Endemics of Buryatia. Research work rare animals of Buryatia. Seismically dangerous zone

There are 435 species of terrestrial vertebrates on the territory of Buryatia. Among them, the classes of birds (340 species) and mammals (83) are richer than others, reptiles (7) and amphibians (5 species) are less numerous. As a result of unreasonable human economic activity, the number of terrestrial vertebrates is declining. The list of rare and reducing their range species on the territory of Buryatia consists of: amphibians - 2 species, reptiles - 4, birds - 63, mammals - 25 species. Rare and endangered species include red wolf, wild cat - manul, snow leopard, river otter, mountain goat, reindeer, Dahurian hedgehog, etc.

Rare and endangered animals

Rare animals are species that are not currently threatened with extinction, but they are found in such small numbers or in limited areas that they can disappear if the habitat is adversely changed under the influence of natural or anthropogenic factors.

Endangered animals are those species that are under threat of extinction, the salvation of which is impossible without the implementation of special measures.

In order to preserve rare and endangered animals, the strictest and complete ban on hunting is being carried out, the maximum preservation of the habitat, the creation of special nurseries, national parks, reserves and reserves.

mammals

Seal

Baikal is one of the few mainland reservoirs inhabited by seals (seals) - the only endemic of Baikal among mammals. The seal is a large animal, reaching a length of 120-150 cm and up to 100-120 kg of weight, a long-liver. Among the hunting prey there are specimens aged 50 years or more. During her life, the female can bring up to 2 dozen cubs, which she bears for 11 months. Seals appear at the end of winter - beginning of spring.

It still remains a mystery how this animal got to the center of the Asian continent. Some researchers believe that the seal entered the lake from the Arctic Ocean during one of the interglacial transgressions. When ocean waters spread along the Yenisei valley to the mouth of the Tunguska. It is known that seals often enter rivers and rise quite high along their course. And sometimes they even travel by land from one river to another.

In Baikal, the seal found favorable living conditions - an abundance of food in the form of golomyankas and pelagic gobies, ice conditions that create the usual conditions for breeding and molting, a fairly extensive water area and depths. The seals spend the winter under the ice, each animal gains several open holes-vents.

Since ancient times, the animal belongs to the valuable objects of fishing. The Baikal seal has beautiful fur, healing fat, and tender meat. According to archaeologists, the seal has attracted people to the shores of the lake since ancient times and was used as an exchange commodity; for some tribes it was a totem.

and others in the section "Lake Baikal"

Barguzinsky sable

Sable is a fur-bearing animal, "the king of wild furs." The darker the sable, the more valuable its skin is. The Barguzin sable is the most valuable of those found in Siberia. Body length - 56 cm, tail - up to 20 cm. It lives in cedar forests, in the upper reaches of mountain rivers. (See also ).

Red wolf (Ulaan shono)

The red wolf is a small animal that combines the features of a wolf and a fox in appearance. The general color tone is reddish. Occurs in mountainous places of the Baikal basin, feeds on ungulates. The red wolf is an endangered species and is listed in the Red Book of Russia, Buryatia and the IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources). Hunting and catching this animal is strictly prohibited.

Jumping jerboa (Alag daagan)

Jumping jerboa is listed in the Red Book of Buryatia as a rare species. Body length is 130-160 mm, tail length is 172-220 mm. On the limbs it has 5 fingers, the length of the hind legs is 3-4 times the length of the front ones. When moving slowly, it moves on all four legs, and when running, it moves only on two hind legs. It has large eyes and long ears, as well as a long tail that ends in a tassel. The jerboa has a soft and thick coat. The color of the back is sandy or dark yellow, the ventral side is slightly lighter. Occurs in the steppe part of the Baikal basin. In winter it hibernates. It feeds on plant food, insects and their larvae.

Corvids of the Baikal Basin

Cm.

MBOU "Verkhneangarskaya secondary school"

Meeting of the club "Young Patriot".

Subject:

"Plants and Animals

from the Red Book of Buryatia"

Conducted by: Komaritsyna S.G.

with. Cumorah

Purpose: Pto acquaint the children with animals and plants from the Red Book of Buryatia.

Objectives: To learn how to work in a team.

Develop speech, thinking, memory, artistic data.

Cultivate love for nature.

Session progress:

Leading: Dear Guys! Today's meeting is about plants and animals from the Red Book of Buryatia.

Red color is a signal of alarm, prohibition, understandable to people all over the world. Therefore, this was the name of the book of facts about the state of those species of animals and plants that are endangered or have become rare.

Extinction is a completely natural process. We know from fossils that many thousands of species of animals existed on earth, which then disappeared. Man has nothing to do with their extinction. But over the past few decades, the rate of extinction of animals has increased significantly. Since 1600, at least 36 species of mammals have disappeared and another 120 species are endangered. Every 4 out of 5 species that are threatened with destruction fell into this number either because of human self-interest or because of his thoughtless attitude towards them. The situation is no better with birds. Almost 350 species and subspecies of birds are threatened with extinction. In recent years, from one to ten animal species disappear on Earth daily and one plant species per week. This is more than new ones appear.

An important role in the conservation of rare and endangered species of animals and plants belongs to the Red Books, which were initiated by the IUCN Red Book of Facts (International Union for Conservation of Nature, established in 1948). The Red Book is not only a distress signal, but also a program to save rare endangered species.

In order to preserve typical or rare areas of nature with all kinds of plants and animals, the state declares them reserves. The territory of the reserve will forever remain in its natural form. There are about 155 nature reserves in our country. In each reserve there are especially valuable objects, the protection of which is given special attention.

As of 1999, we have 3 reserves, 2 national parks, 20 reserves and 266 monuments in Buryatia.

