Medvezhyi Islands Эhэлээх арыылар Медве́жьи острова́ | |
|---|---|
Island group | |
 Map of the Medvezhiy Islands. | |
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  Medvezhyi Islands | |
| Coordinates:70°52′N161°26′E / 70.867°N 161.433°E /70.867; 161.433 | |
| Country | Russian Federation |
| Federal subject | Far Eastern Federal District |
| Republic | Sakha Republic |
TheMedvezhyi Islands, orBear Islands (Russian:Медве́жьи острова́;Yakut:Эhэлээх арыылар,Eheleex Arıılar) is an uninhabited group of islands at the western end of theKolyma Gulf of theEast Siberian Sea.
The first recorded European to report the existence of the Medvezhyi Islands was Russian explorerYakov Permyakov in 1710. While sailing from theLena to theKolyma River, Permyakov observed the silhouette of the unknown island group in the then little explored East Siberian Sea.
In 1820-1824, duringFerdinand Wrangel's Arctic expedition to the East Siberian Sea and theChukchi Sea, Arctic explorerFyodor Matyushkin surveyed and mapped Chetyryokhstolbovoy Island in the Medvezhyi group.
On September 3, 1878,Adolf Erik Nordenskiöld recorded that he sailed close to the island group in the steamshipVega. This report was made during the famous expedition that made the whole length of theNortheast passage for the first time in history.[1]
The group was also explored during theArctic Ocean Hydrographic Expedition of 1910–1915.[2]
The Medvezhyi Islands are located about 100 kilometres (55 nautical miles) north of the mouths of theKolyma River. They are part of theEast Siberian Lowland.[3] The coast ofSiberia is about 35 km (19 nmi) southwest of Krestovsky, the largest island, which is about 15 km (9+1⁄2 mi) in length.
The sea surrounding the Medvezhyi Islands is covered with fast ice in the winter and the climate is severe. The surrounding sea is obstructed by pack ice even in the summer months. There is commercial fishing in the area of the islands during the summer.[4]
This island group is a part of the territory of theSakha Republic of Russia. As their name indicates, these islands are a refuge and breeding ground forpolar bears.
There are six islands in the group: Krestovsky, Leontyev, Pushkarev, Lysova, Andreev and Chetyryokhstolbovoy, where there is apolar station which was inaugurated in 1933.[5] The islands are formed of stacked granite, clay and shale. They are mostly covered withtundra vegetation.[6]
| Climate data for Medvezhyi Islands | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Daily mean °C (°F) | −28.7 (−19.7) | −29.5 (−21.1) | −26.7 (−16.1) | −19.6 (−3.3) | −7.0 (19.4) | 0.4 (32.7) | 2.2 (36.0) | 1.8 (35.2) | −0.7 (30.7) | −9.8 (14.4) | −21.2 (−6.2) | −26.8 (−16.2) | −13.8 (7.2) |
| Averageprecipitation mm (inches) | 9.0 (0.35) | 6.7 (0.26) | 4.5 (0.18) | 5.0 (0.20) | 6.3 (0.25) | 10.0 (0.39) | 20.0 (0.79) | 21.1 (0.83) | 16.1 (0.63) | 14.7 (0.58) | 11.5 (0.45) | 7.4 (0.29) | 132.3 (5.21) |
| Average precipitation days(≥ 1.0 mm) | 3.0 | 1.7 | 1.3 | 1.1 | 1.0 | 2.5 | 4.0 | 5.5 | 5.3 | 5.1 | 3.3 | 1.8 | 35.6 |
| Mean monthlysunshine hours | 0 | 48 | 205 | 292 | 233 | 245 | 230 | 126 | 57 | 39 | 5 | 0 | 1,480 |
| Source: NOAA[7] | |||||||||||||
