The fauna is also rich in giants. The largest cat in Russia lives in the Far East - the Ussuri tiger (weight about 250 kg), the largest snake in our country - the Amur snake (up to 2 m long), the largest beetle in Russia - the Ussuri relic barbel (male length 10 cm, females - 8.5 cm). In the meadows, unusually large and beautiful butterflies fly - Maak's swallowtail and Schrenk's iris (wingspan 11 cm); a huge Manchu crane wanders in the swamps (height up to 1.5 m, wingspan more than 2 m, body weight about 10 kg). Gigantism is also observed in marine animals. For example, Far Eastern oysters weigh up to 2 kg and take up a whole plate (they are eaten with a knife and fork), while the Black Sea oyster does not exceed a few grams. The Kamchatka crab is also huge: its distance from the end of one leg to the other reaches 3 m.

In conditions of exceptional humidity of broad-leaved forests of the Far East, the trees in them become hollow and give shelter to a variety of animals. The hollows are inhabited by the yellow-backed flycatcher, gray starling, spiny-tailed swift, sharp-winged woodpecker, needle-footed owl, half-woody mandarin duck and other feathered hollow-nesting birds. In addition, hollows are used by Amur snakes, which penetrate there in search of bird eggs, chicks and adult birds. In the fall, Himalayan black bears also climb into the hollows of large trees, make a den in them for the winter and sleep here until spring.

The abundance of nuts, acorns, all kinds of berries, grapes, mushrooms, juicy shoots and tree bark provides nutritious and varied food for the animals of the Far Eastern forests. Along with the mammals common for the forest zone (squirrel, chipmunk, Siberian weasel, wild boar), some typical birds and animals are found in the broad-leaved forests and meadows of the Far East. The forest is inhabited by a raccoon dog (Ussuri raccoon), a marten-harza, a Far Eastern cat, a mole-moguera, spotted deer - maral and red deer, a mountain hoofed animal goral, dangerous predators - a tiger, a leopard and a red wolf. Near water bodies, in coastal thickets and in meadows, various birds with bright plumage live - pheasants, Chinese ibis, mandarin duck, many herons (green heron, chestnut top), white stork, bustard, quail, Manchurian crane.

Other animals include the beautiful tiger snake (green with black transverse stripes interspersed with red in the front of the body), which feeds on frogs and other animals. In the meadows of the Amur Region, in addition to the bustards and quails, the black-piebald harrier, the long-tailed ground squirrel and its worst enemy, the steppe ferret, live, and in the meadows of Primorye there are mouse-like rodents - the Manchurian zokor and the rat-like hamster. The original Far Eastern (or Chinese) soft-skinned turtle lives near the reservoirs.

Among the inhabitants of the Far East there are rare, endangered animals (tiger, leopard, red wolf, goral, sika deer, white Far Eastern stork, mandarin duck, bustard, etc.), which are included in the list of strictly protected species in the International Red Book.

Yandex.Taxi will launch a cargo transportation service
The new service will provide an opportunity to order cargo transportation at two rates. You can also use the loader service. The first tariff allows you to order a passenger car (Citroen Berlingo and Lada Largus) with a cargo compartment with a total carrying capacity of no more than 1 ton. The second tariff includes vans with a carrying capacity of up to 3.5 tons, for example, Citroen Jumper and GAZelle NEXT. The cars will not be older than 2008, Kommersant reports.
Also, customers will be able to order transport with loaders, but if the driver works alone, he will not receive such orders. Yandex.Taxi promises “special bonuses for some partners and drivers” who subscribe to the new tariff.

The Far East is the most remote territory of Russia. The Far East includes the vastness from the Sea of ​​Okhotsk to Chukotka. The nature of the Far East is rather harsh, since the mainland in the north and northeast meets the waters of the Arctic basin.

In the relief of northeastern Asia prevail mountains and plateaus. In the west, the territory of the Far East is delimited by the Verkhoyansk and Suntar-Khayata ranges.

Swampy low-lying plains occupy a small part of this area. They are located along the coast of the Arctic seas and in some areas of the Anadyr River. In Priokhotia, Kolyma and Chukotka, there is a rather harsh climate with low temperatures.

The coldest region is the center of Kolyma, where the average annual temperature is - 140C. In the coastal area, the temperature rises to -30C. In winter, the weather is mostly clear and frosty. The air is cooled down to -60C. In the summertime, the air warms up well in areas located far from the ocean. But hot weather does not happen even in summer. Only in the taiga can the air temperature rise to + 350C. It is much colder in the coastal areas during the summer.

Rivers, even large ones, in flow winters often freeze completely. Snow cover is insignificant. Therefore, during floods, the water level does not rise much. But in the summer, when there are heavy rains, the water level increases significantly. Fallen trees often gather in river beds. With a large concentration of them, they form a kind of barricades. In the river valleys in the northeastern part, ice is formed during the winter period.

For shipping only three rivers are suitable: Kolyma, Omolon and Anadyr. On the territory of the Far East, there are many rivers with rapid currents and a large number of rapids. There are many small lakes here. They are mainly located in floodplains and river deltas. There are lakes of ancient glacial origin, such as Jack London's Lake. There is a unique lake in Chukotka - Elgygytkhin (Non-freezing lake). It is located in a continental crater. There are hot springs in the Magadan Region. Their water temperature varies from + 250C to + 920C. In one of the most famous springs - Talay, the water temperature is + 900C.

