Flora and Vegetation Wrangel Island’s unusual history, isolation, climate and geology have preserved relics of the mammoth steppe vegetation complex. The island’s 400 plant species and subspecies represent an enormous floristic richness for such high latitudes grass-lichen, dry grass-lichen, and occasional shrub and forb communities dominate the island’s lower and middle mountain slopes. There are also sedge bogs with Sphagnum Moss, Sedge-cotton grass bogs and thickets of Elfin willows. Relatively large areas in the warm central parts of the island are occupied by subarctic vegetative communities composed of mosses, grasses, low shrubs and tussock tundra. Other natural communities include alpine polar deserts, high arctic mineral bogs and arctic meadows. Of special significance are the 24 species of vascular plants listed in the Conservation of Arctic Flora and Fauna’s (CAFF) Atlas of Rare Endemic Plants of the Arctic.
Birding Highlights Wrangel and Herald Islands are the last landfall for migratory birds flying north through Beringia in search of breeding grounds. The island avifauna is typical of all Arctic bird communities, in that is there is a higher proportion of shore birds and waterfowl compared to passerines. There are 50 species regularly nesting on the islands with another 110 occasional visitors.
Waterfowl: Snow Geese are the most noteworthy. Numbers fluctuate and at one stage it was feared they would die out, but ‘global warming’ is actually assisting these birds and there are currently 60,000 pairs breeding on the island. Pacific Black Brant Geese nest here but in very low numbers. Common Eider nest solitarily and in colonies well inland while the King Eider which is much more abundant, nests in the lowland marshes. The only freshwater dabbling duck and irregular breeder on Wrangel Island is the Northern Pintail.
Shorebirds: As is typical for the Arctic tundra in general, shorebirds are by far the most common. The most common and widespread of the 36 recorded species are the Black-bellied Plover, Ruddy Turnstone and Red Knot. Dunlin and Pectoral Sandpiper are common but prefer moister wetland habitats whereas the Asiatic Golden Plovers seek out warmer hollows. Red Phalaropes can be found in most of the wetlands on Wrangel Island. Baird’s and Buff-breasted Sandpipers are the Reserve’s rarest shorebirds.
Seabirds: Some of the largest seabird colonies in the Chukchi Sea are situated along the eastern and western coasts of Wrangel and Herald Islands. All colonies are inhabited by a mixture of Black-legged Kittiwakes, Thick-billed Murres, Black Guillemots and Pelagic Cormorants. Species composition and proportion depends on rock structures that form the cliffs where the colonies are located. Horned and Tufted Puffins and Pelagic Cormorants are few in number and at the northern limits of their range. Arctic Terns are common. In addition to the Black-legged Kittiwake, four other species of gull are common – the Glaucous, Ivory, Ross’s and Sabine’s.
Raptors: Occasionally a pair of Gyrfalcons nest near seabird colonies on both Wrangel and Herald Islands. On rare occasions an Arctic Peregrine and Rough-legged Hawk may visit the islands; however the principal bird of prey on Wrangel Island is the Snowy Owl. There are three species of jaegar (skua) on the island. Pomarine and Long-tailed Jaegar are the most common with parasitic nesting in low numbers. Songbirds: Although 52 species of passerines have been identified on Wrangel Island, only three are considered common Lapland Longspur, Snow Bunting and Hoary Redpoll.
Mammals There are only eight species of resident terrestrial mammals found on Wrangel Island. Five of these are endemic and two, the reindeer and Musk Ox, were introduced. An additional 10 species of marine mammals inhabit the islands coastal waters.
Polar Bear: This is the animal that makes Wrangel Island so famous. Wrangel is sometimes referred to as the ‘Polar Bear Maternity Ward’. On average there are 300 to 350 maternity dens there each year and even higher densities can be found on Herald Island.
Walrus: Wrangel Island is one of the key areas in the world for the Pacific Walrus. Although most adult males stay on their Bering Strait haul outs, the majority of females and young adults reach the vicinity of Wrangel and Herald Islands by the middle of July, where they feed in the shallow coastal waters.
Lemmings: Collared and Siberian Lemmings constitute the only native rodents in the reserve. The Collared is recognised as an endemic species (Vinogradov’s), and is a distant relative of those elsewhere in the arctic. The Siberian is an endemic subspecies. Lemmings are a critically important component of the island’s food chain. Since they constitute the principle food source for Snowy Owls, jaegers and the Arctic Fox, the populations of these predators tend to rise and fall in synchrony with those of lemmings.
Arctic Fox: The Arctic Fox tends to be abundant on Wrangel Island as conditions are particularly favourable. The main reason for this is the abundance of prey species, favourable denning sites and the fact that the reserve is closed to trapping.
Wolverine: It appears that this animal arrived (self introduced) in the late 1970s. They are commonly seen hunting reindeer and feeding on geese. Wolves and Red Fox have both been known to reach the island across the ice. It appears that wolves may have become established in 2000.
Reindeer: These were introduced to the island as a ‘herding enterprise’ in 1948 and 1952. The current population of reindeer is about 1,500 animals. Population has peaked at over 6,000 animals, more than four times the island’s carrying capacity.
Musk Ox: Were introduced to Wrangel Island in 1975 from Alaska’s Nunivak Island. The animals thrived and now number about 600.
