High in the Russian Far East lies Wrangel Island, a harsh landscape that supports a surprisingly diverse ecosystem.

Bringing the beasts back from the dead is a tempting prospect. But genetic evidence suggests we may not fully understand what makes a mammoth.

There are 8 living species of bear found in the continents of North America, South America, Europe, and Asia. Some species can be dangerous to humans, especially in areas where they have become used to people. All bears are physically powerful and are capable of fatally attacking a person, but for t

Wrangel Island, Russia, where mammoth jaws sit in rivers like driftwood. Photo by Vasilii Baranyuk

Located well above the Arctic Circle, the site includes the mountainous Wrangel Island (7,608 km2), Herald Island (11 km2) and surrounding waters. Wrangel was not glaciated during the Quaternary Ice Age, resulting in exceptionally high levels of biodiversity for this region. The island boasts the world’s largest population of Pacific walrus and the highest density of ancestral polar bear dens. It is a major feeding ground for the grey whale migrating from Mexico and the northernmost nesting…

The Chukchi Sea, Wrangel Island in the upper left.

Researchers find several new species in a single soil sample.

Russia. Polar Bear on Wrangel Island! #Regram via @BprcLrOB3Km

Paul Gowell (@GowellPaul) | Twitter