Permafrost prevents the formation of a good soil layer. Even in the forest belt, the soil cover is only 40 - 50 cm. The slopes of high mountains usually do not have vegetation, as they are covered with stones. There are soddy-meadow soils only in the valleys of large rivers. True, they are not very fertile.

In the northeast, there are two natural zones: tundra and taiga. They are in a peculiar way combined with each other. At the bottom of the mountains, as a rule, larch and birch-larch forests grow. Above is a section of dwarf cedar. Even higher are mountain lichen tundras. On the coast of the Sea of ​​Okhotsk, the highest forest boundary is at an altitude of 400 - 400 m. Even higher, you can find thickets in the upper reaches of the Kolyma. Here vegetation rises to a height of 1200 m. To the north, trees do not extend beyond the lower reaches of the Kolyma. Here their upper limit is only 200 - 250 m.

Animals living in the tundra or taiga, unimpeded change their location. Arctic fox, polar bear and reindeer are commonly found in the tundra. Squirrels, lynxes, wolverines and brown bears are common in the taiga. In the warm season, a large number of migratory birds fly to the tundra: swans, ducks, geese and partridges. In the taiga, birds are found: hazel grouses, wood grouses, woodpeckers, nutcrackers, nuthatches and blackbirds. There are many animals in the mountainous area. First of all, these are snow leopards and musk deer, which inhabit the mountain tundra, in areas devoid of woody vegetation.

Various marine and river fauna of the Far East. In the rivers at certain periods, pink salmon, coho salmon and sockeye salmon are found. In small rivers and streams, grayling is sometimes found. Canals, fur seals, walruses and seals live in the seas and on the sea coasts. In the northern part of the Sea of ​​Okhotsk, there are “herring sharks”. They enter the waters of this sea after their prey - fish schools.

Fishing and hunting are severely restricted here. There is a nature reserve on Wrangel Island. The climate here is rather harsh. The relief of the reserve is represented by low mountains and plains. About a third of the year there is a polar winter here. Only in July does the ice begin to break, and the first streaks appear. Trees and shrubs do not grow here, as strong winds and frosts prevail here most of the year. Polar bears and arctic fox live here. Quite often “bird colonies” are formed here. Seals and bearded seals are found on Wrangel Island. All these representatives of the animal world are strictly protected.

The relief of the Far East along marine the coasts and islands are mostly mountains. Their appearance and origin vary. In the south, there is the Sikhote-Alin upland, the height of which reaches 2077 m. In the east, the slopes of the highland border the sea. In the west, there is a gradual decrease in altitude to 300 - 400 m. Here the highland passes into the Amur valley. There are two mountain ranges on Sakhalin: West and East Sakhalin. Sometimes there are very strong earthquakes here. The mountains of the Kuril Islands go down to a depth of 8 km.

Most of these mountains are volcanoes, both extinct and active. The highest height of the Kuril Mountains is 2339 m - the Alaid volcano. The Kamchatka Peninsula has a large number of mountain ranges and volcanic massifs. The highest point of the Kamchatka mountains is the Klyuchevskaya Sopka volcano, whose height reaches 4750 m.

The climate of the Far East in dependencies from geographical location has its own characteristics. Sikhonte-Alin and the Amur region are characterized by a moderately warm climate, which is influenced by a humid monsoon climate. The Kuriles and Kamchatka are influenced by the cool and excessively humid zone. In the south of Sakhalin and the Kuril Islands, there are undergrowths consisting of spruce and birch forests in combination with bamboo. On the Kuril Islands, there are stone birch, herbaceous plants characteristic of meadows, as well as dwarf cedar and larch in mountainous regions. In Primorye, coniferous and coniferous-deciduous forests grow mainly.

In this book, a student and a young naturalist will find material for extracurricular reading, as well as additional and reference material for the textbook of zoology.

Individual essays are not related to each other, so it is not necessary to read the entire book in a row.

The book acquaints the reader with the diversity of the animal world of the USSR and foreign countries. Along the way, information is provided on the importance of animals in nature, human economic activity.

Part of the material is presented in the form of questions and answers. The section "Stories about insects" was written by the candidate of biological sciences Yu. M. Zalessky.

In the third edition, the text has been changed and supplemented in places; the necessary corrections were made, several new drawings were added. The chapter "Zoology in Questions and Answers" is supplemented with new questions; the order of their distribution has been changed in accordance with the zoological system.

J. Zinger

Book:

<<< Назад
Forward >>>

The southern part of the Soviet Far East, Primorye and Priamurye, in terms of the richness and diversity of nature, is one of the most remarkable places in our Motherland.

Everything here is special and unique: the landscape, the climate, the vegetation, and the animal world.

The mountain ranges, overgrown with forests, are crossed by vast plains. From the bare tops of the mountains (loaches) you can see how far in all directions cedar, larch and deciduous forests stretch along the hills, and even further, on the horizon, the blue strip of the sea sparkles.

Long, warm and humid summers, causing rapid growth of grasses, shrubs and trees, are replaced by severe, dry, sunny and little snowy winters.

The naturalist and nature lover in the Far East is struck first of all by the amazing combination of southern plants and animals with taiga, northern ones.