Flora and Vegetation Wrangel Island’s unusual history, isolation, climate and geology have preserved relics of the mammoth steppe vegetation complex. The island’s 400 plant species and subspecies represent an enormous floristic richness for such high latitudes grass-lichen, dry grass-lichen, and occasional shrub and forb communities dominate the island’s lower and middle mountain slopes. There are also sedge bogs with Sphagnum Moss, Sedge-cotton grass bogs and thickets of Elfin willows. Relatively large areas in the warm central parts of the island are occupied by subarctic vegetative communities composed of mosses, grasses, low shrubs and tussock tundra. Other natural communities include alpine polar deserts, high arctic mineral bogs and arctic meadows. Of special significance are the 24 species of vascular plants listed in the Conservation of Arctic Flora and Fauna’s (CAFF) Atlas of Rare Endemic Plants of the Arctic.
Birding Highlights Wrangel and Herald Islands are the last landfall for migratory birds flying north through Beringia in search of breeding grounds. The island avifauna is typical of all Arctic bird communities, in that is there is a higher proportion of shore birds and waterfowl compared to passerines. There are 50 species regularly nesting on the islands with another 110 occasional visitors.
Waterfowl: Snow Geese are the most noteworthy. Numbers fluctuate and at one stage it was feared they would die out, but ‘global warming’ is actually assisting these birds and there are currently 60,000 pairs breeding on the island. Pacific Black Brant Geese nest here but in very low numbers. Common Eider nest solitarily and in colonies well inland while the King Eider which is much more abundant, nests in the lowland marshes. The only freshwater dabbling duck and irregular breeder on Wrangel Island is the Northern Pintail.
Shorebirds: As is typical for the Arctic tundra in general, shorebirds are by far the most common. The most common and widespread of the 36 recorded species are the Black-bellied Plover, Ruddy Turnstone and Red Knot. Dunlin and Pectoral Sandpiper are common but prefer moister wetland habitats whereas the Asiatic Golden Plovers seek out warmer hollows. Red Phalaropes can be found in most of the wetlands on Wrangel Island. Baird’s and Buff-breasted Sandpipers are the Reserve’s rarest shorebirds.
Seabirds: Some of the largest seabird colonies in the Chukchi Sea are situated along the eastern and western coasts of Wrangel and Herald Islands. All colonies are inhabited by a mixture of Black-legged Kittiwakes, Thick-billed Murres, Black Guillemots and Pelagic Cormorants. Species composition and proportion depends on rock structures that form the cliffs where the colonies are located. Horned and Tufted Puffins and Pelagic Cormorants are few in number and at the northern limits of their range. Arctic Terns are common. In addition to the Black-legged Kittiwake, four other species of gull are common – the Glaucous, Ivory, Ross’s and Sabine’s.
Raptors: Occasionally a pair of Gyrfalcons nest near seabird colonies on both Wrangel and Herald Islands. On rare occasions an Arctic Peregrine and Rough-legged Hawk may visit the islands; however the principal bird of prey on Wrangel Island is the Snowy Owl. There are three species of jaegar (skua) on the island. Pomarine and Long-tailed Jaegar are the most common with parasitic nesting in low numbers. Songbirds: Although 52 species of passerines have been identified on Wrangel Island, only three are considered common Lapland Longspur, Snow Bunting and Hoary Redpoll.
Mammals There are only eight species of resident terrestrial mammals found on Wrangel Island. Five of these are endemic and two, the reindeer and Musk Ox, were introduced. An additional 10 species of marine mammals inhabit the islands coastal waters.
Polar Bear: This is the animal that makes Wrangel Island so famous. Wrangel is sometimes referred to as the ‘Polar Bear Maternity Ward’. On average there are 300 to 350 maternity dens there each year and even higher densities can be found on Herald Island.
Walrus: Wrangel Island is one of the key areas in the world for the Pacific Walrus. Although most adult males stay on their Bering Strait haul outs, the majority of females and young adults reach the vicinity of Wrangel and Herald Islands by the middle of July, where they feed in the shallow coastal waters.
Lemmings: Collared and Siberian Lemmings constitute the only native rodents in the reserve. The Collared is recognised as an endemic species (Vinogradov’s), and is a distant relative of those elsewhere in the arctic. The Siberian is an endemic subspecies. Lemmings are a critically important component of the island’s food chain. Since they constitute the principle food source for Snowy Owls, jaegers and the Arctic Fox, the populations of these predators tend to rise and fall in synchrony with those of lemmings.
Arctic Fox: The Arctic Fox tends to be abundant on Wrangel Island as conditions are particularly favourable. The main reason for this is the abundance of prey species, favourable denning sites and the fact that the reserve is closed to trapping.
Wolverine: It appears that this animal arrived (self introduced) in the late 1970s. They are commonly seen hunting reindeer and feeding on geese. Wolves and Red Fox have both been known to reach the island across the ice. It appears that wolves may have become established in 2000.
Reindeer: These were introduced to the island as a ‘herding enterprise’ in 1948 and 1952. The current population of reindeer is about 1,500 animals. Population has peaked at over 6,000 animals, more than four times the island’s carrying capacity.
Musk Ox: Were introduced to Wrangel Island in 1975 from Alaska’s Nunivak Island. The animals thrived and now number about 600.
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