In 1916, the Barguzinsky Reserve was organized, which is located in the Severobaikalsky region. In 1986, he was given the status of a biosphere reserve, where, in addition to nature protection, scientific research is carried out. The main goal of organizing the reserve is to protect the natural complexes of the mountain taiga. The reserve is inhabited by 39 species of mammals, 273 species of birds, 4 reptiles, 2 species of amphibians. The Barguzin sable is subject to special protection.

The Baikal Biosphere Reserve is located in the Kabansky district of Buryatia. It was organized in 1969 with the aim of studying the natural complex of the Baikal coastal strip, the Khamar-Daban ecosystem. 48 species of mammals and 260 species of birds live in the reserve.

The Dzherginsky State Reserve, opened in 1992, is located in the Kurumkansky district, on the basis of the reserve (1974). The purpose of the creation is to preserve in its natural state the natural complex of the sources of the Barguzin River and the Ikotsky Range. There are 437 species of animals: 134 birds, 43 mammals, etc.

Based on the importance of the problems of nature protection and the rational use of the biological resources of the Baikal basin, in 1982 it was decided to create and publish the Red Book in Buryatia. A whole group of scientists (a total of 40 people) worked on the list of rare and endangered animals and plants of Buryatia. The book was published in 1988. All animals and plants are distributed according to a special scheme, into categories.

Mammals - 28

Birds - 72

Insects - 26

Pisces - 5

Reptiles and freshwater - 7

Plants - 134

Lichens - 6

Student: "Stop! Change your mind! whisper to the man of the forest. "Do not expose the earth ... do not turn it into a desert .." “Have mercy! - echoes the earth. “You cut down trees… it deprives me of moisture… I wither, I grow old… soon I won’t be able to give birth to anything… neither cereal nor flower…”

Leading: The humble inhabitants of the Earth give voices of supplication. They remind a person of a blood relationship with nature. But modern people have forgotten how to understand the language of grasses, birds, the language of forests, animals, rustling autumn leaves, the voice of a stream, the singing of sand ... They do not hear the plaintive signal about a difficult life in modern conditions. Let us listen to the disturbingSOS! Listen, nature asks for help.

Student: What is a pond without frogs?

What is a lake without fish?

Only tears of old willows

Muddy muddy water.

What is an island without flowers?

Without agile ants,

What is a tree without birds

Without starlings and without tits? ..

Come to us, frogs,

insects, animals,

Settle here, flowers,

Birds, fish and cats

Come take a walk

Songs to sing and dance!

We will live here together.

Student 2: Please answer me

Without any hesitation:

Is a rocket more difficult, or is it easier than a blade of grass?

You say right away:

The rocket is more difficult.

Then you hear

Maybe new

What can't be done

Field grass.

Leading : the famous naturalist writer Gerald Durrell wrote: "Animals and plants cannot go on strike, even a sit-in, there is no one to intercede for them, except us people." Let's now listen to the animals that are in danger, which are listed in the Red Book of Buryatia and not only, let's listen to what messages our smaller brothers would leave in the Complaint Book of Nature.

Student 1 . Reindeer. I am a large animal, weighing up to 100 kilograms. The figure is squat, the legs are relatively short, the tail is short. I am a rare species, found in small numbers in high mountain ranges. We are present in 8 districts of Buryatia, including Severobaikalsky. In summer we eat mainly herbaceous plants, willows. In autumn we eat mushrooms, and the basis of winter food is lichens of 25 species. We have survived in small numbers in hard-to-reach places because people are chasing us, frequent fires are destroying the forest. We are listed in the Red Book of the USSR.

Student 2 . tolai hare. I am a rare species in the conditions of Buryatia. I differ from hare hare and hare in small size and sandy-gray color. I use stony placers and heaps of rocks for habitats, as well as burrows of the Mongolian marmot. I am active during daylight hours, I move quickly. I breed once a year. The main food is branch and grassy food. The main reason for the decline in numbers is human economic activity: plowing, poaching, stray dogs. I am a rare relic of the living nature of the republic that disappears through the fault of man.

Student 3 . Manul. I belong to the cat family. But of all wild cats - the smallest. I have fluffy fur, very soft. The number throughout the republic is very low and continues to fall. I inhabit steppes, rocky highlands, desert mountain ranges. I lead a sedentary lifestyle, active mainly at dusk and at night. I flee from danger. The main food is pika, rodents, ground squirrel, small birds. I get them on guard at holes and stones. The main reason for the decrease in the number of my species is: change and destruction of the habitat as a result of plowing, human persecution, steppe burns and forest fires, as well as the use of pesticides in agriculture. Listed in the Red Books of the USSR and the RSFSR

Student 4 . Otter. I medium-sized, short-legged animal. My appearance in the republic is very rare everywhere. My body is spindle-shaped, flexible, with short limbs. Between the fingers there are swimming membranes. Since I lead a hidden lifestyle, it is rare to see me in nature. I am an excellent swimmer. It is very difficult to keep track of my rapid movement in the water. Speed ​​in water - up to 12 km per hour. I am dressed in a warm grayish-white fur coat. Wool on the abdomen with a beautiful silvery sheen. The fur is very dense, with a coarse awn and thick undercoat, very wearable. The main food is various types of fish. Because of the fur, I used to be heavily hunted. My number is also decreasing due to river pollution, timber rafting, and the unfavorable winter regime of rivers.

Student 5 . Red Wolf. I am a very rare species. You meet in Buryatia only in the Eastern Sayans. I am shorter than a gray wolf, but my tail is longer and looks like a fox. From afar, I appear red. Listed in the Red Books of the USSR and the RSFSR. I live in the highlands, closer to the forest. I feed on mountain goats, young animals of other animals. But as mountain ungulates become smaller, my numbers also decrease sharply.