In Primorye, there are places where the Manchu nut coexists next to cedar and fir, and a vine of wild grapes twines around a spruce. The familiar aspen and linden trees are interspersed with cork and Daurian larch. The latter, the most widespread tree in the Far East, is distinguished by its exceptional durability. There are thickets of Manchurian apple, apricot, and Ussuri cherry.

Trees and shrubs are intertwined with Amur grapes, sweet, fragrant actinidia, fragrant lemongrass and other climbing plants.

All vegetation of the Far East is adapted to abrupt changes of severe winters and hot summers. This feature was used with great insight by IV Michurin in his work on the development of new breeds of fruit and berry crops, in which the high yield, frost resistance and vitality of the wild Ussuri plant are combined with the valuable qualities of delicate cultivated fruit plants of southern countries.

Only here, in the Far East, in the Sikhote-Alin region, a significant in zoogeography fact of cohabitation of both the tiger and taiga animals was noted: sable, reindeer... Typical cat of the northern forests, Lynx, lives in the Ussuri region along with the bloodthirsty predator of the tropics - leopard and the largest species of wild cat - the Far Eastern forest cat.

In addition to the brown bear, there is also a glossy black bear with a white spot on the chest. black, or himalayan bear- an inhabitant of the mountain forests of South Asia.

In the Ussuriysk Territory, its number is higher than that of the brown. It is more than a brown bear, adapted to climbing trees, where it willingly feeds on bird cherry, acorns, Manchurian nuts, and wild fruits.

Unlike the brown bear, which lays in a den on the ground, the black one makes its den in the hollows of trees, where several animals sometimes take. The entrance hole in the hollow is sometimes placed quite high, 10–20 meters from the surface of the earth.


Along with our usual wolf in the remote mountainous regions, small flocks prowl red wolves, differing in a slightly smaller body size, red fur and fluffy, like a fox's tail. The red wolf is an indigenous inhabitant of the mountains of Central and South Asia. The lifestyle of this peculiar animal is almost completely unexplored.

Graceful, peculiar only to the Far East dappled deer lives here along with the giant of the northern forests - moose.

Dappled deer is of great commercial importance because of antlers - young, non-ossified horns, from which pantocrine, a valuable medicinal substance, is extracted. It dramatically increases the vital activity of the body and has long been used in Chinese and Tibetan medicine, and recently it has also been used in Soviet medicine. Even in pre-revolutionary times, there were several private farms in the Far East where sika deer were kept. In the post-October period, large reindeer-breeding state farms were organized there. In addition, over the past 15–20 years, sika deer have been brought to various places in the European part of the RSFSR and acclimatized in the Oksky, Ilmensky, Khopersky, Mordovsky, Bashkirsky and Teberdinsky reserves, as well as in the Losinoostrovsky base of the former fur institute near Moscow.



Another typical beast of the Far East - raccoon dog, or the Ussuri "raccoon", since 1934 was introduced and settled in many regions of the European part of the Union, as well as in the Caucasus, Central Asia, Altai and southwestern Siberia. In many places, this prolific fur-bearing animal has perfectly acclimatized and bred; in some areas it has already become a part of the commercial fauna.

However, it should be noted that the raccoon dog was not always a welcome guest. In a number of places, zoologists and game hunters consider this animal to be guilty of the depletion of waterfowl and upland game reserves, since the raccoon dog destroys eggs, chicks, and sometimes birds incubating on the ground: ducks, black grouses, hazel grouses.

As well as sable and column a native of South China and India lives in the Far Eastern taiga, a large marten-harza... But if the Kolinsky, and especially the sable, are the most valuable fur animals, then the harza is not of commercial value, since its fur is rough. In addition, it harms the hunting economy, destroying valuable game animals: sable, musk deer, maral calves and sika deer.



It should be noted that some of the animals mentioned above, although typical for the Far East, are extremely few and far from everywhere; even seasoned hunters and experienced naturalists rarely find a tiger, leopard, red wolf and sika deer in nature.

The most numerous mammals of the Far East are small rodents: voles, mice, hamsters, karako rat; the rodent leading an underground lifestyle is the Manchurian zokor, etc. All these rodents, along with shrews (the order of insectivores), are found in such abundance that they constitute the most important background of the population of mammals in the Far East.

The birds of the Far East are no less peculiar. Blue-green with a red beak eastern broad, traps insects on the treetops. It hunts for flying insects during the day needle-tailed swift, and at night - indian nightjar- the owner of a huge mouth, trimmed with bristles.

Through lakes and swamps, along with those known to every hunter mallard and teal can see black mallard- a typical Sino-Japanese species, reaching in its distribution in the south to the Philippine Islands, and elegant mandarin duck with its original bright color, which is a mixture of bright red, gray-green, blue-violet and white. This bird nests in hollows along forest rivers. She has a characteristic habit of perching on trees, which makes her different from other ducks. The northern border of distribution passes in the Amur region green Amur night heron... On Lake Khanka and in the valley of the Ussuri River, tropical chinese ibis.

Remarkable for its beautiful coloration blue magpie interesting in that it is found on the whole globe only in two distant localities, namely in East Asia and on the Iberian Peninsula. Zoologists explain such "discontinuity" of its distribution by the fact that these two areas in the distant ice age were not subjected to glaciation, which in the rest of the territory turned out to be fatal for these birds.

