Wrangel Island
Wrangel Island sits astride the 180th meridian, placing it in a unique geographic position. This location makes its north shore both the northeasternmost and northwesternmost point of land in the world by strict longitude. The International Date Line bends eastward at this latitude to keep the island on the same day as the rest of Russia. It lies between the Chukchi Sea and the East Siberian Sea, separated from the Siberian mainland by the De Long Strait. The closest land is the tiny Herald Island located just to the east.
The island spans about 93 miles from east to west and 56 miles wide from north to south. Its area covers approximately 2,740 square miles, making it roughly the size of Crete. Topography includes a southern coastal plain that averages 15 miles wide. A central belt of low-relief mountains runs east-west with the highest elevations found in the Tsentral'nye Mountain Range. Gora Sovetskaya reaches an elevation of 3,100 feet above mean sea level.
Geological history stretches back to the Upper Precambrian era. Folded, faulted, and metamorphosed volcanic rocks range in age from Upper Precambrian to Lower Mesozoic. These ancient strata consist of sericite and chlorite slate containing minor amounts of metavolcanic rocks. Overlying these are up to 1,000 meters of Upper Silurian to Lower Carboniferous interbedded sandstone and siltstone. The uppermost layer contains Triassic clayey quartzose turbidites interbedded with black slate.
About 500 to 1,000 mammoths were isolated on Wrangel Island and continued to survive for another 6,000 years after their mainland relatives vanished. Research published in 2017 suggested that this population experienced a genetic meltdown in the DNA of the last animals. This difference appeared when compared with examples from 40,000 years earlier when populations were plentiful. The research indicated large numbers of detrimental variants collecting in pre-extinction genomes.
A later study published in 2024 disputed these conclusions. That study found many deleterious mutations had been purged from the genome. Instead it suggested extinction likely resulted from a catastrophic event. Woolly mammoths may have already been extinct for several centuries prior to earliest human presence on the island.
The flora includes 417 species of plants, double that of any other Arctic tundra territory of comparable size. More than any other Arctic island, Wrangel supports diverse plant life including Androsace, Artemisia, Astragalus, Carex, Cerastium, Draba, Erigeron, Oxytropis, Papaver, Pedicularis, Potentilla, Primula, Ranunculus, Rhodiola, Rumex, Salix, Saxifraga, Silene, and Valeriana. Domestic reindeer were introduced in the 1950s with feral numbers managed around 1,000. Musk oxen arrived in 1975 with populations growing from 20 to about
1,000.
Wolves were spotted on the island again in 2002 after being present in ancient times. The island hosts breeding colonies of many bird species including brant geese, cackling geese, greater white-fronted geese, Ross' geese, and snow geese. Snowy owls hunt lemmings tunneling beneath the snow. Several gull species are present along with long-tailed ducks, red phalarope, dunlin, pectoral sandpipers, ruddy turnstones, red knots, black-bellied plovers, thick-billed murres, and black guillemots.
In 1764 Cossack Sergeant Stepan Andreyev claimed to have sighted this island. His report noted native accounts that it was called Tikegen and inhabited by people known as the Krahay. Baron Ferdinand von Wrangel read Andreyev's report and heard Chukchi stories of land at those coordinates. He set off on an expedition between 1820 and 1824 to discover the island but failed to find it.
Captain Thomas Long approached within fifteen miles in August 1867. He named the northern land Wrangell Land as a tribute to Baron von Wrangel. An account appeared in the Proceedings of the American Association for the Advancement of Science published in 1869 under the title The New Arctic Continent or Wrangell's Land discovered the 14th of August 1867. George W. De Long commanded USS Jeannette which became locked in polar ice pack in 1879 while
attempting to reach the North Pole.
A party from USRC Corwin landed on Wrangel Island on the 12th of August 1881 claiming it for the United States and naming it New Columbia. Naturalist John Muir published the first description of Wrangel Island during this expedition. In 1911 Russian Arctic Ocean Hydrographic Expedition members landed on the island aboard icebreakers Vaygach and Taymyr under Boris Vilkitsky. The Tsarist government declared the island belonged to the Russian Empire in 1916.
In 1914 members of the Canadian Arctic Expedition organized by Vilhjalmur Stefansson were marooned on Wrangel Island for nine months after their ship Karluk was crushed in the ice pack. Survivors were rescued by American motorized fishing schooner King & Winge after Captain Robert Bartlett walked across the Chukchi Sea to Siberia to summon help. In 1921 Stefansson sent five settlers to the island in a speculative attempt to claim it for Canada.