Competition number 1. Crossword "Guess the animals"

Pupil 6 . White Owl. I am rare. I appear here in winter, having migrated from the tundra zone. I am a very cautious bird, I rarely let a person closer than 50-80 meters. It differs from all owls in its white coloration. I fly out for hunting at dusk and at night, rarely active during the day. I lie in wait for my prey sitting on a raised platform, or I look out from above. Mice, pikas, small birds, sometimes hares, black grouse become my prey. I am a wintering bird, I appear in your republic in October, November. You can meet me in the fields, in the steppe, along the banks of lakes and rivers, in swamps. Hunting for us is prohibited everywhere, but once there were many of us. But poaching is destroying us

Pupil 7 . Golden eagle. We are one of the largest and most majestic eagles in the fauna of Buryatia. In Buryatia we winter in the southern part of the republic. I am a strong predator, capable of hunting such large animals as fox, roe deer and others. However, my main prey is ground squirrels, hares, tarbagans, and some birds. We willingly eat carrion. I was listed in the Red Book of the USSR and the RSFSR, as I die at the hands of hunters, and from the use of various chemicals in agriculture, and because I eat poisoned animals, from environmental pollution. I need special protection.

Student 8. white-tailed eagle. I am the largest bird of prey in the region. Distributed within the forest zone. We arrive at Baikal in March, early April, when many reservoirs are still covered with ice. Sometimes we stay for the winter at Lake Baikal. We feed on fish that we catch at the surface of the water and in shallow water. Often we attack young birds, wounded animals, muskrat in a trap. We need special protection. The number of white-tailed eagles is declining with a decrease in fish stocks in water bodies and an increase in human disturbance

Student 9. Peregrine falcon. I am a large falcon the size of a crow. My wings are long and sharp, my tail is short. In Buryatia, I am a rare nesting bird. My numbers are dropping sharply and not recovering. I live in forests, I arrange nests on trees, steep rocks. I can take crows or rooks nests. We hatch 3-4 eggs. The male gives the prey to the female, and she, tearing off the meat in small portions, feeds the chicks. We feed on birds - pigeons, gulls, crows, jackdaws, etc. We rush to prey from a height, developing a speed of up to 300 km per hour. The number of our species continues to decline due to the use of chemicals in agriculture, poachers shoot us for scarecrows. We are listed in the Red Book not only of Buryatia, but also in the Red Book of the USSR.

Pupil 10 . Black stork. I large bird. The plumage is predominantly black with a metallic sheen, the ventral side is white. I settle in hard-to-reach places among swamps, rocky places in the forest, along the banks of rivers and lakes. I am a nesting bird, I arrive in Buryatia in the first half of April. We feed on marsh plants, small fish, frogs, their tadpoles, and other aquatic insects. Our numbers are declining everywhere due to the economic development of habitats, deforestation, drainage of marshes, poaching. Listed in the Red Books.

Pupil 11 . whooper swan. In Buryatia, I meet only in the northern regions, but even here it is a very rare nesting species. For nesting, I prefer large lakes overgrown with vegetation, as well as deaf forest lakes. We feed on bottom plants in shallow waters and various invertebrates. The low number is associated with the peculiarities of ecology, due to the growing disturbance factor, the places of our former nesting are being reduced.

student 12. Lesser spotted woodpecker. I am a very rare settled bird, about the size of a sparrow. I differ from all woodpeckers not only in size, but also in color. My knock is not loud, and can only be heard from a short distance. I am subject to protection as a "orderly" of the forest, destroying pests that are inaccessible to other birds. But cutting down old trees suitable for my hollow, and generally cutting down forests, do us very great harm.

Pupil 13 . Bustard. I am one of the largest and most valuable birds in Russia. But I am under the threat of extinction due to human activities. I am a cautious, silent bird. I take off heavily, with a run, but my flight is light and fast. I am a typical inhabitant of open spaces, but because of the cruel persecution on the part of man, I began to develop atypical habitats. I feed on young shoots of weeds and other herbs, seeds of wild and cultivated cereals, various types of beetles and locusts. I can eat both a lizard and a frog.

Competition No. 2 . Solve the findword. (guess the words on the theme "Birds")

In the summer I live with Aunt Lyuda and Uncle Petya in the countryside. Aunt Lyuda does housework: she milks the cow, feeds the pigs, and feeds the chickens. owl rit. But her favorite pastime is cooking. And at Uncle Petya's - watch TV. Loves Aunt Lyuda Karav ai st put into the oven. Then they turn out magnificent, beautiful. Dia tel. Evizor looks, eats and praises:

- Enough Mr. eagle I’ll watch the program now, and let’s go, - my uncle grumbles with displeasure, but he doesn’t take his eyes off the TV.

Host: Guess the riddle:

Swimming under the bridge

And I wag my tail.

I don't walk on earth

I have a mouth - I don’t say

I have eyes - I do not blink,

I have wings - I can't fly.

That's right, it's a fish. Now let's listen to the guys' messages about the fish listed in the Red Book.

Student 14. Baikal sturgeon. Included in the Red Book of the RSFSR. Lives in Baikal, the Selenga River, Barguzin. There is, but not numerous in the Upper Angara and Kichera rivers. The basis of nutrition is mollusks, insect larvae and gobies. This is a commercial fish and there is a danger of the complete disappearance of the sturgeon due to its large prey. A ban on the fishing of this fish has been introduced.

Student 15. Davatchan. Included in the Red Book of the RSFSR. It lives mainly in mountain lakes, it is a predator. It feeds on young fish. For the first time it goes to spawn at the age of 6-7 years. Few, protected. Fishing is prohibited in Lake Frolikha.

Student 16. Siberian taimen. It occurs in many rivers of Buryatia with a fast current. This is pure river fish. It feeds on aquatic insects, and from the age of 4 it is already a predator, consuming a wide variety of fish. This is a species of fish that is rapidly declining despite the ban on restricting recreational taimen fishing.

