Polar bears set up home in abandoned 1930s Russian weather station

Polar bears set up home in abandoned 1930s Russian weather station decades after Arctic island outpost was left to rot

  • Photographer Dmitry Kokh travelled more than 1,2000 miles to reach Russia’s now deserted Wrangel Island
  • He then took a detour to island of Kolyuchin, which lies in the Chukchi Sea, where he spotted the polar bears
  • Mr Kokh used a drone equipped with special low-noise propellers to capture the animals on deserted island
  • Animals now residing inside the island’s former weather station that had operated during the Soviet era

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Fascinating images showing polar bears living in an abandoned weather station on a Russian island have been captured by a wildlife photographer.

Dmitry Kokh travelled more than 1,2000 miles around the coast of Chukotka in order to reach Russia’s now deserted Wrangel Island, a nature reserve under Unesco protection that is known for its large polar bear population.

However after meeting with bad weather the photographer took a detour and approached the small island of Kolyuchin, which lies in the Chukchi Sea, and it was here he spotted a group of polar bears now residing inside the island’s former weather station that had operated during the Soviet era before closing in 1992. 

Using a drone equipped with special low-noise propellers, the wildlife photographer, who spent two years planning for his expedition, was able to capture the animals who had since made the building their home without disturbing them. 

He said there were around 20 polar bears, most of them males, that he could see walking around the abandoned building, which was built in the 1930s, in scenes that he described as a ‘once in a lifetime situation’.

On his blog Mr Kokh wrote: ‘I always wanted to get some nice shots of polar bears, and that was the main target of our expedition. We expected to meet them mostly on Wrangel Island, famous all around the world for being the home for many bears. 

‘Not this year, as we found out later – maybe because of the very cold summer. But nature is always sending you something when you least expect it and when we passed through the Kolyuchin Island near the Northern coast of Chukotka, we saw some movements in the windows. And when we got close – those were bears!

‘Never before they were seen in those buildings, so that was a once in a lifetime situation.’  

Images captured by the photographer show polar bears sitting outside the abandoned weather station curiously looking at the drone camera while others are spotted peering out of an open window.

Incredible images show a group of polar living in an abandoned weather station on the small Russian island of Kolyuchin, which lies in the Chukchi Sea

Wildlife photographer Dmitry Kokh travelled more than 1,2000 miles to reach Wrangel Island, which is a nature reserve under Unesco protection, before taking a detour to Kolyuchin in order to get some shelter due to bad weather. It was on the island the photographer was able to catch a glimpse of the polar bears

Wildlife photographer Dmitry Kokh travelled more than 1,2000 miles to reach Wrangel Island, which is a nature reserve under Unesco protection, before taking a detour to Kolyuchin in order to get some shelter due to bad weather. It was on the island the photographer was able to catch a glimpse of the polar bears

Images show the polar bears, most of which were males, peering out of an open window and standing outside the now abandoned weather station which had operated in Soviet times and being built in the 1930s

Images show the polar bears, most of which were males, peering out of an open window and standing outside the now abandoned weather station which had operated in Soviet times and being built in the 1930s

The photographer, who spent two years planning for his expedition, was able to capture one polar bear stepping outside the former weather station - which was shut down in 1992

The photographer, who spent two years planning for his expedition, was able to capture one polar bear stepping outside the former weather station – which was shut down in 1992

Mr Kokh used a drone equipped with special low-noise propellers to capture the animals residing at the former weather station and get close to the animals without disturbing them

Mr Kokh used a drone equipped with special low-noise propellers to capture the animals residing at the former weather station and get close to the animals without disturbing them

A number of polar bears were spotted walking around the now deserted land around the former weather station in scenes which the photographer described as a 'once in a lifetime situation'

A number of polar bears were spotted walking around the now deserted land around the former weather station in scenes which the photographer described as a ‘once in a lifetime situation’

Th fascinating images showed the polar bears curiously looking at the drone camera and walking around the small island of Kolyuchin which they have made their home

Th fascinating images showed the polar bears curiously looking at the drone camera and walking around the small island of Kolyuchin which they have made their home

Mr Kokh, who captured the scenes on a day when the region was experiencing bad weather, said there were around 20 polar bears, most of them males, that he could see walking around the abandoned building

Mr Kokh, who captured the scenes on a day when the region was experiencing bad weather, said there were around 20 polar bears, most of them males, that he could see walking around the abandoned building  

The photographer said he had 'always wanted to get some nice shots of polar bears' and this had been the main target of his expedition

The photographer said he had ‘always wanted to get some nice shots of polar bears’ and this had been the main target of his expedition

Mr Kokh discovered the large group of polar bears after detecting movement  in the windows of the abandoned weather station. He later saw the animals walking on the grass outside and curiously peering out of the window

Mr Kokh discovered the large group of polar bears after detecting movement  in the windows of the abandoned weather station. He later saw the animals walking on the grass outside and curiously peering out of the window

The polar bears were spotted poking their heads through the open windows and strolling around the now deserted land of the small Russian island

The polar bears were spotted poking their heads through the open windows and strolling around the now deserted land of the small Russian island

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