A typical bird of the dark coniferous forests of the Far East - black hazel grouse, or grouse, which is one and a half times larger than the usual hazel grouse, is of commercial importance. It is interesting that these birds are amazingly trusting, for which they received the name of "humble" hazel grouse among the population of Primorye. Scared from the ground, birds usually fly up low on a tree and sit quietly, looking at a person. In this regard, hunters use a very simple and even funny way of getting them using a long stick with a hair or rope loop at the end. Such a loop is carefully put on the bird's neck and, tightening it, pulls the prey down. It is even more curious that the rest of the "humble" hazel grouses do not fly away, but continue to remain in the tree, as if waiting for their turn. So you can catch a fair number of birds from one flock.



Recently, the question has been raised about the acclimatization of the Siberian grouse in other regions of our Motherland. The expediency of this event is supported not only by the undoubted commercial value of the Siberian grouse, but also by its great fertility, endurance, adaptability to a harsh and damp climate, as well as unpretentiousness: in winter it feeds mainly on fir needles.

The Khanka plain is absolutely exceptional in terms of the abundance of migratory birds. Lake Khanka is one of the best places in the Soviet Union for hunting waterfowl and marsh game: geese, ducks, swans, waders.

On the coast of the Sea of ​​Japan and the Tatar Strait, on high steep rocks, there are bird colonies - nesting colonies guillemot, guillemots, hatchets, gulls... The characteristic predators of the coast - Kamchatka eagle and white-tailed eagle- hunt for fish in summer, and for birds and small animals in winter.

The Far Eastern seas and rivers are extremely rich in fish.

Salmonids are of the greatest commercial value: chum salmon, sima, pink salmon, whitefish, and from sturgeon - kaluga.

Far Eastern waters are characterized by such fish of southern Chinese origin as aukha, Amur catfish, yellow cheek, silver carp and finally, tropical fish - snakehead... Adult snakeheads are up to 7 kilograms in weight. This fish got its name for the shape of its head, similar to that of a snake. In China, Korea and India, the snakehead has long been artificially bred in ponds.

In recent years, an attempt was made to acclimatize some Amur fish in the reservoirs of the Moscow region. For cupid, snakehead and some other fish, this attempt was crowned with success. The snakehead is especially well adapted to the new conditions, feeding on small fish and tadpoles. It is recommended to breed grass carp - a herbivorous fish, together with carp, which feeds mainly on small invertebrates, and a predatory snakehead - in small, overgrown ponds together with weed fish (roach, ruff, etc.).

At present, Amur fish farming is already widely used in other water bodies of the European part of the RSFSR.



The Far Eastern seas are rich in valuable game mammals - whales and seals. In spring and summer, the seas become real grazing lands for whales, as schools of fish appear here, octopuses and squids - the main food of toothed whales of sperm whales. Small crustaceans and other planktonic organisms that feed on toothless whales - fin whales, sei whales, humpback whales, and others - multiply in masses at this time of the year. Herds of sea giants - whales swim to the Far Eastern seas from the temperate and tropical parts of the ocean, where food supplies at this time are depleted. It was during this period that our Far Eastern Aleut flotilla began whaling in the Okhotsk, Japanese and Bering Seas, extracting hundreds of tons of whale oil, meat and other products valuable for industry, in particular spermaceti and ambergris for perfumery production.

The Aleut flotilla consists of a large base vessel (on which whale carcasses are processed) and several small whaling vessels on which whales are chased and killed with harpoon cannons. Most of all mined sperm whale accounting for 60–70% of the Far Eastern whaling industry. In second place is fin whale... Other types - gorbach, sei whale, gray whale and others - are less common and therefore constitute an insignificant part of the trade.



Among other sea animals, various species of the order of pinnipeds are the subject of fishery. The most valuable of them is kitty, with an excellent soft undercoat, its skin is used for the manufacture of high quality winter clothing. The main seals' rookeries are located on the Commander Islands and off the eastern shores of Sakhalin, where in the spring the females give birth to cubs and feed them. In autumn, herds of seals migrate south to the Japanese islands.

Far Eastern reptiles are original. Along with our usual snakes - common snake, common viper, eastern snake- here you can find tropical bright green or blue with orange-red spots tiger snake, just like an ordinary one, not poisonous. Numerous runners... Especially characteristic Amur snake, or Schrenk runner- a strong biting, but also non-venomous snake over 2 meters long. The snake hunts for rodents on the ground, and in the trees it chases birds and ruins their nests. The Amur snake is well tamed, and in Manchuria it is even kept in barns and fanzas, where it destroys rodents - pests of grain reserves, and also protects crops adjacent to buildings from them.


Amur snake.

Only in the Far East is there a peculiar, with a soft leathery shell, far eastern turtle belonging to one of the tropical orders of these animals. She lives in rivers and lakes, where, burrowing in the silt and putting her head out, she lies in wait for the fish swimming by. Her neck is long and mobile, and her jaws are strong and strong. In contrast to other turtles, the Far Eastern tortoise can rush at a person and bite painfully. The ability of these turtles to stay under water for up to 15 hours is interesting, which is explained by the presence in the animal's throat of numerous villi that act as gills. The meat and eggs of this turtle are edible.