Pupil 17 . White Baikal grayling. Included in the Red Book of the RSFSR. It is unevenly distributed over different regions of Baikal. Grayling spawns from 6-7 years. Pollution of spawning rivers and the catch of this fish at the time of spawning lead to the fact that it becomes scarce.

student 18. Tench. A rare species for Buryatia. Its ability to change color after catching in the air is characteristic, which is why its various names are associated - lin, molt, linina. In Buryatia, its populations are preserved in Lake Irkana, in the lakes of the Barguzin River. This is a lake fish. It feeds on insect larvae and mollusks. The main factor reducing the abundance of this species is the late warming of water bodies.

Leading: Everything is beautiful in nature, because it creates in eternity: it takes millions of years to create something new and correct mistakes. Therefore, her creations are impeccably perfect. Among them, her creations, there are nondescript and unattractive, but there are no ugly ones. Nature has created butterflies, fish, snakes, birds, flowers. And how many valuable trees do we have in Buryatia? These are pine, which loves light, and cedar, from the seeds of which high-quality edible oil is extracted. This is the most valuable species of our forests, and not only in Buryatia, but also in Russia. Floral beauty delights and soothes, it pleases the eye, the soul reaches out to it. There seems to be nothing wrong with the desire to pick a flower, but if garden flowers are cut carefully, then wild ones usually tear wildly, and from such treatment they no longer become. When February-bokogrey enters the forest and caresses the dark trunks of trees with gentle warmth, then at first near the very foot, and then at a distance, the points of the first flowers pierce into the granular half-snow-half-ice.

student 19. The blue primrose has a book title, but better than snowdrop, you won't get it for him. Snowdrop is the first flower. It is also called sleep-grass. There is nothing mysterious in the name: just large, fluffy flowers close at night and droop, as if falling asleep. The leaves of sleep-grass will appear after flowering, so the plant is very tenacious. But less and less we will see this beauty if we do not protect it.

Pupil 20 . corydalis peonyfolia. Another primrose. This is a decorative species, the number of which is declining. It grows in moist, shady forests, near forest streams. The economic use of the territory, the collection of beautiful inflorescences for bouquets has made this type of plant rare. Listed in the Red Book of Buryatia.

Pupil 21 . Cotoneaster brilliant. Grows only in Buryatia, in light pine and larch forests, on steppe and rocky slopes. It is rare, due to human activities in habitats. Listed in the Red Book of the USSR. Used in landscaping throughout the USSR.

Pupil 22 . Water lily pure white. It is a rare species with declining numbers. A perennial aquatic plant with a starch-rich rhizome. It grows in well-heated reservoirs: lakes, ponds. It is under the threat of extermination due to the collection of beautiful flowers and rhizomes for medicinal purposes.

student 23. Siberian cedar This is Siberian pine. He was named Cedar for his high growth and greatness. . We have few continuous forests of cedar forests. Most of it is in the mountains of Khamar-Daban, Ulan-Burgas and Tsagan-Daban. Cedar is called the Siberian pine, because it is very similar to it. Cedar cones are large, with delicious nuts. The wood of this tree is unusual: light and soft, it is used for the manufacture of various ships, musical instruments, pencils.

Pupil 24 . Lobaria pulmonary. This is a species of lichen with a declining population. In folk medicine, it is used as a remedy for pulmonary diseases. In Buryatia, it was found in our Severobaikalsky region. It lives on deciduous and coniferous trees, on mossy rocks in areas with a humid climate. Disappears due to environmental pollution. Listed in the Red Book of the USSR, protected in the Barguzinsky Reserve.

The forest is not only for fun,

He is the wealth of the whole country,

All the trees in it and the herbs

Raised for our benefit.

The forest is like a fairytale kingdom

There are only medicines around here.

In every grass, in every branch

And medicine and pills.

Test "Know, love and take care!"

1. Pine occupies the top tier because she:

a) loves shade

b) loves the light

c) hygrophilous

a) Scotch pine

b) Siberian cedar

c) Palace pines

a) where the air is clean

b) where the air is polluted

Blitz - questions "The most-most"

What is the most beautiful tree in our country? (Birch)

What is the most terrible enemy of the forest? (fire)

What is the most valuable species of our forests? (cedar)

What is the most shade tolerant conifer? (fir)

And what is the most photophilous breed in our forest? (pine)

What animals remain the most dangerous and most numerous enemies of the forest? (insects)

Well done boys! You answered very well. And now, while the jury is summing up, listen to the information "In the world of interesting."

Did you know that pine nuts are superior in calories to eggs, beef, cream and even lard. Pine nuts contain substances necessary in the treatment of tuberculosis, kidney disease and other diseases. Milk does not sour for a long time in a cedar dish, moths do not start in a cupboard made of this wood, ticks and mosquitoes do not approach the cedar, and bees feel best in a cedar hive.

All animals do their best to keep themselves clean. Birds take turns swimming in a puddle. Polar bears pick up snow in their paws and rub it around their ears and eyes. Many animals love to swim, but for this purpose they often choose swamps, sand or bask in the sun. For example, a deer that swims well will only jump into the water as a last resort. But the swamp attracts him irresistibly - it's so nice to flounder here! White hares love to roll from side to side on dried arable land.

Any blade of grass, any tree is shrouded in an invisible network of ecological connections, where the life of animals and plants is intertwined. For example, the cedar appears and grows only thanks to the nutcrackers, which take away and lose the nut seeds.

Final test.

A) eagle b) raven c) magpie

A) grass b) mushrooms c) salt

A) tongue b) beak c) paw

A) badger b) hedgehog c) bear

Appendix. (task cards)

In the summer I live with Aunt Lyuda and Uncle Petya in the countryside. Aunt Lyuda does the housework: she milks the cow, feeds the pigs, cooks millet for chickens. But her favorite pastime is cooking. And at Uncle Petya's - watch TV. Aunt Lyuda likes to put loaves in the oven. Then they turn out magnificent, beautiful. Uncle watches TV, eats and praises:

- You bake delicious pies, Lyudmila.

- Hey, neighbor, let's go fishing, - Uncle Misha shouts to him through the window.

