Polar bears are very fascinating creatures, since they are the largest extant bear species and the largest terrestrial carnivores. Most of us, however, are accustomed to seeing them engulfed in snow on the icy seas of the Arctic. This is why we were taken aback when we learned that Russian photographer Dmitry Kokh had captured these massive creatures at an abandoned meteorological station on Kolyuchin Island in the Chukchi Sea. The station opened in 1934 and was decommissioned in 1992. Polar bears wandering about in what appears to be a post-apocalyptic human land is unique.
“I’ve always wanted to photograph polar bears, and that was the primary goal of our excursion.” We anticipated to see them largely on Wrangel Island, which is famed across the world for its large bear population. Not this year, as we discovered later—possibly due to the extremely chilly summer. But nature usually brings you something unexpectedly—we saw some activity in the abandoned windows on Kolyuchin Island on Chukotka’s northern shore when we went by. And as we got close enough, we realized they were bears! They had never been spotted in those structures before, so it was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity,” the photographer explained to Bored Panda.
More info: Instagram | dmitrykokh.com | youtube.com
At an abandoned weather station, wildlife photographer Dmitry Kokh captured mesmerizing and strange photographs of polar bears.
In a competition organized by the magazine “Russia’s Animals,” this shot of a polar bear in a window, titled “Summer Season,” was named the greatest portrayal of wildlife in a man-made setting.
To get these images, the photographer had to go to the furthest and most eastern section of the Russian Arctic.
Kolyuchin Island in the Chukchi Sea has an abandoned meteorological station.
“I’m finally home after a lengthy vacation to Chukotka and Wrangel Island. This location, in the furthest and most eastern point of the Russian Arctic, is not only difficult to reach but also impossible to forget. “We journeyed down the coast by sailing yacht and saw almost 1200 miles of unspoiled landscapes, communities lost in time, rich wildlife, and vibrant waters,” Dmitry posted on Instagram.
If you ask us how we expect the end of the world will look, we’d say something like this.
“I’ve always wanted to acquire some good polar bear images, and that was the major goal of our excursion,” the photographer explained.
It’s just your typical huge land carnivores resting around.
Here are the amazing bears in action
Dmitry has also caught polar bears in their natural habitat.
We can view the world beyond our regular routines thanks to creative artists like these.