The Ussuri region strikes with an abundance of various insects, many of which are characteristic exclusively of the Far East or have a tropical origin; often they have an amazing brightness of color. These include, for example: blue-green swallowtail Maaka- one of the largest daytime butterflies in our country; brightly colored yellow Ussuri swallowtail; pale green butterflies ocelli, rainbow transfusion tanks... Along with them and moths - order ribbons, hawk makers and silkworms- are an adornment of the Far Eastern nature.



A peculiar, unique sight is represented by flying beetles fireflies... In early summer, on quiet warm nights, the air is filled with many blinking bluish sparks. In autumn, in late August - early September, firefly beetles of a different species, larger ones, fly. The largest beetle of our country also lives in Primorye - Ussuri giant woodcutter.

The main scourge for both the population and the animals is midges and mosquitoes, the mass emergence of which begins in June and reaches a maximum in July. These insects, popularly known as "gnus", harass both people and animals for two - two and a half months.

Starting from mid-August, the number of gnats begins to drop sharply, and with the onset of frost, these insects disappear altogether.

Gnus and pincers- carriers of dangerous diseases of humans and animals - the only dark spot in the beautiful nature of Primorye and Amur region. A brutal war has been declared against this dark spot, in which Soviet scientists are already gaining their first victories. Academician E. N. Pavlovsky and his colleagues have found out the role of ticks in the spread of spring-summer encephalitis and developed effective measures to combat it. Entomologist N. A. Rubtsov carried out detailed studies of the reproduction and development of the "gnat" and proposed a number of measures both to eliminate breeding centers of these insects and to protect domestic animals and humans from them.

In conclusion, I would like to say that if in the essay on the nature of the Moscow region we talked about a wonderful and interesting corner of nature near us, then, finishing the essay about the bright, peculiar nature of the Far East, we would like to attract the attention of a novice naturalist, tourist, hunter and just a nature lover to this distant, but very interesting, rich and still little explored vast land of our Motherland.

<<< Назад
Forward >>>

The Far East is the most remote region of Russia with a rather harsh climate. The Ussuri taiga is a unique natural treasure; more than 400 species of trees grow on its territory (among them the Korean oak). Many endemic, that is, not found anywhere else in the world, representatives of the fauna also live here. Animals are interesting and unique, many of their species are listed in the Red Book.

Amur leopard

Amursky is recognized as the rarest wild cat in the world. The species, which is on the verge of extinction, is unusually beautiful. Now about 30 individuals of the Amur leopard live in freedom, and about a hundred in zoos (all from one male). On the territory of Korea, these wonderful leopards have been completely exterminated, in China they are found in isolated cases. Most likely, these are individuals coming from Russian territory. Many animals of the Far East are on the verge of extinction, as well as not only poachers, but also forest fires and a decrease in the amount of food pose a threat to them.

Ussurian tiger

The tiger is the largest cat in the world. A male in the prime of life has a weight of up to 300 kg. It is a strong and powerful beast. The tiger's weight does not at all prevent him from being an excellent hunter and moving along the reeds without emitting the slightest rustle. He hunts moose, wild boars, deer, hares, he can even attack a medium-sized bear.

The animals of the Far East tremble at night, hearing his formidable and mighty roar. A female tiger gives birth to two or three cubs, which stay with her for up to three years, learning the basics of hunting. At the same time, tiger cubs feed on mother's milk only up to six months.

Far East animals: Himalayan bear

This predator is much smaller than its close relative, the brown bear. That is why the first tries not to meet the second on narrow paths. But the Himalayan bear is very beautiful, its black coat shines and shimmers in the sun, and its chest is decorated with a white spot. Like many animals of the Far East, the bear loves to feast on acorns, nuts and roots. Having worked up an impressive fat reserve over the summer, the animal goes into hibernation in a cozy large hollow of a cedar, pine or oak. Hibernation continues for five months. In February, the bear gives birth to cubs, which stay with her until the next fall.

The nature of the Far East is beautiful and unique. It is necessary to make every effort to preserve it for our descendants!

Ermolina Ekaterina

Abstract on the world around

"Rare animals of the Russian Far East"

Download:

Preview:

Municipal educational institution

Secondary school number 12

ABSTRACT ON THE ENVIRONMENTAL WORLD

"RARE ANIMALS OF THE FAR EAST OF RUSSIA"

Performed:

Ermolina E.

Supervisor:

Voitovich I.V.

Khabarovsk, 2011

Relevance of the topic

Introduction

Chapter I

The uniqueness of the nature of the Russian Far East

§ 1.

Geographical location and climatic conditions of the Russian Far East

§ 2.

Flora and fauna of the Russian Far East

Chapter II

Fauna of the Russian Far East

§ 1.

Diversity of the fauna of the Russian Far East

§ 2.

The importance of animals for our planet

§ 3.

Reasons for the disappearance (extinction) of animals

Chapter III

Representatives of the rarest species of fauna of the Russian Far East

§ 1.

Far Eastern leopard

§ 2.

Amur tiger

§ 3.

