Nature and fauna of Sakhalin. Fauna of the Sakhalin region. Flora of Sakhalin

text: Yuri Maksimov
photo: author, V. Shadrin, V. Semenchik, A. Bayandin, V. Shinkarev and from the archives of the Government of the Sakhalin region

Sakhalin. Photo by V. Shinkarev

In the summer of 1890, A.P. Chekhov visited Sakhalin, then the largest penal colony in Russia. His stay on the island left a deep imprint on the soul of the great writer, and in 1893-95. The world saw one of the most interesting and rich works of Chekhov - “Sakhalin Island”.

Today Sakhalin is one of the most promising and rapidly developing regions of Russia. This is a whole country that has changed radically 120 years after the writer visited it. A country that is of the greatest strategic importance for Russia.

“...You write that Sakhalin is of no use to anyone and is of no interest to anyone. As if this is true?.. Not more than 25-30 years ago, our Russian people, exploring Sakhalin, performed amazing feats for which you can idolize a person, but we don’t need this, we don’t know what kind of people they are, and we just sit within four walls and complain that God created man badly...” (c) - from the letters of A.P. Chekhov, regarding the reasons for his trip to Sakhalin.

The head of Sakhalin, General V.O. Kononovich, warned Chekhov that living on the island, from which “everyone is fleeing: convicts, settlers and officials,” is difficult and boring. And, judging by the work of Anton Pavlovich, it was so. Today the situation has changed radically.

Governor and Chairman of the Government of the Sakhalin Region Alexander Vadimovich Khoroshavin

Address by the Governor of the Sakhalin Region A.V. Khoroshavin to the readers of the magazine “Hunting”

Dear friends!

The Sakhalin region is the only island region of the Russian Federation. The 59 islands represent a huge zoo and botanical garden, where ancient relict plants and giant grasses, Red Book species of animals and valuable game animals coexist. The islands have many stunning natural places untouched by man.

Mosses and subtropical vines, boiling lakes and picturesque spurs of mountain ranges, sometimes erupting volcanoes and deep-sea grottoes, healing hot springs. The Sakhalin region has great opportunities for recreation, travel and, of course, hunting.

A feature of game animal populations in the Sakhalin region is their island isolation. The diversity of natural landscapes and the significant difference in the natural zones of the south and north of Sakhalin Island, as well as the Kuril Islands, significantly affected the species composition of the hunting fauna.

Among the unique places of the Sakhalin region, Moneron Island is a national natural marine park, one of the most unique natural phenomena of the Russian Far East, Tyuleniy Island, a tiny piece of land east of Sakhalin, which is indicated on all maps of the world, although its length is 600 m, and width no more than 90. Here is a unique (one of three in the world) fur seal rookery.

Kunashir Island, which belongs to the Southern Kuril Islands, is a collection of unique natural monuments. For example, Cape Stolbchaty, which is included in the UNESCO register as a natural monument of world significance. The lakes and mountain waterfalls of the Kuril Islands, especially hot springs, are famous for their extraordinary beauty. Here is the kingdom of bird colonies.

The world of marine mammals is also rich - whales, seals, sea lions, fur seals and sea otters. The Sakhalin region is one of the largest fishing areas in Russia. The main fisheries are pollock, herring, flounder, pink salmon, chum salmon, saury, cod, navaga, greenling, and halibut. A sufficient amount of spawning grounds and clean fresh water is the key to successful salmon reproduction. The Sakhalin region ranks first in the country in terms of the scale of artificial breeding of this type of fish.

Nature has generously endowed Sakhalin and the Kuril Islands with natural “health resorts”: hot lakes and springs, sandy beaches of the Aniva seaside, mineral waters, rivers and lakes - Sakhalin residents and guests of the island region try to take advantage of all this.

I am sure that having visited Sakhalin and the Kuril Islands at least once, you will appreciate the hospitality of the islanders and the amazing beauty of our nature. You will definitely want to come back here again!

Sakhalin landscape. Photo by V. Shinkarev

salmon

“Well, what can I tell you about Sakhalin?
The weather on the island is normal.
The surf salted my vest
And I live at the very sunrise"

The islands of the Sakhalin region are washed by the Seas of Japan and Okhotsk, and the Pacific Ocean. The islands are separated by straits from the Kamchatka and Khabarovsk territories and Japan and occupy an area of ​​87.1 thousand square meters. km, where 514.5 thousand people live today.

