 he left Wrangel's Island and I ...

Creek cooch, June 1992

In 2002, the island left the family of Lion Nanaun, the son of one of the first settlers arrived from G.A. Ushakov in 1926. Now only two permanent residents remained on the island - inspectors of the reserve. Four more people work at the polar station. Researchers of the reserve live in Moscow and St. Petersburg, visiting the island only for the time of the short field season. So the story of the village of Ushakovsky, another page in the amazing chronicle of the Island of Wrangel, was completed ...

But perhaps everything is not so sad? After all, the history of the island of Wrangel does not end. Unique nature It will be perfect and without a person who initially inflicted her huge damage, and only in the last 30 years he tried to pay tribute to her. The last reason for optimism: In 2004, Wrangel Island, along with the adjacent water management, is included in the list world Heritage UNESCO. "Pearl of the Arctic" continues to sparkle in the crown of polar ice ...

Chukotka Autonomous District

Wrangel Island - Space from Cosmos

Wrangel Island - Russia belonging to the island in the Arctic Ocean between the East Siberian and Chukotka seas.

I received my name in honor of the Russian navigator and the polar researcher Ferdinand Wrangel.

History

The existence of the island of Russian pioneers was known since the middle of the XVII century. By stories local residents Chukotka, however, on geographical maps, he got only two hundred years later.

Opening

Wrangel Island actually was opened by American Kitoboia Thomas Long in 1867, and the first landing on it was produced only in 1881 by the crew of the American ship "Corvin", under the command of Lieutenant Berry. Shortly before that, on October 21, 1879, Gerald's neighboring island in search of an expedition J. Franklin landed an English researcher Kellet.

Learning

For the first time, Wrangel Island was investigated in 1911 by an expedition on Vaigach vessel, which installed on the island russian flag.

Relief

The relief island is strongly disseminated. Taking most of the island of the mountain form three parallel chains - the northern ridge, the middle ridge and the southern ridge - ending in the West and East coastal rocky cliffs. The most powerful is the middle ridge in which the highest point of the island is the Soviet Mountain (1096 m). The northern ridge is the lowest, it goes into a wide wetlands, wearing the name of the Tundra of the Academy. The southern ridge is low and passes away from the sea coast.

Between the ridges there are valleys with numerous rivers. Total on the island of more than 140 rivers and streams with a length of more than 1 km and 5 rivers with a length of more than 50 km. Of approximately 900 lakes, most of which are in the academy tundra, 6 lakes have a bad, exceeding 1 km². On average, the depth of the lakes is not more than 2 m. According to the origin of the lake, they are divided into thermal lights, to which most of the old old (in the valleys large rivers), glacier, footprint and lagoon.

Climate

The climate is severe. Most of the year over the area moves the masses of cold arctic air with low moisture content and dust. In the summer of the southeast, heavily and wet air from the Pacific Ocean reaches. Periodically come dry and strongly heated air masses from Siberia.

Quite often, the Birds from North America will fly to the territory of the reserve, among which the Canadian cranes are regularly visiting the island of Wrangel, as well as Canadian barrots and various American small sparrows, including reels. .

Fauna mammalian reserve poor. Empty lemming, Siberian lemming and sands are constantly living here. Periodically, and in significant quantities there is a polar bear, the maternity burgots of which are located within the borders of the reserve. At times in the reserve penetrate wolves, wolverines, mountainous and foxes. Together with people on the island of Wrangel settled riding dogs. The house mouse appeared in residential buildings. For acclimatization on the island, the northern deer and shezeby were brought.

In the mid-1990s, in the magazine "Mammoths whose age was determined from 7 to 3.5 thousand (!). Despite the fact that, on emerging opinion, Mammoths are everywhere extinct 10-12 thousand years ago. Subsequently, it was found that these remains belong to a special relatively small meaning, who inhabited the island of Wrangel in times, when it was long ago pyramids of Egypt, and which disappeared only in the reign of Tutankhamon and the heyday of the Mycenaean civilization. This puts the island of Wrangel and a number of the most important paleontological monuments of the planet.