Far Eastern white stork - the winged symbol of Cupid

Conclusion

Bibliography

Applications

Appendix No. 1

Far Eastern leopard population dynamics

in 1998-2010

Appendix No. 2

Amur tiger population dynamics in the Russian Far East in 2001-2010

Relevance of the topic:

The relevance (importance, significance) of this topic lies in the fact that we know very little about the world around us, and we know practically nothing about rare wild animals! As a result of human activity, the number of already rare wild animals is steadily decreasing and, if special and urgent measures are not taken to protect them, they can completely disappear from the face of the Earth, as at one time the Steller's cow (a large marine mammal), which lived only in one place - on the Commander Islands and by the end of the 18th century it was completely exterminated by man, and whose skeleton can be seen only here - in the Khabarovsk Regional Museum of Local Lore. N.I. Grodekov and at the National Museum of Natural History in Paris.

Purpose: To study representatives of rare animals of the Russian Far East and establish the reasons for their disappearance.

Tasks:

  1. Conduct a theoretical study on this topic.
  2. Establish the relationship between the diversity of the animal world and habitat conditions.
  3. Identify the reasons for the disappearance of animals in the Russian Far East.

Object area: Biology. Fauna of the Russian Far East.

Subject of research: The disappearance of wild animals of the Far East, reasons.

Subject of research: Rare animals of the Russian Far East.

Introduction: At first glance, a modern person, especially a city dweller, depends little on nature. It is surrounded by solid heated houses, factories and factories; transport moves on asphalt pavements; rivers are chained in granite; little greenery. Even in rural areas, plowed fields approach housing, and the forest sometimes turns blue only on the horizon ... There are over one and a half million species of animals on Earth. Large and small, from visible only through a microscope to giants weighing several tons, they inhabit forests, steppes and deserts, thick soil, seas and oceans, they are found high in the mountains, in caves devoid of light and in polar ice.

Man has long used animals and plants. The ancient people lived by fishing and hunting, picking berries, mushrooms, various fruits, roots. Plants and animals gave man clothes, material for dwelling. Later, tamed animals became man's faithful helpers. And now living nature is of great importance for humans, although we do not always realize this.

However, over time, the nature around us becomes poorer. On the slopes of the mountains, where powerful forests once grew, only bare rocks remained in places. Some species of animals and plants have completely disappeared due to human fault and can no longer be restored. But animals suffer not only from unreasonable extermination. Human economic activity is increasingly changing the natural conditions familiar to certain animals, sometimes causing irreparable harm to them. The shallowing of rivers and their pollution with industrial waste waters destroys fish; after deforestation, naturally, their four-legged and feathered inhabitants, etc., disappear. For a long time, people did not pay attention to the impoverishment of wildlife. It was thought that the forests would last forever and the fish in the rivers would never run out. But now the picture has changed dramatically: many areas have become treeless, many animals have been exterminated. It became clear that nature cannot be thoughtlessly destroyed; it requires attention, care and protection.

CHAPTER I. UNIQUENESS OF THE NATURE OF THE FAR EAST OF RUSSIA

§ 1. Geographical location and climatic conditions of the Russian Far East

The territory of the Russian Far East is about 1/6 of the country's area. It includes the Magadan, Kamchatka, Sakhalin and Amur regions, as well as the Khabarovsk and Primorsky regions. Arctic deserts, tundra, forest-tundra, taiga, mixed and deciduous forests, forest-steppe areas - this is a list of natural zones in which animals live. Numerous mountain systems, as well as the seas of the Arctic and Pacific oceans, create peculiar natural conditions for their existence.

The Russian Far East is located on the border of the largest continent of the Earth - Eurasia - and the greatest of the oceans - the Pacific. Therefore, a characteristic feature of its climate is the seasonal change in air flows from the mainland and from the ocean, due to their uneven heating and cooling.

The seasonal change of continental and maritime influence is especially pronounced in the southern part of the Russian Far East. At the same time, in winter, winds prevail, directed from land to ocean, and in summer - from ocean to land.

As a result of seasonal movements of air masses, winters in the Russian Far East are dry and cold, while summers are warm and humid.

The climate of the Russian Far East is also distinguished by extremely sharp average annual fluctuations in ambient temperatures, which increase in summer and decrease in winter.

All this led to a wide variety of vertebrate fauna.

§ 2. Flora and fauna of the Russian Far East

The flora and fauna of the Russian Far East, its flora and fauna, are also quite diverse. And the reason for this is the Pacific monsoons, which bring warmth and a lot of precipitation with them in summer, which sometimes fall on everything living and inanimate as violent typhoons. It is this weather that creates favorable conditions for the penetration of thermophilic plants and animals to our Far East, which is the outskirts of the continent, whose closest relatives live in the tropics of Southeast Asia. Representatives of the northern and southern flora and fauna converge here, live side by side. It is the mixture of northern (cold-loving) and southern (thermophilic) species of plants and animals, as well as the presence of a significant number of species that are not found anywhere else in Russia, or even in the world, that is a characteristic difference between the nature of the Russian Far East. This is due, inter alia, to the fact that during the ice age the territories of the south of the Russian Far East were not covered with ice and therefore pre-glacial species of animals and plants that have become extinct in other places have survived.

The combination of species of flora and fauna of the Russian Far East forms a unique natural complex of world importance.

At the same time, many of the unique species of wild animals in the Russian Far East for various reasons, the main of which is human activity, are among the rare and endangered species that need special protection.