The largest island in Russia, Sakhalin, stretches from north to south for 948 km, remains the most populated. An integral part of the region and, rest assured, an equally integral part of Russia are the Kuril Islands, stretching in a chain for 1,200 km and being one of the few corners of pristine nature untouched by civilization.

The time difference between Moscow and Sakhalin is 7 hours! A non-stop direct flight from the capital to Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk lasts about 10 hours. In this case, the plane covers 10,417 km. During this time, the whole of Europe could be flown there and back.

Iturup. Road to Burevestnik airport. Driving on low tide is a common occurrence.

“And he walks along the slopes, along the green grass
A man in love with Sakhalin...

Sakhalin is one of the most beautiful places on Earth. Almost untouched, pristine and unique in its beauty and combination of the subarctic and subtropical world, the nature of Sakhalin and the Kuril Islands makes these places attractive to hunters, fishermen and tourists from all over the world. Local residents call Sakhalin “Fish Island”. Rich in fish resources, the island really looks like a fish swimming north across the Sea of ​​Okhotsk. The “head” of the island is located at the latitude of France. And, if not for the icy waters of the Arctic, instead of frozen tundra, the gardens of the Mediterranean would be here... And the “tail” of the island is washed by warm currents and the water here always has a positive temperature.


mountain landscape in the south of Sakhalin. Nevelsky district

federal highway in the middle part of Sakhalin, near the city of Aleksandrovsk

Sakhalin is a land of contrasts, where the North fights with the South, thick, chilly fogs with hot southern fronts, seals and ice floes swim off the coast of the island, and bamboo is greener on the hills. In the south there are subtropics, in the north there are reindeer, stroganina and permafrost...


One of the most interesting and hard-to-reach attractions of the Sakhalin region is the mysterious island of Moneron

The climate is temperate monsoon with high rainfall. The predominant terrain is mountainous. The surface of the islands is indented by a dense network of small and shallow (with rare exceptions) mountain rivers. In some rivers the black water is oil. Local residents call such rivers “kerosene rivers.” The numerous waterfalls, whose height reaches 140 m, are very beautiful.

A unique feature of the islands are the lakes. Not only is their number no less than 17,000, but in some of the lakes and highly mineralized healing water sources you can swim even in winter, because the water in them is hot! What is not surprising is that there are 160 volcanoes on the islands (reaching a height of 2330 m), 39 of which are active. And the cleanest sea air and more than 20 deposits of medicinal mud (and about 50 sources of mineral water) make the Sakhalin region a huge natural balneological clinic.


one of the many lakes in northern Sakhalin

mountain river in the south of the island

The flora of Sakhalin is rich and extremely diverse. In terms of diversity of tree species, the Sakhalin taiga, which has 1,400 plant species, is one of the richest in the country. Larch and polar birch, spruce and wild grapes, dwarf cedar and velvet trees coexist here in close proximity. Traveling around the islands, you can visit various natural zones in a few hours, get from pristine taiga to subtropical thickets, from mossy tundra to the jungle of giant grasses - the leaves of 2-meter burdocks reach 1.5 m in diameter! The rapidly growing grass vegetation is in some places unusually lush, tall and very dense. It is extremely difficult to get through the bamboo thickets that cover almost all the slopes of the hills without a machete.

Hot springs near the Baransky volcano. The famous film "Sannikov Land" was filmed here.

Fauna of Sakhalin

The fauna of Sakhalin is unusual and diverse. But it is also more vulnerable than the fauna of the mainland. There are 372 species of birds and 90 species of mammals found on Sakhalin and the Kuril Islands. Two large reserves - Poronaysky and Kurilsky - contribute to the preservation of plant and animal wealth.

The fauna of the seas is even richer. The waters of the Sea of ​​Japan, Okhotsk and the Pacific Ocean that wash the islands are inhabited by fur seals, the largest pinnipeds - sea lions, seals, and up to 15 species of whales. The sea otter, whose fur is considered the standard of strength, beauty and durability, has chosen a place near the shores of the Kuril ridge.