- Stop bawling, now I’ll watch the program, and let’s go, - my uncle grumbles with displeasure, but he doesn’t take his eyes off the TV.

Test "Know, love and take care!"

1. Pine occupies the top tier because she:

a) loves shade

b) loves the light

c) hygrophilous

2. high quality edible oil is extracted from seeds:

a) Scotch pine

b) Siberian cedar

c) Palace pines

3. In which forest do lichens grow?

a) where the air is clean

b) where the air is polluted

c) where there are many deciduous trees

Final test.

Which bird is considered the smartest?

A) eagle b) raven c) magpie

2. What is the best treat for moose, deer, roe deer?

A) grass b) mushrooms c) salt

3. How does a woodpecker extract insects from cracks in the bark of trees?

A) tongue b) beak c) paw

4. What animal can fly?

A) flying squirrel b) lynx c) bat

5. Which of these animals hibernates for the winter?

A) badger b) hedgehog c) bear

Buryatia is one of the most beautiful regions of Eastern Siberia, the land of mountains and steppes. The nature of Buryatia is remarkable for its amazing diversity, in which the beauty of Lake Baikal is organically combined with endless taiga spaces, wide rivers and snowy peaks of the Sayan mountain ranges.

The terrain is predominantly mountainous. The highest point in the Eastern Sayans is Mount Munku-Sadyk, located on the border with Mongolia. Buryatia is adjacent to the republics of Mongolia, Tyva, and also borders on the Irkutsk region and the Trans-Baikal Territory.

The territory of Buryatia accounts for the main part (about 60 percent of the coastline) of the world's largest freshwater lake Baikal, which has the status of a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Flora of Buryatia

Among the natural zones of the republic, one can single out the steppe, forest-steppe, taiga, altitudinal zonality, as well as the tundra. At the same time, the transitions from one natural zone to another are smooth, so it is impossible to distinguish their clear boundaries.

The main part of the entire territory of Buryatia is occupied by mountain taiga. Pine, spruce, cedar, larch, fir, birch, aspen and poplar predominate among the trees. Numerous shrubs rise up the slopes of the mountains. In the spring, among the awakening taiga, wild rosemary (Daurian rhododendron) begins to bloom with a pinkish-purple color. In the summer, forests and mountains, and especially the mountain plateaus of Buryatia, are full of flowers. Here you can find whole glades covered with orange, fiery red and bright yellow lilies of amazing beauty.

Many medicinal plants grow in the forests, widely used in folk medicine (hawthorn, thyme, plantain, celandine). You can also mention among them: Rhodiola rosea, Ural licorice, peony marin root, lanceolate thermopsis, etc.

In autumn, a lot of wild berries ripen: lingonberries, blueberries, blueberries, marsh cranberries, Altai honeysuckle, wild currants, wild raspberries, sea buckthorn, bird cherry. Less often it is possible to meet a wild apple tree and a Siberian apricot. There are a lot of mushrooms in the Buryat forests. In the steppe zone, such plants as fescue, wormwood, Bogorodskaya grass and cinquefoil are typical. Lake Baikal is surrounded on all sides by mountains covered with taiga, consisting of cedars, pines, birches, aspens and larch.

On the territory of the Dzherginsky Reserve, located in the north of Buryatia, high-altitude plant belts predominate. Forest-steppes stretch for thousands of meters, birch and deciduous forests are replaced by steppes. Of the trees, pines and aspens are most often found here. Forest-steppes are replaced by pine forests and deciduous forests, and then thickets of dwarf pine.

The mountains are covered with stony placers, interspersed with areas of mountain moss-lichen tundra and rare patches of heather, cinquefoil and dryads. The Tunkinsky National Park is dominated by taiga vegetation, consisting mainly of Siberian cedars and larch. On the mountain peaks there are patches of tundra and alpine lawns.

More than 1800 species of especially valuable higher vascular plants have been found in the republic, listed in the Red Book of Russia and Buryatia. Many ornamental shrubs grow here. You can list: bird cherry, wild rose, Siberian apple tree. Relic species of rare plants, including horsetails and ferns, have been preserved in some places in the mountains.

Animal world of Buryatia

The fauna of the republic is extremely diverse. Here you can see the inhabitants of the steppes, the inhabitants of the taiga, tundra and rocky mountains.

For example, ground squirrels, foxes, pikas live in the Mondinskaya hollow. Squirrels, martens, Siberian weasels, muskrats hide in forest zones. There are Barguzin sable, hares, brown bears, wild boars, lynxes. From ungulates: elks, red deer, roe deer, musk deer. From birds: black grouse, capercaillie, hazel grouse, partridges, jays, nutcrackers, woodpeckers. Inhabitants of the alpine belt: reindeer and Siberian mountain goats. Most of them are included in the Red Book of Buryatia. Among other endangered species, one should recall such animals as: otter, wolverine, Baikal seal, saker falcon, spotted eagle, Altai snowcock, long-eared owl, splyuska, chough, common viper, moored frog.

An especially rare guest among the mammals of Buryatia, listed in the Red Book of Russia, is the snow leopard. In addition to him, no less rare argali and red wolves live in Buryatia. Among commercial species, muskrats, long-tailed ground squirrels, red deer, deer, roe deer, musk deer, weasel and white hare are often found here.

Many rodents live in the steppes, such as: jerboas, ground squirrels, tolai hare, tabargan. Ferrets, solongoy, weasels, ermines, wolves and foxes come across from predators. Among steppe birds typical representatives are partridges, larks and bustards.

The real symbols and treasures of Baikal are the omul, the viviparous fish - the golomyanka, and the Baikal seal - a unique freshwater seal, a mystery whose appearance in the lake has not been revealed to this day. There are also found here: Baikal sturgeon, pikes, catfish, breams, perches, carps, as well as white Baikal grayling, davatchan, sorog and whitefish.

Birds of prey include the white-tailed eagle and many other rare species.

