Southeast Svalbard Nature Reservation

Southeast Svalbard Nature Reservation, Norwegian Søraust-Svalbard Naturreservat, nature reserve established in 1973 by Norway. One of several protected areas in the Svalbard archipelago, it is bordered on the east by Olga Strait and on the west by Stor Fjord. With an area of 2,463 square miles (6,380 square km), the reserve encompasses the islands of Barents and Edge and has a number of small glacial caps that extend across a substantial portion of each island. Animal life on the reserve includes the Svalbard reindeer, which is able to survive the harsh environment by feeding on the sparse vegetation of the area.