Settlements

• Star
• Percatkun

Sources

Literature

• Gromov L. V. Shard of ancient Beringi. M., 1960.
• Mineev A. I. Wrangel Island. M.; L., 1946.
• The vegetation of the Far North and its development, is vol. M.-L., 1958.
• Soviet Arctic (sea and the islands of the Arctic Ocean). M, 1970.

Links

• Wrangel Island on the website of the Foundation "Protection of Natural Heritage"
• Information about the reserve on the site of the Botanical Garden of the Russian Academy of Sciences

Judging by the finds of archaeologists, the first people appeared here 1750 BC. E., Wrangel Island's card was inflicted in the middle of the XIX century. In 1921, the colonization of the island begins: the settlers from the United States and Canada arrive here, and in 1924 over the island raised the Soviet flag. The first polar station under the direction of the Russian researcher of the Arctic Georgy Ushakov was created already in 1926.

The geographical location of this territory is surprising: The Island Island is divided into two almost equal parts into two almost equal parts, which means it is both in the eastern and western hemisphere. Today, the island administratively applies to the Euulty District of the Chukotka Autonomous Okrug. The reserve is washed by the Northern Arctic Ocean is the most northern in the Far East, and in the number of plants and animal endemics (that is, living only in one climatic zone) has no analogues in the world and exceeds even Greenland.

The territory of the security zone on Islands Wrangel and Herald - almost 800 thousand hectares. Mountains occupying two thirds of the territory is the main type of landscape. The rest is the Arctic Tundra with small lakes and streams, which are about 900 here. Despite the proximity of the polar circle, there are no glaciers on the island.

Plant and Animal World of Island

The Chukotka name of the Island of Wrangel - Umkilir - translates as the "Island of White Bears". Indeed, the number of burgoot of this northern predator is the largest in the world. Every year on the island flows 400-500 bears in hibernation. And the history of the creation of a full-fledged reserve began with another mammal - sheby. It was they were delivered in 1975 in the amount of 20 individuals and after many years of adaptation took root. Now there is about 900 individuals on the island. One more empty-northern deer - were delivered here in the early 1950s, and today it is the only major population of reindeer on the islands (9-10 thousand individuals). On the coast, the walruses migrating for the winter in the Bering Sea. And in the water area of \u200b\u200bthe reserve, scientists are studied by cetaceans; Most often there are Beluha and Gray Whale, sometimes Greenland Kit. On the island there is the largest colony of white geese in Asia. And in general, the fauna is unique in the number of populations. Lescape, Wolverine, Wolf, Red Fox, Siberian Lemming and Lemming Vinogradov are also inhabited here.

The harsh climate does not contribute to the variety of flora: freezers are not only 20 days a year; Polar night, when the air temperature drops to -30 ° C, and the wind reaches 40 m / s, lasts over three months. Nevertheless, on the island of 417 species of plants: more than anywhere in the Arctic climatic zone. These are mainly lichens, mosses and dwarf trees.

Tourist routes

Due to climatic conditions, the only village in this area was officially announced in 1997: only groups of researchers and reserve employees are located on the island. Visiting the Berangel Island Reserve is limited, but there are about 10 tourist routes in the summer and autumn. They include a journey through rivers and ravines on all-terrains or, very rare, on foot, but most importantly - observation of animals: deer, white bears ... and whales, if, of course, lucky. From the conductor can not be removed by more than 20 m, so as not to meet one one with ferocious northern predators.

In 2004, the Reserve "Wrangel Island" is included in the UNESCO World Heritage Site.

No, the island is named not in honor of the famous Russian commander Peter Nikolaevich Wrangel.

A rare case, when even in a dry academic certificate Wikipedia, the story of this island is read as a detective.