Climate in Buryatia

The Republic of Buryatia has a sharply continental climate. Winters here are cool, with little snow, with dry frosts. Spring is cold, windy, sunny, with frosts and almost no precipitation. A short summer is characterized by dry and rainy weather, hot sunny days and cool nights. The onset of autumn occurs imperceptibly, without sharp weather changes, with its arrival, the deciduous taiga acquires a golden color. Autumn itself, as a rule, is warm, clear, quiet, it gets colder only in the second half of October.

The average July temperature in Buryatia is + 18.5 degrees Celsius, the average temperature in January is -22 degrees. In most of the territory of Buryatia, vertical zonality is well monitored, the temperature and amount of precipitation here vary depending on the height. The entire republic is characterized by a long period of sunshine corresponding to the southern Russian regions.

Buryatia is a republic of the Russian Federation, which is part of the East Siberian District. The nature of Buryatia has inexhaustible resources and, at the same time, pleases the eye with colorful landscapes that are not yet as well traveled by tourists as, for example, or.

Autumn nature of Buryatia (photo: Alexander Vedernikov)

Features of the climatic and geographical zone contributed to the development of the diversity of nature in Buryatia, which many other regions of our country can envy.

Geographically, this country is located north of the Mongolian border. In the north and west, the republic is washed by the waters of Lake Baikal. The area of ​​the Republic of Buryatia is 350,000 km 2, which makes it the 14th largest of all 85 subjects of the Russian Federation.

If you look at the map, the shape of the Republic of Buryatia resembles a crescent moon. The relief of Buryatia is characterized by mountain ranges alternating with intermountain depressions and gorges. The area of ​​the mountains is 4 times the area of ​​the plains. Buryatia is the highest mountainous place in the Russian Federation in relation to sea level.

The nature of Buryatia is largely determined by the sharply continental climate. Buryat winters are very cold and dry, with little snowfall. The average temperature in winter is from -20°С to -30°С. Summer is short and warm, with temperatures not exceeding +25°C.

A significant difference and advantage of the climate of Buryatia is a rather long duration of a sunny day. Between 1900 and 2200 hours of sunshine (about 300 hers per year) is considered a lot, especially for the north. This amount of light exceeds even some of the southern regions of Russia. Naturally, this characteristic has a positive meaning for the plant world of Buryatia, which needs sunlight for the process of photosynthesis.

Wildlife of Buryatia

The location of Buryatia on the border of two different natural territories: the East Siberian mountain taiga (4/5 of the territory) and Central Asia, explains the large species diversity of vegetation on its territory.

Almost 85% of the territory is occupied by coniferous and deciduous forests. Despite this, almost all landscape zones are found in Buryatia: mountain ranges and mountain swamps, steppe plains, taiga, tundra, and even deserts. One natural zone here smoothly passes into another, which gives the landscape a unique look.

Variety of landscapes (photo: Alexander Vedernikov)

The northern regions of Buryatia are more deciduous, while the south is characterized by spruce, pine, cedar and fir trees. The south attracts the flowering of dry-loving plants. Birch trees grow on almost 60% of the southern part of the territory of Buryatia. In autumn, a lot of berries ripen: blueberries, lingonberries, blueberries, cranberries, wild currants and raspberries, sea buckthorn and bird cherry.

The high-mountain taiga of Buryatia is covered with pine, fir, and spruce. But there are also birch, bird cherry, aspen, poplar and hawthorn bushes. In the spring and summer, flowers begin to bloom violently. The evergreen rosemary shrub blooms almost all spring in purple. Glades of fiery red and bright yellow lilies can be seen here only in summer.

Many plants are used in folk medicine and for the manufacture of pharmacological preparations, which serves as a limiting factor for their distribution. About 250 higher plants, lichens, mosses and fungi are listed in the Red Book of the Buryat Republic.

Among the most famous endangered plant species of Buryatia are: Siberian apricot, brilliant cotoneaster, rough decorative armeria, dagan hazel grouse, Apennine adonis, pharmacy fern and Ural licorice. Also, all wild orchids are listed in the Red Book.

It is assumed that when meeting any of the protected plants in nature, people should do everything possible to propagate it, or at least keep the plant intact.

Fauna of Buryatia

The fauna of Buryatia is represented by 450 species of terrestrial vertebrates, 6 amphibians, 7 reptiles, 85 species of mammals and about 350 species of birds. More than 2500 species of fish and underwater animals live in the waters of Buryatia, among which 10% are endemic. Due to the specific climate and the lack of suitable habitats, there are very few reptiles in the republic.

Baikal omul and viviparous golomyanka are one of the most famous inhabitants of the water depths. The Baikal seal is a recognized symbol of Buryatia, a freshwater seal, the mystery of whose appearance in a freshwater lake has not yet been unraveled.

The nature of Buryatia is characterized by uneven distribution of wild fauna. Because of this, different groups of animals live far apart, sometimes in isolated areas, which makes them vulnerable to degeneration and can lead to complete extinction.

Representative of the wildlife of Buryatia (photo: Alexander Vedernikov)

The taiga zone is abundantly populated by foxes, sables, squirrels, ermines, roe deer, elks, wild boars, and bears. You will be extremely lucky if you can see the snow leopard, argali and red wolves. Many species of rodents live in the Buryat steppes: jerboas, ground squirrels, and tabargans. Here you can also often observe larks and bustards, black grouse and capercaillie, partridges and hazel grouses, and also woodpeckers.

Although the fauna of Buryatia is periodically replenished with new species, it should be remembered that most of them are included in the Red Book, and all the nature of Buryatia needs careful treatment and care. For this, nature reserves have been created on the territory of the republic, the purpose of which is to recreate conditions as close as possible to the natural zone for the reproduction and preservation of the flora and fauna of the Buryat Republic.