The seas washing the shores of Sakhalin and the Kuril Islands are among the most productive areas of the World Ocean. The biological resources of the region are unique in their quantity and quality and are of not only national but also global significance.

the owner is coming

this is my fishing spot!!! :)

Hunting

Hunting on Sakhalin is a song! The song is about harsh nature, the contrasting world of the weak and the strong. The real, dangerous, camp life of hunters and adventurers, even from polished armchair romantics, quickly knocks out all human rot, quickly nurturing a real hunting character.


victims of the treacherous tide

extreme in Sakhalin style

It’s better not to get off the snowmobile!

Why is a jeep not a tank?

It is difficult for a resident of the European part of Russia to believe that every fourth resident of the Sakhalin region is a fisherman or hunter. But that's exactly how it is!

The most common hunting is for waterfowl and upland game. Hunting for white hare, reindeer, wapiti, sable, otter, mink, squirrel, and fox is common. Of course, the most interesting hunt is for huge brown bears, of which up to 300 individuals are killed annually. Recently, hunting tours have become very popular. Hunters from all over the world go to Sakhalin, incl. and celebrities. The world's largest brown bear was caught by regional Duma deputy Vasily Shadrin on Sakhalin.

Giant bear, world champion according to the Safari Club. Hunted by the famous hunter Vasily Vasilyevich Shadrin in the Aniva region. Sakhalin bears are the beariest bears in the world! :)

Duck hunting on Lake Busse

Bird markets

Fishing

The main seaside resort of the Sakhalin south is Aniva Bay, located at the latitude of Krasnodar and Odessa. In the summer, local and visiting vacationers sunbathe and swim here; in the winter, smelt are caught here from the ice fast ice. The coastline of Aniva Bay is reminiscent of Crimean landscapes - the same gently sloping sandy beaches, combined with flowering holiday villages.


Winter fishing

South Sakhalin is a paradise for fishermen! Trout, pike, crucian carp, carp, taimen, Sakhalin sturgeon and giant kaluga overflow the rivers and lakes. Catfish smelt is especially prized by local fishermen. But the main thing is the Pacific salmon, coming from the ocean to spawn in the shallow rivers of Sakhalin. Sakhalin red caviar is the most delicious!


and all this - on a spinning rod! On Iturup

halibut weighing 72 kg! Caught on Iturup Island using spinning rod

dogfish!

fishing happiness

Char fishing in the north of Sakhalin, September

Red caviar is the pride of Sakhalin! No wonder it is believed that Sakhalin caviar is the most delicious

Maximum attention is paid to the quality of red Sakhalin caviar

Moscow begins with the Kuril Islands!

Despite its remoteness from the European part of Russia, the Sakhalin region is becoming a worldwide popular tourist destination, equally hospitable for tourists, hunters and sophisticated fishermen.

For us, citizens of Russia, this distant outskirts of ours is an open book of the valor of Russian discoverers, all those who mastered and defended these borders without sparing their strength or their lives. And we should not forget that after our victory over Japan in 1945, a peace treaty with this country has not yet been signed and the Japanese have territorial claims against us over the Kuril Islands.

But thanks to the political course of the Russian Government, as well as our fellow citizens inhabiting Sakhalin and the Kuril Islands, we not only have the opportunity to see red caviar and Far Eastern seafood on our table, but also confidently consider “our most distant islands” Russian forever.

Hot springs at the foot of the Baransky volcano. Iturup Island

mud geyser

r. Bochinka
The article was published in the magazine "Hunting", 2010

The fauna of the Sakhalin region is very diverse. The land animals of Sakhalin are absolutely similar in species terms to the animals living on the mainland. This especially applies to mammals. However, in terms of the number of species, the island fauna is much poorer than on the adjacent part of the mainland.
Mammals of Sakhalin are represented by taiga species: sable, otter, bear, wolverine, squirrel, flying squirrel, mountain hare, lynx, chipmunk, red fox and gray fox. All these animal species are characteristic of the Siberian taiga. There are no elk, deer, roe deer or badger on Sakhalin, but these animals may well be acclimatized here, since they are typical representatives of the fauna of the Siberian taiga and are absent on Sakhalin due to the geographical isolation of the island.