CHAPTER II. ANIMAL WORLD OF THE FAR EAST OF RUSSIA

§ 1. Diversity of the animal world of the Russian Far East

The fauna of the Far East is one of the most diverse in the territory of the Russian Federation. In general, the total number of rare and needing protection of vertebrates and invertebrates in the Far East is 283 species, of which 102 are endemic.

In the snow, you can see the tracks of a tiger and a sable side by side. In the immediate vicinity of the pile of snow that has not yet melted, a subtropical mandarin duck splashes in a small lake, and nearby there is a forest of coniferous and deciduous species entwined with rope-like vines. Ussuri pheasants are hiding in the coastal thickets, and taiga hares are hiding nearby. There are many such examples, and they all testify to the same thing: the combination of heterogeneous elements of northern and southern nature inherent in the Far East.

The most famous rare species in need of protection are the Amur tiger, Far Eastern leopard, sea otter, aboriginal population of spotted deer, Amur goral, white stork, Siberian white crane, crested eagle, paradise flycatcher, mandarin duck, Far Eastern turtle other.

§ 2. The importance of animals for our planet

The basis of life on Earth is green plants, in the tissues of which, when the energy of the sun's rays is absorbed, various organic substances are formed from carbon dioxide, water and mineral salts. However, animals are not a secondary component of nature, only consuming substances created by plants. Animals participate in the great circulation of substances in nature, without which no organism can exist, life on Earth cannot continue.

Any natural complex of organisms on the surface of our planet includes three essential components: green plants that create organic matter from inorganic (scientifically - producers) ; animals, mostly feeding on plants and processing their tissues, scattering organic matter over the surface of the soil or in its thickness(consumers) , and bacteria and fungi that convert organic matter, including those scattered by animals, again into mineral salts and gases(reducers) ... The latter can again be used by the leaves and roots of plants. This is how the circulation of substances and energy is established in nature with the participation of organisms.

§ 3. The reasons for the disappearance (extinction) of animals.

The main and only reason for the disappearance of wild animals is human activity.

Practical interest in the extraction and use of the Far Eastern fauna has existed for hundreds of years. But the results of the impact on nature have never been so destructive as at present. The intensification of fisheries, which do not recognize any restrictions, and often illegal, puts on the brink of complete physical destruction now not only individual species, but also some biocenoses.

Among other things, the reasons for the interest in animals of the Far Eastern nature lie in the traditions of oriental medicine, culinary peculiarities of the countries of East and Southeast Asia, mythology and superstitions that have outgrown national borders and have become one of the global factors of commercial demand for exotic medicines, food, and amulets. only in the countries of the Pacific region, but also many others.

It is not possible to influence these reasons in order to reduce demand, on the contrary, with the help of advertising of medicines, esoteric teachings and the actual expansion of the national cuisine of East Asian countries to Europe, USA, Canada, Australia in the coming years, no doubt, the trend will continue and even intensify. In addition, in the adjacent territories of China and Korea (which provided some of this raw material several decades ago), similar types of biodiversity, mainly associated with the Manchu fauna, have been almost completely exterminated, and the laws of these countries with regard to poaching are distinguished by increased rigidity and uncompromising character.

CHAPTER III. REPRESENTATIVES OF THE MOST RARE SPECIES OF THE FAUNA OF THE FAR EAST OF RUSSIA

§ 1. FAR EASTERN LEOPARD

Far Eastern leopard- the northernmost subspecies of the leopard. It is distinguished by its thick, long fur, especially visible in winter plumage, and is one of the most beautiful and rarest large cats in the world. The Far Eastern leopard is listed in the Red Book of Russia, the International Red Book, and the Red List of the International Union for Conservation of Nature.

The body length of the Far Eastern leopard is 107-136 cm. And the length of its tail is 82 - 90 cm. It turns out that the tail of the Far Eastern leopard is almost as long as its body!

tones of color.

The Far Eastern leopard has blue eyes!

The Far Eastern leopard hunts in the evening and in the first half of the night, always alone. And only the female leopard hunts together with the grown kittens, she teaches her kittens to hunt. The Far Eastern leopard eats deer and roe deer,badgers , raccoons , hares, pheasants , hazel grouse .

A female Far Eastern leopard usually gives birth to 1-3 cubs. They are born blind, with a mottled color. Caves, crevices, pits under twisted roots of trees in a remote, secluded place serve as their lair. On the 12-15th day, the kittens begin to crawl, and by two months they begin to leave the den.

Currently, the Far Eastern leopard is on the verge of complete destruction. According to the Far Eastern branch of WWF (World Wildlife Fund) of Russia, about 34 Far Eastern leopards remained in the wild by the end of 2010 (see Appendix No. 1). And man is to blame for this: he is cutting down forests, polluting air and water, and poaching leopards.

§ 2. AMUR TIGER

The largest cat on the planet, the Amur tiger, lives in the Russian Far East.

Despite its size, enormous physical strength, the absence of enemies, the ability to starve for a long time, the owner of the Ussuri taiga is easily vulnerable. The proud striped predator, a symbol of the wealth and beauty of the Far Eastern nature, is also on the verge of extinction.

According to research by the Far Eastern Branch of WWF-Russia, today only 450 Amur tigers live in the Far East of Russia (see Appendix No. 2).