Resources and minerals of Buryatia

The real gift of mother nature is the water sources of Buryatia. More than 300 mineral springs, 50 mineral lakes, therapeutic silts and mud are located in different regions of this East Siberian republic. Mineral reservoirs are usually called "arshans" (translated as healing water), and local residents revere them as shrines.

An interesting fact: the first healing springs were discovered by ancient hunters who noticed that wild animals prefer to drink from these reservoirs.

Each arshan is famous for its unique properties, but all of them will be useful for strengthening the musculoskeletal system, treating cardiovascular diseases, and generally strengthening the immune system. Since hot and cold springs contain a rich complex of minerals, arshans help people improve the condition of their skin, nails and hair.

Of the mineral resources of Buryatia, a significant part is made up of brown and hard coal deposits, the reserves of which are sufficient to meet the needs of enterprises throughout the country. In Buryatia, deposits of asbestos, graphite, phosphorite, construction and jade raw materials were also discovered. Geological research is constantly being conducted, new deposits are being discovered.

A special place in the nature of Buryatia is occupied by water resources: rivers, swamps and lakes. Almost all the rivers of the Buryat Republic are small rivers (up to 200 km long), but 25 of them can be classified as large and medium.

List of rivers of Buryatia:

• Abramikha
• Anosovka
• Bolshaya Zelenovskaya
• Bolshaya Kultushnaya
• Bolshaya Osinovka (river, Buryatia)
• Big Doolan
• Zagza
• Source (river, flows into Baikal)
• Kabanya (tributary of the Selenga)
• Nameless (river, flows into the Chivyrkuisky Bay)
• Big Cheremshana
• Big Chivyrkui
• Burtuy
• Ina (tributary of the Barguzin)
• Kedrovaya (river, flows into Baikal)
• Maksimikha (river)
• Malaya Dry (river, flows into the Chivyrkuisky Bay)
• Bichura (river)
• Uda (tributary of the Selenga)

List of lakes in Buryatia:

• Big Eravnoye Lake
• Eravna lakes
• Isinga (lake)
• Small Equal
• Pine Lake (Buryatia)
• Amut (lake, Buryatia)
• Balan-Tamur
• Malan-Zurchen
• Beloe (lake, Buryatia)
• Abramovskoe lake
• goose lake
• Salt lake (Selenginsky district)
• Ubukun lakes
• pike lake

Pike Lake (photo by Tatyana Dubrovina)

The natural beauties of Buryatia and all kinds of sights of this quiet land allow you to get away from the world of concrete jungles and asphalt. Clean taiga air makes you forget about stuffiness, smog and car exhaust. It is enough to drive a little away from the capital of the republic - Ulan-Ude, and we will immediately plunge into the nature of Buryatia - the world of streams and picturesque cliffs, mountain ranges, taiga and steppe plains.

• When buying pine nuts, follow a few tips: raw nuts are best dried in the sun, and the cones can be boiled, after which they peel off easily. In addition, lightly toasted nuts are tastier than raw.
• If during the campaign you used a hunting cabin for the night, do not forget to leave a small supply of dry firewood, matches and salt in the winter cabin. This is a vital hunting tradition in Siberia.
• In winter, it is very cold in Buryatia, and there is a risk of getting frostbite. Folk remedy for frostbite: cut potatoes in half, take out in the cold. If a brown coating appears, remove it with a knife, spread it on a rag and apply it to the sore spot
• Remember that buying dried, smoked or salted fish from the local population is fraught with botulism infection. It is better to buy fish cooked at fish factories

The natural resources of the Republic of Buryatia are unique both in terms of their reserves and their diversity. The dense coniferous forests of Siberia, high mountain ranges, wide steppes, mountain valleys with colorful herbs, an abundance of nuts and berries provide favorable conditions for numerous representatives of the fauna of Buryatia. There are many unique and rare species listed in the Red Book of Siberia and the Republic of Buryatia.

CLIMATE

The climate of Buryatia is sharply continental. Winter is long, frosty, almost windless and with little snow. The exception is the coast of Baikal. Here you can feel the softening effect of the huge water mass of the lake. The average temperature in January is -24-25 C. The summer is short, but warm, sometimes even hot. The average temperature in July is +17-18 C, but on some days the temperature reaches +35-40 C. Summers are cooler on the coast of Lake Baikal. The maximum amount of precipitation is 250-300 mm per year, in the mountains 300-500 mm.

ANIMAL WORLD

Barguzin sable, brown bear, mountain goat, wild reindeer are world famous. Manchurian deer, elk, squirrel, lynx, wolverine, roe deer, musk deer, wild boar, Baikal seal, omul, as well as numerous species of birds - this is an incomplete but representative list of the diversity of the animal world of the Republic of Buryatia.

Currently, 446 species of terrestrial vertebrates are registered in the territory of the Republic of Buryatia. Amphibians of the Republic of Buryatia are represented by 6 species from 2 orders. There are 7 species of reptiles, and they are all from the same order, i.e. 0.1% of the world's reptile fauna lives in the Republic of Buryatia. This is due to many factors: in particular, the harsh sharply continental climate, as well as the limited availability of suitable habitats, which in turn determines the extremely uneven distribution of amphibians and reptiles in the region. Often they live in small, and sometimes isolated territories far from each other, therefore they are very vulnerable to many external factors, some of them have become rare or even endangered species.

Birds are the richest class of terrestrial vertebrates in the Republic of Buryatia, including 348 species, united in 18 orders, which is about 4% of the world's avifauna. Of the 348 species, 260 are regularly or irregularly nesting, 34 are migratory, 7 are wintering, and 46 are vagrant. These figures are very unstable, because for various reasons, some species change the nature of their stay and area of ​​distribution.

