Wildlife Sanctuary Franz Joseph Land

Franz Josef Land sanctuary encompasses 190 islands across 16,134 square kilometers, providing habitats for polar bears, walruses, seals, and numerous migratory seabirds.

The Austro-Hungarian North Pole Expedition discovered and named the archipelago after Emperor Franz Joseph I in 1873, leading to numerous scientific explorations.

Soviet research stations established during the Cold War period left multiple structures across the islands, documenting decades of Arctic scientific investigations.

Access to the sanctuary requires special permits and is limited to summer months when specialized expedition vessels can navigate through the Arctic waters.

The sanctuary contains five million seabird nesting sites and supports a population of 3,800 polar bears, making it one of the largest Arctic wildlife concentrations.

Inception: 1994

GPS coordinates: 80.66667,54.83333

Latest update: May 17, 2025 10:53