Preserving the tiger is the key to preserving the Far Eastern nature.

The Amur tiger is depicted oncoat of arms of the Khabarovsk Territory :

The Amur tiger can distinguish colors. At night, he sees five times better than a human. The body length of the male Amur tiger to the tip of the tail reaches 2.7-3.8 m, the female is shorter. Tail length up to 100 cm. Height at withers up to 105-110 cm, weight 160-270 kg. The record weight of a tiger is 384 kg. The tiger is an easily vulnerable animal, despite its large size and enormous physical strength. He can run on snow at speeds up to 50 km / h.

The Amur tiger hunts at night. The Amur tiger marks its territory by scratching its claws on tree trunks.

Tigers greet each other with special snorting sounds, formed when vigorously exhaling air through the nose and mouth. Another sign of friendliness is touching the head, muzzle, and even side friction.

Despite the enormous strength and developed senses, the tiger has to devote a lot of time to hunting, since only one out of 10 attempts ends with success. The tiger crawls up to its prey, while it moves in a special way: arching its back and resting its hind legs on the ground.

The tiger eats lying down, holding the prey with its paws. Like any cat, the Amur tiger can eat fish, frogs, birds and mice. A tiger needs to eat 9-10 kg of meat per day.

§ 3. FAR EASTERN WHITE STORK -winged cupid symbol

The main part of the population - about four hundred pairs - inhabits the wetlands of the Amur Valley, the Tunguska and Ussuri rivers.

Outside Russia, our stork nests only in northeastern China.

It flies early for wintering, gradually gathering in flocks. Far Eastern whites hibernate onthe plains of the Yangtze River in Chinapreferring wet places - shallow water bodies and rice fields.

The Far Eastern white stork is similar to a simple white stork in plumage color, however, our stork is slightly larger, has a more powerful black beak, legs have a brighter red color. Around the eyes of the Far Eastern white stork there is an unfeathered area of ​​red skin. The chicks of the Far Eastern white stork are white with a reddish-orange beak, while the chicks of the simple white stork have a black beak.

The Far Eastern white stork feeds on small fish and frogs. It tries to avoid human settlements and nests in remote, inaccessible places. It nests high in trees near water bodies - lakes, rivers and swamps. Also, for the construction of nests, he uses other high-rise structures, for example, power lines. A nest of branches about two meters in diameter, 3.4 to 14 m high. The Far Eastern white stork has been using the same nest for several years in a row. Lays eggs at the end of April, depending on conditions, there are from 3 to 4 eggs in a clutch. A month later, the chicks hatch, like the rest of the storks, helpless. Parents feed them by regurgitating food into their beaks, and drink them in the same way.

CONCLUSION.

The disappearance of rare species of wild animals is an irreparable loss both for the planet Earth and for all mankind, since all existing species of animals and plants are interconnected and the disappearance of any of them can lead to unpredictable environmental consequences, therefore Russia, as a country, is responsible before the entire world community for the preservation of such species of wild animals as, for example, the Ussuri tiger and the Amur leopard. Rare and endangered species of wild animals are included in the Red Book. Every page of this unusual Book is a signal of alarm. The species caught in it need special attention, special protection, and special study. After all, in order to protect animals, you need to know more about them!

And we, as citizens of Russia, must make every effort so that no other animal species disappears from the face of planet Earth.

Bibliography:

  1. Aramilev V.V., Fomenko P.V. Distribution and abundance of the Far Eastern leopard in the southwest of Primorsky Krai // Protection and rational use of animal and plant resources. Irkustk: IGSKhA, 2000.
  2. Panda newspaper. Edition for WWF-Russia supporters. Vladivostok: Call of the Taiga. Issue No. 1 (September, 2002).
  3. Panda newspaper. Edition for WWF-Russia supporters. Vladivostok: Call of the Taiga. Issue No. 2 (June, 2003).
  4. Panda newspaper. Edition for WWF-Russia supporters. Vladivostok: Call of the Taiga. Issue No. 1 (June, 2005).
  5. Panda newspaper. Edition for WWF-Russia supporters. Vladivostok: Call of the Taiga. Issue No. 3 (16) (April, 2010).
  6. Far Eastern leopard: life on the edge. WWF Russia (Text by Ph.D. M. Krechmar) - Vladivostok, 2005.44 p.
  7. Red Data Book of the Russian Federation.- Moscow: AST, Astrel, 2001
  8. Red Data Book of the Khabarovsk Territory: Rare and Endangered Species of Plants and Animals: Official Publication / Ministry of Natural Resources of the Khabarovsk Territory, Institute of Water and Environmental Problems, Far East Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences-Khabarovsk: Publishing House "Priamurskie vedomosti", 2008. - 632 p .: silt
  9. Pikunov D.G., Seredkin I.V., Aramilev V.V., Nikolaev I.G., Murzin A.A. Large predators and ungulates in the southwest of Primorsky Krai. Vladivostok: Dalnauka, 2009.96 p.
  10. About the tiger and tiger cubs. Collection of teaching materials for working with children. Vladivostok: WWF - Russia, 2008 .-- 144 p., Ill.
  11. Save each of the remaining: Land of the Leopard. Vladivostok: Dalnauka, 2007.20 p.

Applications

Appendix No. 1

Appendix No. 2