TASS, July 6. Eurasia's southernmost population of muskoxen (the Kolyma population) on the Magadan Region's Zavyalov Island may be considered developed after a massive calving, the biggest in recent three years, an investor in the island's tourism project, Igor Dontsov, told TASS on Thursday.

Muskoxen are rare and unique animals from the Ice Age. They enjoy a special protection status. Usually, a female can bear only one calf at a time. Earlier, TASS reported that in 2018 and 2020, two batches of muskoxen were brought to the Zavyalov Island from Yakutia's Arctic regions. The first calf was born on May 9, 2021 and was named Victory, another two appeared a year later.

"The last calving was the most massive over recent three years - nine calves at a time. Everyone has survived and feels well," the investor told TASS.

Each animal is under the supervision of rangers day and night.

Island and tourism

The Zavyalov Island (about 40,000 hectares of protected forest, rocks and rocky beaches) in the Sea of Okhotsk has been uninhabited since the 1990s. Earlier, there used to be a weather station, a lighthouse and a fish factory. Since 2018, the island has become the home for muskoxen. The plan is that the animals would be a key attraction for tourists. High-speed boats take tourists to the island within three hours.

The Expedition-Tour Company since 2019 has been creating a modern tourist complex on the island. The investor and the Kolyma authorities are confident the facility, due to be completed in 2023, will be of demand among local residents and would attract tourists from across the country. The Russian Geographical Society's Vice President, Academician Peter Baklanov says the Zavyalov Island has every chance to become a most popular tourist site in the Far East, and will contribute to development of tourism and businesses.