Wrangel Island

 island, border, arctic, invisible, do not draw title

Wrangel Island - on the border of the East Siberian and Chukchi seas of the Russian Federation. Area approx. 7,3 km2. Height up to 1096 m. It is located at the crossroads of western and eastern hemispheres and is divided 180 th meridian in two almost equal parts. Separated from the mainland (north coast of Chukotka) Long Strait, with the width at its most narrow part of about 140 km. Administration refers to the Chukotka Autonomous Okrug. Belongs to the same reserve. It is a UNESCO World Heritage Sites. His name was in honor of the Russian navigator and Arctic explorer Ferdinand Wrangel.

The territory of Wrangel Island and Herald, with the exception of low-lying plains of Wrangel Island, the land has remained throughout the Cretaceous period and throughout the Cenozoic era. During the Pleistocene transgression powerful, the islands have separated from the mainland, and during periods of sea regression, coinciding with the Ice Age, part of the vast land Beringiyskoy combining shelves East Siberian, Chukchi and Bering seas and connecting Asia and North America. At the same time, the territory of modern island located almost in the center of the Arctic part of Beringia, situated to the north of the modern Bering Strait. Particularly important that throughout the Pleistocene island has never experienced glaciation cover (there are only traces of mountain-valley glaciation in the central part of the Wrangel Island), and did not completely flood (covered only plain transgression of Wrangel Island, and then no more than half their length). That is, the organic world of islands has evolved continuously since the late Mesozoic era.

During periods of Beringiyskoy land, the territory of modern island provided at the crossroads of migratory flows, plants and animals, leading from Asia to America, from America to Asia and from Central Asia to the Arctic region (due to existence in this period, a single "tundrostepnoy" giperzony throughout from central arid to the most high-latitude regions of Eurasia and North America) and is considered, in the center of the largest area of the evolution of the modern Arctic biota. During periods of transgression, when the shelf most of the land has been provided under the water, the islands served as refugiuma for many species and communities, common on drained shelves. In addition, periodic isolation contributed to the revitalization process of speciation on the islands themselves. All this and the reason for initially high-biodiversity areas.

Last Branch islands from the mainland has about 10 thousand years ago, coinciding with the global restructuring of the Arctic landscape - the collapse of the single tundrostepnoy area and a massive expansion to the north gipoarkticheskoy of flora and fauna. Last, because of the island's isolation on the islands is reflected in the relaxed form, which, together with the peculiarities of physical-geographical environment (landscape diversity, while maintaining "refugiumov" continental conditions) are set to ensure the survival of relict elements as populations of individual species, and entire communities. However, because the same diversity of natural conditions, it survived and relatively heat-loving gipoarkticheskie elements, despite everything to get to the island and other similar area on the edge of the Pleistocene and Holocene, but in most cases, disappeared as a result of cooling pozdnegolotsenovogo. Until the mid-Holocene on the island are stored, and large mammals, including the local subspecies of the mammoth, which died out during only the last 5-2 thousand years.

We know that about 3.5 thousand years ago the island was inhabited by sea hunters, the culture which is classified as paleoeskimosskaya. The results of research only known Neolithic parking on the southern coast of Wrangel Island indicate that this older population of the marine resources are used exclusively (no remains of land animals in the cultural layer of parking have been found). By the time of opening of Wrangel Island and Herald Europeans, Aboriginal people are missing. There was no trace of the habitat and large terrestrial mammals.

The existence of a large island in this sector of the Arctic Ocean was predicted MV University. In 1763 Mikhail Vasilyevich shown on the map the polar regions to the north of the Chukotka big island "Questionable." The location of the alleged land was close to the real Wrangel Island. The indigenous inhabitants of Chukotka - poddanym Russian Empire, the existence of the island was known long before its discovery by Europeans. The first European who told the world about the existence of the island became a lieutenant of the Russian Navy Ferdinant Petrovich Wrangell. He learned of the existence of land to the north of the Chukotka region of the Chukchi elders. In the 1821-1923 expedition FP Wrangel took three campaign in ice in order to find the land. Each time, vast open water pregrazzhdali path group, forcing the back to the mainland. The Island did not find, but Wrangell was sure that he exists and stabbed him on the map showing the location of the correct latitude, but some moved to the west.

In 1849 Captain Kellet, Commander Ship Herald (Herald), to search for the missing expedition J. Franklin, came to previously unknown island and landed on him, giving the island the name of his ship, but not even taking his coordinates. To the west of the island's Herald, the team captain Kelleta seen the tops of other mountains, considering their islands, but no further geographical survey.
Europeans, formally opened the Wrangel Island in 1867, he became an American whaler Thomas Long. Knowing the geographical works F.P. Wrangel, the captain of Long Island gave the name of Russian officers.

The first landing of Europeans on the island occurred only in 1881 - stepped on the land, people from the crew of an American ship "Corwin", under the command of Lieutenant Berry (on the island of Captain Gerald Kellet landed in 1849 in search of the expedition Dzh.Franklina).