So, the island of Wrangel is part of the land, surrounded by ice in the Arctic Ocean.
The area of \u200b\u200bthe territory is about 7670 square meters. km. Extremely severe natural conditions. average temperature In July, it is +3 degrees. In January-February, it is often descended to -37.

The first people, Paleoee, hunted on this island for another 1750 years before our era. It is hardly a climate of those places very different from what can be found now, therefore, these hunters had to oh how not just.

More than two thousand years passed until this island was first depicted on the maps. His first name, "Land of Kellta" wasland received in 1849, thanks to the English navigator, Henry Kellet, who described him during his expedition on the Chukchi Sea.

It took another 16 years and in 1866 the team of a shopping ship was planted on the island under the leadership of Captain Eduard Dalmann.

The next year, in 1867 by a strange coincidence, the island receives another name with which he enters all world maps. American researcher and Kitobobi Thomas Long, if not knowing about the opening of Kellett, then simply because of the navigation error, calls the island in honor of the famous Russian traveler, geographer, statesman, Admiral, Ferdinand Petrovich Vrangel.

It may seem strange that an American gives a new island the name of the Russian traveler, but, taking into account the wide fame of Ferdinand Petrovich, who at that time was already on the account three around the world travel And many other merit, the act looks quite normal.

In 1881, Captain Hooper landed on the island of the search group, with the aim of rescuting the George de Long expedition, who went to the North Pole on the Jeannetta ship two years before the catastrophe. At the same time, Captain Hooper sets the American flag on the island and proclaims its territory the North American United States. In this status, Wrangel Island existed for 30 years, before in the 20th century, in 1911, a team of icebreaking steamer (!) Vaigach approached the island, made a photograph of his shore, and installed the Russian flag, about whom and Ballas made appropriate entry into the logbook.

1914.
About six months, from January to September, 15 members of the crew of Brigantine Carluk lived on the island waiting for a rescue expedition after their vessel was crushed at 130 kilometers from the coast.

1921.
Canadian Polar Researcher Williamur Stephenson Bases the settlement of five colonists on the island, proclaims the territory of Great Britain and raises the flag of the United Kingdom.

Two years, the colonists lived on the island without communication in the outside world. Several ships that during this time tried to bring to the island of provisions and equipment did not have been able to go through the ice. And only in August 1923, the only surviving, 25-year-old hell of Blackjack was saved from the island, which last six months lived in absolute loneliness. The remaining colonists died.

In 1923, another attempt was made to colonize the island, this time by the American geologist Charles Wells, who founded the camp, bringing with him 12 experienced residents of the Far North, with women and children. The colony existed for several months, until August 20, 1924, when it was fully exported by the Soviet Military Cava Red October.

1926.
On the island of Wrangel, a permanent settlement of 59 and a person under the leadership of the Soviet researcher of the Arctic, Georgy Ushakov, is based. The base of the polar station is laid.

1948-1960.
Deer from the mainland was delivered to the island, the reindeer state farms were organized, 2 more settlements were founded, several facilities of military infrastructure were built.

One of the residents of the village, V. Podatko-Dollin describes the state of the settlement in his book "Ushakovskoye: How was it?":

By the end of the 1970s, there was a village council, a boarding school, a kindergarten and a boiler room, a club-cinema, office of the reserve (and later the Reserve "Wrangel Island") and a modest Natural Science Museum, Store (TZP) and a Underground Meat Product Storage Glacier, temporary Coral (for autumnal pen and slaughter of deer), mail, hospital, polar station "Rogers Bay" (Rogers), Rogers Airport (for An-2, Mi-2, Mi-6, Mi-8) and a small airplane, The warehouse of the fuel and fuel and bulk of bulk coal, the library, DES and the bath, and there were electricity in the houses.

During the navigation, a temporary jacket for a barge worked. Since the beginning of the 1980s, the station of radiotelephone communications, brufersstav, dining room for employees of the reserve and airlines, worked television, and a lighthouse was restored on the Ushakov Spit.

