Wrangel Island is part of Russia, located in the Arctic Ocean about ninety miles north of the coast of Siberia at its nearest point. The island is fairly large — 90 by 50 miles, roughly — with some gorgeously rugged land forms (see photos below) but the most fascinating thing about it is that it was the last place in the world where Woolly Mammoths lived before their ultimate extinction.

As recently as 4,000 years ago, or as has been noted, around the same time that the Great Pyramid of Giza was being constructed in Egypt, the final chapter was playing out for those magnificent tusked ones. *moment of silence* Interestingly and perhaps non-coincidentally, this was also around the time of the first signs of human activity on the island.

Even though it’s been a very long time since then, Wrangel Island still brings it as far as imagery that seems straight out of the ice ages (or at least the colder ages):

This one is simply amazing even beyond pure geographical thrills — look at the symmetry:

Have a good Wednesday! 🦣