Polar bears take over abandoned island in Russia

A photographer captured stunning drone images of polar bears roaming the ruins of the long-deserted Arctic outpost on Kolyuchin Island.

An abandoned research station in Russia isn't as empty as it may appear.

Photographer Vadim Makhorov recently ventured to Koluchin Island off Russia's east coast and captured incredible photos of polar bears calling the island, and the abandoned buildings on it, home.

"The photographer was filming the landscape of Kolyuchin Island during a cruise in the Chukchi Sea in September, when he noticed polar bears using one of the abandoned buildings as a shelter," The Associated Press said.

Makhorov used a drone to capture the photos from a safe distance, although in some pictures, the animals seemed unfazed by the aerial visitor.

This is not the first time a photographer has captured intimate images of polar bears on the island. In 2021, wildlife photographer Dmitry Kokh had a similar encounter with polar bears at Koluchin Island.

“When you see a polar bear anywhere, you feel like you’ve met the master of this land,” Kokh told AccuWeather in an interview. “This touched my heart so much. I told my friend, ‘I made the best picture of my life.’”

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