But, already in the late 1980s, military and permanent residents because of the lack of financing began to leave the island, in 1992, after the collapse of the USSR, a radar station was closed.

In 1997, all the remaining residents of the village, except those who refused to leave their familiar house, transported to Cape Schmidt. After a few years, one of the residents of the village returned back, but in 2003 he died as a result of the attack of a polar bear.

Wrangel Island, Chukotski Island of White Bears "Umkilir", is located in the Arctic Ocean between the East Siberian and Chukotka seas, 140 km. north of the coast of Chukotka.

Coordinates: 42 ° 43'48 S.Sh. 133 ° 04'59 V.D. Island Area 7670 sq. Km. The highest point 1096 m.

Named in honor of Ferdinand Wrangel, the Russian researcher of the North. Included in UNESCO World Heritage Site

Wrangel Island Opening History

Back in the middle of the 17th century, Russian landlockers heard from the inhabitants of Chukotka about the island in the North Arctic Ocean, where white bears live, a lot of fur beasts and which they called "Umkilir" or the island of white bears. In 1645, the Cossack Mikhail Stadukhin, the founder of Nizhnekolomsky Ostrole, said: "There is an ice-bearing sea big Islandwhich extends against the rivers of Yana and Kolyma and the Materia of the Earth is visible. " Subsequently, this island mentioned many Russian merchants who tried to open a new thing in the north of Siberia. However, I did not manage to get to this island. Because of the irresistible ice obstacles, the bolts were forced to return with anything.

However, attempts to find mysterious Island did not stop. In 1711, the Siberian Governor Gagarin specially organized an expedition under the leadership of Vasily Stadukhin in search of this island, but their long searches were not crowned with success. They rummed that in 1720, the merchant Ivan Villegin, going through the ice, was on the ice, it was on the big island, but besides the abandoned narts and the ruins of the old housing he did not see anything. There were different bikes from the locals about the big island of the north of Chukotka, but they did not documely confirmed.

After that, in almost half a century, during the famous Beering Expedition, the Siberian Governor of Soymonov instructed the expedition member by Lieutenant Colonel Renisner to work in search of an unknown island. According to his decree, in 1763, Renisner sent from Anadyr to search for the unknown Island Sergeant Andreeva, and Russic Chukchi Nikolay Daurkina, providing them with dogs, a provisionant, weapons and accompanying. In search of the island, these two groups spent more than a year.

Returning Daurkin said that "against the Chukotka Peninsula is lying both north in the Kolyma Sea, and east in the Anadyr Sea, unknown land. One of them in the north in the Kolyma Sea is large and called Tikigen. Deal people live on it, they call Chukchi Chooks. " He added all sorts of non-residents, apparently heard from Chukchi from their legends. However, his message that in the north of Chukotka has a big island was valuable and curious. So for the first time, at least the estimated location of the Island of Wrangel was scheduled.

In March 1763, Geodesiii Sergeant went, accompanied by Cossack Fyodor Tatarinov and Yukagira Efim Konovalov. Coming out from Nizhnekolimsk at the mouth of the river the Cross, they crossed on the ice on one of the small islands. But then you could not move. The difficult conditions of movement in ice-skinned and the lack of feed for dogs, forced them to return back to Nizhnekolimsk with nothing.

The following year, Renisner re-sent Andreev. But the second expedition did not add anything to any information. In the report of 1765, the secondary campaign of Andreeva is written: "In 1764, Sergeant Andreev, from the last of the bearish islands, saw in the great remoteness to them the greatest island, where and went ice on dogs. But, without having to do that verso in twenty, they drove on fresh traces of an excellent number on deer in the sleigh of unknown peoples and, being poorly, returned to Kolyma. " Andreev argued that before turning back he saw something dark in front, it looked like there was Earth. This information was about the unknown land north of the Siberian coast served as the subject of numerous discussions, this land was even called "Andreeva" land. But she, as well as the fabulous land, Sannikova did not see anyone.