In 1911 the first Russian expedition reached Wrangel Island on the ship "Vaigach" setting on the island of the Russian flag, but in 1916 the royal government declared the islands of the Russian Empire.

Despite this, the Englishman Stephenson in 1921, using the devastation we have in the north, landed on the island occupation group, raised the British flag and declared that the island is now a possession of Great Britain. Designed for the following year for a change of occupation detachment could not be brought to the island, as the ice did not allow the English to come to Steamboat Island. Located on the on-ve Vrangel British garrison died of scurvy.
In September 1922, from the protection of our territories by Russian gunboat «magnet», out of the port Номе in Alaska, went to Wrangel Island in order to restore Russia's possession of the island and raise it Andreyevsky flag. In the twentieth of September, passing Cape Dezhneva, «Magnet» about two days of waiting for change north winds, catch up with the mass of ice in the Bering Strait, through which he could not break.
The second attempt was made in a few days, but also was unsuccessful because of the constant north winds. Further attempts were unsuccessful: ice began to threaten the integrity of the steamboat. Because of the need to return to the protection of the coast of Kamchatka region and the lack of hope break through the ice, gunboat «Magnet» was forced to leave northern waters.
Thus the idea of restoring the rights of Russia in the possession of the island belongs Vrangel gunboats «Magnet» led by its gallant commander, Lieutenant DA von Dreyer. Gunboats «Magnet» is the last ship of the Russian Navy, under the flag of Andriivskyi who left Russian waters 2 nd November 1922
In 1923 the island Vrangel British occupation brought a new squad, and in 1924 the Soviet government sent a military expedition there and restored the right of Russia to the island, causing a rather strained relations between Moscow and London.
In 1924, the gunboat "Red October" found on the island of the Soviet flag, and two years later followed by the Soviet Government's resolution on sovereignty over the island of Wrangel. In 1926, on the island of Wrangell was established the first settlement of Chukotka, and the head of the island designated GA Ushakov, who three years later was succeeded by AI Mineev, who worked on the island five years. On the island weather station was established and initiated regular research.

In 1928, was developed air path to Wrangel Island. Stable multigrade link the island with the mainland has allowed the colony to expand. Estates have been built Ushakovsky, Star, Perkatkun, schools, hospitals, baths, pig farm, the warehouses of products and goods, fur stores, boats for hunting at sea, the radio station. Equipped weather station at Cape Blossom, a number of advanced scientific base-stations on the northern coast of the island. The airfield in the Bay of Rogers has been expanded. Wrangel Island was a good base of many scientific expeditions, investigating the eastern Arctic region. Of the bay Rogers sent to the poles are not available in April 1941, the expedition to the plane N-169 (I. Cherevichny captain, navigator B. Аккуратов). On Wrangel Island based aircraft, resulting in drifting station "North Pole" -2.

The islands were first settlers, mostly natives of Eastern Chukotka, resettled on the island for hunting. Since their arrival on the island here began fishing fox, walrus, polar bear, white geese, kazarok and other animal species. In 1948, the island has brought a small group of households and reindeer herding farm office organized. In addition to the main settlements in the Bay of Rogers (p. Ushakovskoe), in 60 years was built in the village of Star Bouth. Doubtful, which was built ground emergency airfield for military aviation (eliminated in 70 years). In addition, the Cape of Hawaii was organized by a military radar station. In the center of the island, near the mouth of ruch. Crystal, for several years has been the extraction of rock crystal, which was also built in a small village, then totally destroyed.

In 1953, administrative organs of government are taking a resolution on the protection of lezhbisch walrus on Wrangel Island, and in 1968, is organized on the island reserve for the protection of walrus, polar bears, nesting white goose, black brant and the colonial settlement of marine birds. In 1975 he introduced to the island with the musk-ox on Nunivak Island and the Board of Magadan area of land set aside for future park islands.
March 23, 1976 was signed by the RSFSR Council of Ministers N ° 189 on the organization of the State Reserve "Wrangel Island", which includes the island of Wrangel and Herald, for the protection of unique natural complexes of the islands. 26.12.83. Magazhanskogo decree was signed by the regional executive of the organization around the islands conservation zone width of 5 km. In 1997, at the invitation of the Governor of the Chukotka Autonomous District, the area of the reserve was expanded to include in its composition surrounding the island wide water area of 12 nautical miles, and in 1999, around the water area is already reserved ruling governor of Chukotka AO was safe zone width of 24 nautical miles.

By the 80 th year on the island were disposed of the farm office and virtually shut down Point Star, as well as stop hunting, except for a small range of marine mammals for the needs of local people. In 1992, the radar station was closed and the island remains the only locality - s.Ushakovskoe. In 1994, the office of the reserve because of problems with life. Ushakovskoe was transferred to Point Cape Schmidt on the Chukotka coast, and in 1999 - in the city of Pevek, which created considerable difficulties in the reserve.