Yttygran Island

Yttygran Island is an island in the Bering Sea 24 km northwest of Cape Chaplino, close to the coast of Chukotka. It is located 3.8 km to the south of Arakamchechen Island and is separated from the continental shore by a sound that is only 1.5 km in its narrowest point.

Yttigran is 13.5 km long and has a maximum width of 5 Km. It has a mountaineous interior.

There is a shamanic site in Yttigran Island known as Whale Bone Alley where the jawbones and ribs of bowhead whales are laid out in arches along the beach. It is said to be one of the masterpieces of Arctic culture. [ [http://www.arcticphoto.co.uk/Chukotka/rc0107-31.htm Bryan and Cherry Alexander, Arctic and Antarctic Photography - Library Images ] ]

Beluga whales are common in the waters around Arakamchechen and Yttigran Islands. [ [http://pubs.aina.ucalgary.ca/arctic/Arctic52-1-62.pdf Traditional Knowledge of the Ecology of Beluga Whales (Delphinapterus leucas) in the Northern Bering Sea, Chukotka, Russia ] ]

Nowadays this island is popular with ecotourists. [ [http://northpolevoyages.com/chukotka_wrangel/voyage.php Poseidon Arctic Voyages - Sakhalin Island, Kuril Islands, Kamchatka, Chukotka, Wrangel Island - The Ultimate Expeditions to Arctic: Northpole, Franz-Josef Land, Novaya Zemlya. Ice and White Bears. Riding Zodiacs. Travelling Abroad "Yamal" Icebreaker,... ] ]

Administration

Administratively Yttygran Island belongs to the Chukotka Autonomous Okrug of the Russian Federation.

References

* [http://worldmaps.web.infoseek.co.jp/russia_guide.htm Location]
* [http://www.abercrombiekent.co.uk/Russian_Federation/COT688 Yttigran]
* [http://www.northpolextreme.com/cruises-kamchatka-4.htm Tourism]