Wrangel Island Why is the so called?

In 1820, an expedition was formed, led by Ferdinand Petrovich Wrangel. The terms of the Incel expedition were prescribed to find this unknown land and make exact description The shores of Siberia between the rivers Yana and Kolyma and further behind the Shelegsky Cape. The expedition was divided into two detachments: one under the leadership of Lieutenant Anjou went to the Yana River, the other under the team of Wrangel on the Kolyma River to lead a search on both sides. For four years, the members of the F.Vrangel expedition in incredibly difficult conditions then climb, then on foot, then all the dogs examined north coast Eastern Siberia and Chukotka. The results of the expedition were the descriptions and maps of the North Siberia, but what island they did not find.

In the summer on boats and on foot, in winter on dog sleds, they passed many thousands of kilometers. Removing sometimes from the coast of 250-300 kilometers, Wrangel acquired a lot of experience in drifting ice, a lot of experience riding dogs. Repeatedly in search of land in the ocean, he directed his silent to the north. But despite all the efforts, the unknown island did not see.

Although Wrangel did not find a new island. His confidence in his existence was so strong that the inscription was made on his map in a certain place: "Mountains are seen from the yaks of the Nakon in the summer." Subsequently, these coordinates coincided and the location of the island. In addition, the result of a four-year-old Wrangel expedition was proven that the Chukotka is not related to the American coast of the cereal and share them. During the Wrangel Expedition in the North of Yakutia, the first meteorological service worked for four years. His book "Traveling in Siberia and the Arctic Sea" was the first printed edition of the natural nature, climate, animals and the lives of northern people. She went through the light and was translated into several languages. And wraps unknown land continued.

In 1849, the British researcher Henry Kellett opened in the Chukchi Sea new Island. He called him in honor of his ship herald island Herald. Weest Island Herald Kellett saw another island, who put on a map called "Land of Kellette", maybe it was the future island of Wrangel. It was on this island that in 1866 the first European was landed - Captain Eduard Dalman, who traded the inhabitants of Alaska and Chukotka.

In 1867, American Kitobobi Thomas Long, swimming in the Chukchi Sea, approached the shores of an unknown island not meaning on his cards. He considered that he found this vain wanted island. At that time, the name of Ferdinand Vrangel was already well known, he headed the expedition to study the northeastern coast of Siberia, made three round-world swimming, for more than five years he managed Russian America, was one of the founders of the Russian geographical society. Being an educated and decent person and knowing about many years of searching for Wrangel, giving him due, the captain called the island in his honor. Since then, on all maps of the world, this island has become so called Wrangel Island.

Who owns the island of Wrangel

At one time there were disputes about the accessories of the Island of Wrangel. The island is close to the coast of Russian Chukotka and has always been considered Russian. According to the agreement of 1867, between the Russian Empire and the United States, after the transfer of Alaska America, the Western border of Russia land was supposed to be held at an equal distance between the Islands of Ratmanov (Russia) and Kruzenchtern (USA) on Meridian 169 ° Zap. longitude, and the island of Wrangel is located significantly west of this meridian. So the island of Wrangel is owned by Russia.

However, in 1881, the Americans arrived on the steam schooner "Thomas Corvin" and said that the island is uninhabited, and therefore will belong to America. The captain of the ship Stefenson tried to officially approve this at the level of the Canadian and British government, but received a refusal. However, the Americans did not refuse their venture.

In 1911, during the Russian hydrographic expedition of the Northern Ice Ocean, the Vaigach carriage crew landed on the island, performed the topographic shooting and raised the Russian flag over the island, which meant that this is Russian land.

Ten years passed and during the Civil War in Russia, Americans and Canadians using the confusion tried to beat the island of Wrangel to their hands. On September 16, 1921, on the island, they founded a settlement of five colonists: one Canadian, two Americans and one Eskimo woman. But poorly secured by the colonists quickly ended food, the hunt was not obtained, and they died, only the Eskivo of Hell Blackjack survived.

