Polar bears chilling at research station (AP)

Polar bears have been observed taking shelter in an abandoned Russian polar research station on Kolyuchin Island, located off Russia’s far eastern coast, according to recent drone footage captured by photographer Vadim Makhorov, reported AP.

Makhorov was filming the rugged landscape of Kolyuchin Island in the Chukchi Sea during a cruise in September when he noticed several polar bears using one of the deserted buildings as a refuge. The small island lies about 11 kilometers (nearly 7 miles) from the northern shore of the Chukotka Peninsula, which faces Alaska across the Bering Strait.

The abandoned facility was originally established for Arctic scientific research, but operations were discontinued years ago due to the harsh environment, logistical challenges, and shifting priorities in polar exploration. Since then, the station has remained unused, allowing local wildlife to occupy the structures.In a social media post, Makhorov remarked, “Bears are no strangers to the feeling of comfort and coziness. They perceive homes as shelter.”

Kolyuchin Island and the surrounding Chukchi Sea region form a critical habitat for polar bears, whose natural hunting grounds on sea ice have been diminishing due to climate change. The presence of bears in human-built shelters highlights their adaptability amid changing environmental conditions.

This footage provides a rare, up-close perspective on polar bear behavior in an increasingly warming Arctic and underscores the complex interaction between wildlife and abandoned human infrastructure in remote polar regions.