Sireniki

Sireniki communitySireniki area is situated between Cape Stoletiya to the south and Cape Zelyony to the northwest, in the basins of three rivers: the Maingyvykvyn, Sirenik-Keivuk, and the Sineveiem River. The famous Sireniki ice-hole stretches along the sea shore and serves as a wintering place for white whales and seals. The marine animals found in Sireniki area include gray whale, sea lion, harbor porpoise, white whale, minke whale, bowhead whale, walrus, spotted seal, ringed seal, and bearded seal. Among the land animals are wolf, snow sheep, arctic fox, wolverine, lemming, and mountain hare. Bird species include northern fulmar, common eider, black legged kittiwake, herring gull, glaucous gull, pelagic cormorant, tufted puffin, and horned puffin.

Inspector Oleg Rahtil’kunThe modern village of Sireniki is situated at the site of the former ancient settlement. It is one of the oldest sites of the proto-Inuit heritage, and is the only prehistoric Yupik village in Chukotka that remains occupied in the present day. While the coastal Yupik people specialize in the hunting of marine mammals, during the Soviet period Sireniki became home to Chukchi reindeer herders, who occupied the inland area around the Kurupka River and were settled in the village by the Soviet government.

Oleg Rahtil’kun, a native of Sireniki, is the area inspector for the Park.