On this, the Americans did not calm down and on August 19, 1923 another 13 settlers were brought again. Special conditions They were not created and those lived as they could, with difficulty interrupting the hunt. Their life can be seen on one of the old photos.

However, the Government did not like the government of young Soviet Russia, and in 1924, a hydrographic expedition was sent to the island on the ship "Red October". In the difficult conditions of swimming, the expedition arrived on the island of Wrangel. Immediately upon arrival, the sailors-Pacific was watered by the state flag of the USSR and conducted topographic shooting of the island.

After that, illegal colonists were confiscated: 38 Skins of the White Bear, 57 - White Poxes, 7 Winchesters, more than 4 thousand pieces of cartridges. And the colonists themselves, for the illegal fishery of the fur beast and the polar bear, were arrested, removed from the island and taken out to Vladivostok where the People's Commissariat of Narkomointell. Evacuated colonists, especially women and children exported from Wrangel Islands in 1924, are obliged to Russian sailors. Another wintering they would simply have not survived.

Development of the island of Wrangel.

In 1926, a group headed by the researcher Gregory Alekseevich Ushakov was sent to the island, then another young man, afterwards the world famous polar explorer. Several families of Eskimos from the villages of Providence and Chaplino moved to the island. From this moment began the settlement of the Island of Wrangel. Ushakov and colleagues founded a polar station and a village in which 59 people lived with immigrants. The village was named Ushakovskoye.

The polar station on the island of Wrangel was the first Russian meteorological station for the polar circle. This at the time was quite a modern service that had the necessary equipment, devices and means of communication.

Three years of Ushakov lived on the island of Wrangel. And although every step of pioneers who survived this harsh land demanded harsh tests, they sustained them before the arrival of the expedition on the Litke icebreaker in 1928. During his stay on the island of Grigory Ushakov, he walked around him all where on dogs where on foot. He was the first detailed map And gathered extensive materials about his nature.

Grigory Ushakov Deliel with the first settlers and grief and joy, burden and testing. He helped them in everything, issuing in debt to future prey and weapons, and hunting supplies, and products for which he received great respect from them. In memory of his first boss, grateful inhabitants of the island installed Obelisk.

With the arrival of the icebreaker at the polar station, the staff was replaced, and Ushakov with colleagues loss at the mainland. Migrants settled on the island thoroughly. In Ushakovsky, several houses were built, formed the only street, which was called Lenin Street.

Migrants were engaged in hunting and fishing. The island, rich in the fur beast gave the opportunity to make a good hunt for one season to earn good money to ensure their families. And families of such hunters and at that time lived quite not bad and their number gradually increased.

However, it was not without inflection. In 1934-35 The head of wintering on the island of Wrangel was K. Semenchuk. Being a full-fledged head of the island, Semenchuk considered his duties as the right of unlimited, uncontrolled command. In relation to the local population, he led himself as foreign traders, considered Eskimos of the Lododes and loafers and did not give them no ammunition to the hunting weapons. Souring the hunt of the natives and leaving without meat. Semenchuk at the same time refused to advances to their products, although this system was practiced on the island of Wrangel at the previous superiors and completely acquitted himself, as the natives always honestly gone their debt. As a result, the winter has not experienced many. And with the first opportunity, many moved to the mainland. A criminal case was initiated against Semyonchuk and his girlish Caiura Starcev. The case considered the Supreme Court of the RSFSR in 1936. The prosecutor was Vyshinsky, and the investigator - Lev Sheinin, writer, author of the book "Notes of the investigator." The Supreme Court sentenced both accused to the highest extent.

After this event, more than 10 years on the island of life somewhat slowed down. The meteorological station continued to work there, but immigrants did not increase. And only after World War II, life on the island revived.

