Vast swathes of Russia are located north of the Arctic Circle, a region rich in minerals and natural resources. The most biodiverse area is Wrangel Island, which sits in the Arctic Ocean, between the Chukchi Sea and East Siberian Sea. The island and surrounding waters are a UNESCO World Natural Heritage site and a federally protected nature sanctuary, as the island acts an important nesting site for hundreds of migratory species of bird, and a significant feeding ground for migrating grey whales. It is also home to the highest density of polar bear dens anywhere in the world, and is believed to be the last place on Earth where mammoths survived.
Sergey Gorshkov / Polar bear (Ursus maritimus) walking along coast of Wrangel Island, Far Eastern Russia, October.
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Sergey Gorshkov / Arctic fox (Alopex lagopus) running in snowy landscape with mountains behind, Wrangel Island, Far East Russia, May.
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Pal Hermansen / Spherical stone on Champ Island, Franz Josef Land, Russia, July 2004.
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Sergey Gorshkov / Musk ox (Ovibos moschatus) portrait, Wrangel Island, Far Eastern Russia.
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Sergey Gorshkov / Aerial view of pack ice off the coast of Wrangel Island, Far Eastern Russia, July 2012.
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Sergey Gorshkov / Arctic fox ( Vulpes lagopus) in snow, Wrangel Island, Far East Russia, May
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Bryan and Cherry Alexander / Chukchi men resting their Huskies (Canis familiaris) during hunting trip. Chukotskiy Peninsula, Chukotka, Siberia, Russia.
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Bryan and Cherry Alexander / Khanty herder standing on sled, with Reindeer / Caribou (Rangifer tarandus). Khanty Mansiysk, Western Siberia, Russia, 2000.
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Bryan and Cherry Alexander / Nenets boy pulling younger child on a sled. Yamal, Western Siberia, Russia, 2001.
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Bryan and Cherry Alexander / Nenets herder selecting draught Reindeer / Caribou (Rangifer tarandus) from a corral. Yamal, Siberia, Russia, 1993.
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Bryan and Cherry Alexander / Driving Reindeer / Caribou (Rangifer tarandus) across tundra at sunset. Khanty Mansiysk, Western Siberia, Russia, 2000.
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Jenny E. Ross / Polar Bear (Ursus maritimus) sub-adult male on cliff searching for eggs in Brunnich's Guillemot nests, as gulls look on from above. This unusual behaviour happens when when lack of sea-ice prevents t...
