Wildlife of
Chukotskiy avtonomnyy okrug

The prevailing biome: continuous permafrost landscapes with mosses, lichens, sedges, and dwarf shrubs; includes coastal tundra, inland lowland tundra, and shrub tundra in milder valleys.

Dominant across most of the mainland and islands (majority of land area).

High-elevation, wind-exposed zones on mountain ridges and massifs with sparse vegetation, frost-shattered rock, and long-lasting snowfields; transitions downslope into shrub tundra.

Patchy but widespread in uplands and mountain ranges (notably interior and southern highlands).

Very limited, occurring mainly as open larch-dominated forest patches or woodland-like stands in the southernmost/most sheltered river valleys and foothills where conditions are comparatively milder.

Minor and localized (small fraction of land area, concentrated in southern/riverine areas).

Permafrost-controlled wetlands: waterlogged tundra plains with polygonal ground, peatlands, sedge fens, marshy lake margins, and coastal lagoons/lowland wet areas important for nesting waterfowl.

Common and widespread within tundra lowlands and coastal plains; locally extensive.

Large, cold river systems and numerous tundra lakes/ponds, with strong seasonal flow pulses (snowmelt) and ice cover for much of the year; supports salmonids and migratory birds.

Widespread as river corridors and lake districts across the region.

Highly productive seasonal seas influenced by sea ice, polynyas, and nutrient-rich shelf waters; supports walrus haul-outs, polar bears (especially along the Arctic coast/sea-ice edge), whales, and major seabird colonies.

Extensive along the entire coastline on the Bering Sea and Arctic Ocean; broad continental shelf waters offshore.

Polar desert-like areas with extremely sparse vegetation on the most exposed northern coastal sites and some island/upland barrens (wind-scoured, very low plant cover).

Localized patches, most evident in the far north and on exposed island/upland terrain.

Sedge-moss tundra, dwarf-shrub tundra, and coastal tundra; key breeding habitat for migratory shorebirds and waterfowl.

Willow/alder-dominated shrub tundra in sheltered valleys and along some river terraces, providing browse and cover for terrestrial fauna.

Rugged uplands and massifs with steep slopes, scree, and snowbeds; strong elevational gradients over short distances.

Small, localized herb-rich patches on sheltered slopes and snowmelt areas during the short summer (often interspersed with rocky ground).

Sea cliffs and inland escarpments used by seabirds for nesting; also important raptor nesting sites in some areas.

Long, sparsely vegetated coasts with tundra-backed shorelines, coastal lagoons, and nearshore feeding/haul-out zones for marine mammals.

Gravel and sand beaches that can host walrus haul-outs and serve as storm-deposit habitats along the Bering and Arctic coasts.

Boulder and bedrock shorelines exposed to ice push and storm surge; intertidal zones are highly seasonal.

River mouths and deltas with brackish mixing zones, important for fish migration and foraging birds during ice-free periods.

Cold, dynamic rivers with braided sections and wide floodplains; key corridors across tundra, supporting salmonids and riparian shrubs.

Numerous shallow tundra lakes and thermokarst lakes with highly seasonal productivity; critical for nesting waterbirds.

Dense networks of small thaw ponds and ephemeral pools on polygonal tundra; important insect production supports birds in summer.

Sedge fens, marshy lowlands, and waterlogged peat surfaces driven by permafrost and poor drainage; extensive in coastal plains.

Sedge- and grass-dominated marshes around lake margins and low-lying coastal areas during the thaw season.

Peat-accumulating tundra peatlands in poorly drained basins; often with hummock-hollow microtopography.

Pelagic waters of the Bering and Chukchi seas used by migrating whales and wide-ranging seabirds, strongly structured by sea-ice seasonality.

Deeper offshore basins beyond the shelf edge (especially toward the Bering Sea) supporting cold-water pelagic and benthic communities.

Broad continental shelf seafloor habitats supporting benthic production that underpins walrus feeding areas and demersal fish communities.

Very limited; small settlements and ports (e.g., Anadyr and other coastal/river communities) with localized habitat disturbance.

Minimal and localized (mostly small-scale fodder/greenhouse or subsistence activity near settlements); not a dominant land cover.