In the 1950s and 1960s, two more settlements were founded - Star and Percatkun. Several martial infrastructure facilities were built. Then there were several small settlements for reindeer herds and hunters. The center was considered the village of Ushakovsky. In the early 1980s, about 200 people lived in Ushakovsky - geologists, meteorologists, scientists, border guards, hunters-beasts from among the indigenous peoples of the North.

Over time, the island began to act: the village council, boarding school, a club cinema, kindergarten and boiler room, a reserve office, a museum, a shop with an underground glacier for meat storage. There was a coral for the autumnal pen and the slaughter of deer, post office and hospital. The polar station "Bay Rogers" worked, there was a small airfield for the An-2 aircraft and Mi-2 helicopters, Mi-6 and Mi-8. There was an airplane with a warehouse of fodder and coal storage. In Ushakovsky, there was a good library, a lighthouse acted, there were electricity in the houses. Today it's all that remained from boarding school in Ushakovsky on the island of Wrangel where about 50 children learned.

But with the beginning of restructuring in the USSR, life on the island began to fade. In 1986, military facilities were closed, and in 1992 they closed the radar station. Previously, good supply ceased and residents began to move onto the mainland. In the 90s, the island remained the only locality - Ushakovsky village, which by 2003, also almost completely empty. The island has become uninhabited. From the locals on the island remained the last resident of the village of Ushakovskoye - Shaman Grigory Kourgin.

Life on the island has become reborn only in 2010, when the work of the meteorological station was resumed, where 6 people work. From that time they live on the island and three caretaker of the reserve. Some of them, Igor Petrovich Oleinikov - the only person officially prescribed on the island of Wrangel.

In 2014, hydrographic works were held on the island, and it was founded by the Pacific Fleet of Russia. By the end of the year, a new military town was erected, for employees of the radar post and the point of attachment of aviation. Today on the island of Wrangel acts Military base "Polar Star" which is one of the most modern structures in the Polar. The Naval Flag of Russia is rewned above the Island of Wrangel.

Reserve "Wrangel Island"

In 1976, a reserve was created on the island of Wrangel, including, in addition to the island itself, the territory of the nearby Island of Herald and the 12-Milk Aquatore adjacent to them. The main task of this reserve is the preservation and study of the fauna of the island part of the Arctic.

The climate of the Vrangel Island Reserve is rather harsh. From February to March, the temperature is rarely rising above -30 degrees, and the wind, accompanying snowstorm, reaches a speed of 40 meters per hour and above. Even in the summer there are freezing and snowfall. Ice arrays on the islands are saved all year round.

Wrangel Island Relief Highway, Mountains occupy more than half of the island. By the sea, they are broken by rocks. In places where the shores are more common, there are sand-pebble braids. In addition, there are both streams on the island - more than one and a half thousand, and about 900 lakes.

Herald Island is a high rest of the rest that from all sides is breaking into the sea by rocky steep lesions.

The vegetation of the island of Wrangel

Despite the harsh conditions of the flora of the island of Wrangel is rather diverse, although mostly low shrubs, herbaceous plants and mosses. On the territory of the reserve, 417 species of vascular plants grow, 4 types of algae, mushrooms: cheerful, champignons and others. There are 122 species of moss, several species of polar poppy, stamping. Flashing, forget-me-not, star, valerian, buttercup, sugar, dupontia Fisher and many other plant species.

114 plant species belong to the categories of rare and very rare, these are unique plants that survived after the glacial period. Plots with fertile land are often covered with overgrown eggs with a height of no more than 1 m, in other places, shrub eggs are stealing on the ground. Some plants are Endertors of the Island of Wrangel, such as: Mac Gorodova, Ostrodelik Vrangelevsky, Emytilik Vrangelevsky, Mak Ushakov, Phalgeleevskaya Phalgela, Mak Lapland and some others. In a short summer, the island meadows are riveted with a continuous carpet of flowering plants representing the real relic steppes.