The group included Canadian Allan Crawford, three Americans named Fred Maurer Lorne Knight and Milton Galle, and Iñupiat seamstress Ada Blackjack. They were handpicked based upon previous experience and academic credentials. An attempt to relieve this group in 1922 failed when schooner Teddy Bear became stuck in ice. In 1923 sole survivor Ada Blackjack was rescued by a ship that left another party of 13 including American
Charles Wells and 12 Inuit.
In 1924 Soviet Union removed the American and 13 Inuit inhabitants aboard Krasnyy Oktyabr Red October. Wells died of pneumonia in Vladivostok during diplomatic row about an American boundary marker. An Inuk child also died. Others were deported from Vladivostok to Chinese border post Suifenhe but China refused to accept them. American Red Cross eventually provided $1,600 for their return trip through Dalian Kobe and Seattle.
In 1926 a team of Soviet explorers equipped with three years of supplies landed on Wrangel Island. Clear waters facilitating landing were followed by years of continuous heavy ice surrounding the island. Attempts to reach the island by sea failed and fear grew that the team would not survive their fourth winter. Icebreaker Fyodor Litke chose for rescue operation sailed from Sevastopol commanded by captain Konstantin Dublitsky.
On the 8th of August scout plane reported impassable ice in strait so Litke turned north heading to Herald Island. It failed to escape mounting ice; on August 12 captain shut down engines to save coal and waited two weeks until ice pressure eased. Making few hundred meters daily Litke reached settlement August 28. On September 5 Litke turned back taking all islanders to safety. This operation earned Litke order of Red Banner
of Labour the 20th of January 1930.
According to 1936 Time magazine article Wrangel Island became scene of bizarre criminal story in 1930s under governor Konstantin Semenchuk. Semenchuk controlled local populace through open extortion and murder. He forbade local Yupik Eskimos recruited from Provideniya Bay in 1926 to hunt walrus putting them in danger of starvation while collecting food for himself. He was implicated in mysterious deaths including local doctor. Trial sentenced Semenchuk and sledge driver Stepan Startsev to death for banditry.
Resolution 189 of Council of Ministers Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic adopted the 23rd of March 1976 established state Nature Reserve Wrangel Island. Purpose included conserving unique natural systems of Wrangel and Herald Islands and surrounding waters out to 12 miles. Russian Government Decree No. 1623-r expanded marine reserve out to 12 miles on the 15th of December 1997. Governor of Chukotka issued Decree No. 91 expanding protected water area to 12 miles around Wrangel and Herald Islands on the 25th of May 1999.
By 1980s reindeer-herding farm abolished and settlement Zvezdnyi virtually abandoned. Hunting stopped except small quota of marine mammals for local population needs. Military radar installation at Cape Hawaii closed 1992 leaving only settlement Ushakovskoye occupied. As of 2003 four rangers resided on island year-round while core group about 12 scientists conducted research during summer months.
Natural
complex Wrangel Island Reserve included UNESCO World Heritage List since 2004. In 2014 Russian Navy announced plans establish base on island. Bases reportedly consist two sets of 34 prefabricated modules. At least eight Arctic islands currently controlled by Russia including Wrangel Island claimed or should be claimed by United States according to some American activists though US State Department says no such claim exists.
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Common questions
Where is Wrangel Island located in the Arctic Ocean?
Wrangel Island sits astride the 180th meridian between the Chukchi Sea and the East Siberian Sea. It lies separated from the Siberian mainland by the De Long Strait with Herald Island as its closest land to the east.
When did Cossack Sergeant Stepan Andreyev first sight Wrangel Island?
Cossack Sergeant Stepan Andreyev claimed to have sighted Wrangel Island in 1764. His report noted native accounts that it was called Tikegen and inhabited by people known as the Krahay.
How many mammoths survived on Wrangel Island after their mainland relatives vanished?
About 500 to 1,000 mammoths were isolated on Wrangel Island and continued to survive for another 6,000 years after their mainland relatives disappeared. Research published in 2017 suggested this population experienced a genetic meltdown while a later study published in 2024 disputed these conclusions.
Who were the last inhabitants of Wrangel Island before Soviet removal in 1924?
The group included Canadian Allan Crawford three Americans named Fred Maurer Lorne Knight and Milton Galle and Iñupiat seamstress Ada Blackjack. They were handpicked based upon previous experience and academic credentials for a speculative attempt to claim the island for Canada.
What is the highest elevation point on Wrangel Island?
Gora Sovetskaya reaches an elevation of 3,100 feet above mean sea level within the Tsentral'nye Mountain Range. This central belt of low-relief mountains runs east-west across the island.
When was Wrangel Island designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site?
Natural complex Wrangel Island Reserve was included in the UNESCO World Heritage List since 2004. Resolution 189 of Council of Ministers Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic adopted the 23rd of March 1976 established state Nature Reserve Wrangel Island.