Kolguyev Island


Kolguyev Island is an island in Nenets Autonomous Okrug Russia located in the south-eastern Barents Sea to the north-east of the Kanin Peninsula.

Geography

The approximately circular-shaped island has a diameter of and is in area. The highest point on the island is at 166 m. The vast wetland consists of many bogs and morainic hills, covered by vegetation characteristic of the tundra. Notably, a proposed subspecies of the Candle Larkspur, Delphinium elatum ssp. cryophilum, is only found on this island, but its distinctness from the mainland population is disputed.
There is only one inhabited settlement on the island, Bugrino, located on the southeast coast. Nenets form the majority of the population, with fishing, reindeer farming and trapping being their main economic activities. Oil and gas are also present.

Climate

Kolguyev Island has a tundra climate with an August mean of only 7.7.
Highest Temperature: on July 10, 1990
Lowest Temperature: on February 16, 1951
Warmest Month: on July, 2016
Coldest Month: on February, 1998
Wettest Year: in 1962
Driest Year: in 2017

Report by Trevor-Battye

The island was explored in 1894 by the British naturalist
Aubyn B.R. Trevor-Battye. He landed in June with an assistant, intending to spend about one month studying the wildlife, especially the birds. Due to mechanical problems with the vessel and a misunderstanding, they were left stranded on the island for 12 weeks. He published his study of the natural history and topography of Kolguyev as: "Ice-bound on Kolguev". The book includes observations on the Nenets who brought their reindeer to the island for summer grazing and to trap geese for trade in Russia. Trevor-Battye eventually left the island with these reindeer herders in September 1894, and had to travel overland from the Pechora River to Archangel. He described this adventurous journey in: "A northern highway of the Tsar".

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