In the Republic of Buryatia, qualitative and quantitative changes are constantly taking place, new species appear, for example, in the last two decades, common and gray starlings have begun to nest, the Mongolian gerbil, rock dove, and rook are noticeably expanding their range. At the same time, some other species are disappearing or have already disappeared - the gazelle, the great cormorant are practically not found in the Republic of Buryatia, the bustard, the whooper swan and many other birds of prey are disappearing. The latter require increased attention and special protection measures. Unfortunately, there are many such rare and endangered species in the Republic of Buryatia: 2 species of amphibians, 4 - reptiles, 63 - birds and 25 species of mammals, 7 species of terrestrial vertebrates are listed in the international Red Book and 40 species - in the Red Book Siberia.

WATER RESOURCES

Buryatia is rich in water resources. There are about 9,000 rivers and streams here, which belong to the catchment area of ​​Baikal and the basins of large Siberian rivers - the Yenisei and Lena. The largest river of Buryatia - Selenga, as well as very interesting and original rivers - Barguzin, Upper Angara, Snezhnaya, Turka, Chikoi, Khilok and others can be attributed to the Baikal basin. The Yenisei basin includes four large rivers - these are the Oka, Kitoy, Belaya, Irkut. Stormy mountain rivers flow into the Lena basin. This is Vitim, Tsypa, Muya.

There are a number of lake groups in the republic: Gusino-Ubukunskaya, Eravninskaya, Bauntovskaya, Severo-Baikalskaya, Barguzinskaya and others. The main resource is Lake Baikal.

Buryatia is extremely rich in deposits of mineral waters, different in chemical composition and physical properties. In total, over 360 sources are known. Some of them have been studied and mastered. There are deposits of therapeutic silt and mud (mineral lakes Kiran, Bormashevoe, there are therapeutic muds in Lake Kotokel).

DEPOSITS OF BURYATIA

The Republic of Buryatia is rich in mineral resources. In the territory of Buryatia for 50 years of active work, geologists have explored more than 700 deposits of various minerals, of which more than 600 are included in the state balance of Russia and the territorial balance of the Republic of Buryatia.

The balance reserves of 10 deposits of brown and 4 deposits of hard coal will last for hundreds of years to meet the needs of the fuel and energy complex of Buryatia. On the territory of the Republic of Buryatia, 2 deposits of asbestos, a number of jade and building materials, as well as apatite, phosphorite, graphite and zeolites were also identified.

Most of the large and unique mineral deposits are located within a radius of up to 200 kilometers from the nearest railway lines. The degree of geological knowledge of the bowels of the Republic of Buryatia makes it possible to predict the discovery here of new promising deposits of various minerals, including new genetic types.

FORESTS

Location Buryatia is located on the border of two different natural regions: the East Siberian mountain taiga (4/5 of the territory) and the Central Asian steppe. This explains the great diversity and peculiar nature of the distribution of vegetation cover on its territory. The northern slopes of the mountain ranges are mainly covered with larch forests with dense undergrowth and thick moss litter, less often with cedar and fir - cedar forests.

On the southern slopes of the mountains grow pine and thickets of dry-loving shrubs. The steppes are mainly feather grass and vostretsovye, often rising to 900-1000 m. Above is a forest belt, the upper limit of which runs at an altitude of 1500-1600 to 2000 meters. Pine forests are widespread in the Cis-Baikal region, on the slopes of the Primorsky and Baikal ranges. Larch forests, in contrast to pine forests, are common in the northern part of Transbaikalia. Cedar forests are concentrated in the highlands and middle mountains. The distribution of fir forests is quite narrow. The distribution of spruce forests is also insignificant. Birch forests are widespread; they grow in 60% of the ecosystems of the Baikal basin, but in limited areas.

LAKE BAIKAL AND THE REPUBLIC OF BURYATIA

Lake Baikal in numbers: contains 23 thousand cubic meters. km of fresh water - 20% of the world's reserves, age - 25-30 million years, length - 636 kilometers, width - from 25 to 80 kilometers, maximum depth - 1640 meters, average depth - 731 meters, coastline length - more than 2000 kilometers, catchment area - about 570 thousand square meters. km, there are 22 islands on Lake Baikal, of which the largest is Olkhon Island, more than 340 rivers flow in, one flows out - the Angara, over 2500 species of animals, of which 82% are endemic, more than 1000 species of plants, more than 50 species of fish.

The area of ​​the water surface of the lake is 31,500 km2, which is approximately equal to the area of ​​such a state as Belgium. With a maximum depth of 1640 meters, Lake Baikal is the deepest lake in the world.

Lake Baikal contains 23,000 km3 or 20% of the world's surface fresh water reserves, which meet the best quality standards for clean drinking water in terms of microbiological, organoleptic and hydrochemical parameters.

The basin of Lake Baikal can contain all the water of the Baltic Sea or the water of all five Great Lakes of America. The Angara River flowing out of the lake carries out 2000 m3 of water per second. If the flow of all the rivers flowing into Lake Baikal were to stop, then in this case the Angara could flow out of Baikal for 360 years. It would take the entire annual flow of the world's rivers to fill the basin.

A unique feature of Lake Baikal is the high diversity and endemism of plants and animals living in it. Currently, 2565 species and subspecies of animals and 1000 species, subspecies and forms of aquatic plants are registered in Baikal, of which 2/3 are endemic, that is, they are not found anywhere else. To this number must be added many hundreds of species of aquatic and bottom microorganisms, as well as still little studied viruses and phages. The species diversity of Lake Baikal has no equal among the ancient and Great Lakes of the World. In terms of the number of species, the fauna of Baikal hydrobionts is more than 2 times richer compared to that of Lake Tanganyika - 1248 species and almost 13 times more than in Lake Titicaca - South America. Given the fact that more than 20 species of invertebrates are described annually for Lake Baikal, experts predict the presence of more than 1,500 species of hydrobionts in Lake Baikal, which are not yet known to science.

The top of the trophic pyramid in the ecosystem of Lake Baikal is the endemic Baikal seal or seal, whose ancestors, apparently, were arctic seals, which in ancient times penetrated Lake Baikal along the Lena or Yenisei.