Animal World of Wrangel Island

Despite the harsh conditions and poor vegetation, land and sea animals are inhabited on the island of Wrangel, as well as a large number of birds. The largest animals of the Island of Wrangel are white bears, sheep, northern deer and walruses. Animals are smaller this: polar wolves, foxes, sands and a fine number of lemming.

Wrangel Islands and Herald have been chosen by white bears for excretion here. Remoteness from the mainland, the absence of other predators and made the island of Wrangel a kind of maternity houses of these polar predators. On the island of Wrangel, the world's largest concentration of the birth beard of the White Bear. In the fall, on the end of the Island of Wrangel, white bear, waiting for a young man, flocks on almost all of the Russian north. Every winter from 300 to 500 bears, begged in Berlogo to bring offspring.

In the middle of the last century, many northern regions, including the Island of Wrangel, began to be intensively mastered. The arriving people began to actively hunt on polar bears, more often not even for food, but simply from excitement and pleasure. The number of bears began to fall sharply for so much that it threatened with a complete disappearance in the Russian north of white bears as a species.

To preserve these animals, they listed in the Red Book and introduced a ban on hunting. Wrangel Island itself was announced natural Reserve. This gave noticeable results and the number of polar bears ceased to decrease. Little to the island of Wrangel, pregnant bear began to return from the entire region of the Russian Arctic. Here, nothing disrupts the peace of Medvedits. Where they equip their burgots are prohibited any kind of activity and even just staying people. In the form of an exception, these places are visited by scientists who study the lives of these animals.

Siberian and empty lemmings for this region for this region, as well as the sands constitute the main part of ground mammals.

Occasionally, Wolverine, Fox and Wolf are found. These predators on the island also have enough food.

The island is constantly inhabit the walruses - here is the largest fanger of these animals. The island serve as a place for them to remove the offspring. On such rookers, white bears are frequent guests.

A rather large number of shebities live on the island. They were brought to the island in 1976 from Canada and they knew perfectly, because they lived here and earlier, they would be exterminated. Now there are several hundred and feel them on the island perfectly.

Homemade reindeer was delivered here specifically. They traveled perfectly, over time he was somewhat and now they constitute some part of the fauna of the island.

On the territory of the reserve, there are absolutely lack of amphibians and reptiles, but 169 species of various birds nest here, for example, Gaga ordinary and comb, Icelandic sandbird, Sapsan and Greetche. By the way, on the island of Wrangel is the largest colony of the White Goose in Eurasia.

It is not uncommon in the local waters of gray whales, Finvals, Beluhi. Sometimes Greenland whales are swimming.

The island also represents the paleontological value - the parking lots of an ancient man were found here, as well as traces of the population of a small Mammont, who survived their mainland congor for almost 6 thousand years. By the way, Mammoths dwell on the island of Wrangel relatively recently - only 3.6 thousand years ago.

Tourism on the island

Tourism on the island began to develop only in last years. This prevents its removal significantly. But nevertheless somewhat tourist groups Every year they come to Cordon called "Bay Doubtful". Most of the travels in the island are carried out on all-terrain vehicles.

Some prefer to move on quad bikes or walk on foot. You can visit here by Mount Perkutun, located in the central part of the island, as well as parking Paleoeee on the damn ravine. Many excursions include the place of landing on Canadian settlers at the mouth of the Predatniki River, and Davydov's lagoons, treacherous and popov, on which the hunting house is located. In cases where ice on the sea is not so much, possible and water routes According to the bay, doubtful and bay is Kryna.

Most interesting activity While traveling on the island, the contemplation of pure northern nature and the opportunity to watch white bears, shrune, sea birds, deer in their natural environment.

Having been on the island of Wrangel, you have a great opportunity to capture memorable moments and replenish your photo collection. Every day and an hour spent on this wonderful island will be remembered for all your life. This remote from civilization the North Territory of the real, untouched nature, despite the overcome difficulties, will always bear you to yourself.