Of the animals of Sakhalin and the Kuril Islands, the most valuable ones should be noted:
Sable. Even in ancient times, it was hunted on Sakhalin by the Ainu and Nivkh. Sable was widespread throughout the island. Until 1952, there was none at all on the southern third of the island: the Japanese knocked out the beast. In the northern part of Sakhalin, sable fishing was prohibited until 1940. In 1952, more than 70 sables were released in the south for the purpose of reacclimatization. The animals took root and gave birth to offspring. Now sable is widespread everywhere. A census of this animal, carried out in 1953, showed that the total number of sable on Sakhalin is about 7,000. It was established relatively recently (in 1948). that sable is also found on the island of Iturup.
Bear. There is a lot of it on Sakhalin. The fur color is dark. The Hokkaido bear lives on the Kuril Islands, and the Kamchatka bear lives on the island of Paramushir.
Fox. On Sakhalin, the Kuril Islands and the island of Moneron, red foxes are numerous, and gray foxes and silver-black foxes are also found. According to conservative estimates, from 2 to 3 thousand gray fox skins can be obtained annually on the Kuril Islands. There are a lot of foxes on Iturup Island, and with planned harvesting, at least 1000 animal skins can be harvested every year.
Blue Arctic fox. Found on the islands of the Kuril chain. About 100 animals live on Yankich Island. Blue Arctic fox recorded on Simushir and Onekotan
River otter. Lives on Sakhalin. Found throughout large and small rivers where there is fish.
White hare. Widely distributed throughout Sakhalin and on the islands of Kunashir and Iturup.
Ermine and weasel. They are found on Sakhalin and the southern islands of the Kuril chain. Their commercial value is small. These animals feed mainly on mouse-like rodents and are therefore useful for agriculture.
Squirrel. Forest inhabitant of all Sakhalin. The share of squirrels in fur harvesting is insignificant. In some places, squirrel serves as food for sable, as a result of which hunters often use squirrels caught during hunting to bait sable. There are no squirrels on the Kuril Islands.
Column itatsi. It is found only in the southern half of Sakhalin Island, where it was brought by the Japanese for the purpose of acclimatization. Its numbers are still insignificant.
Reindeer. On Sakhalin, reindeer are both wild and domestic. Wild ones are found on the northern half of the island. Domestic animals are bred in the East Sakhalin, Poronai and Rybnovsky regions. Reindeer pastures on Sakhalin are small in terms of the presence of reindeer moss (lichens) and in area.
Musk deer. Found throughout Sakhalin in small quantities. Hunting for it is prohibited.
There are no ungulates on the Kuril Islands; Many species of animals and birds are absent here due to the action of volcanoes and island isolation. For example, in the middle part of the ridge there are islands on which there are no four-legged animals at all. On many islands only the fox is found.
(Within the region there are many mammals whose lifestyle is associated with the sea. Such animals include: fur seal, sea lion, sea otter, seal (several species), toothed and baleen whales.
Sea otter. Back in the middle of the 19th century. sea ​​otters were caught in large quantities throughout the Kuril ridge and off the coast of Sakhalin. By the beginning of the 20th century, this animal became rare. Entrepreneurs greedy for profit destroyed the beast everywhere because of its valuable fur. Sea otter skin in 1914-1916. cost more than two thousand rubles in gold. It differs from other furs in its strength, silkiness, tenderness and extraordinary beauty. Within our region, the sea otter is found on the islands of the Kuril ridge, north of Kunashir Island. In some places the number of animals is large. For example, off the coast of Urup there are about 1000 animals. The sea otter reproduces slowly: the female brings only one calf. The sea otter feeds mainly on sea urchins, fish, mollusks and coelenterates, crustaceans.
In 1958, the sea otter was brought to Moneron Island from Urup Island. On Moneron it is planned to acclimatize this animal and keep it in an enclosure for the purpose of studying biology.
Navy SEAL. It is important in the economy of the Sakhalin region, a very valuable fur-bearing animal. Its skin is durable, beautiful, silky brown. Forms rookeries on the Commander Islands and Tyuleniy Island. In the middle of the 19th century. fur seal rookeries were distributed throughout the Kuril ridge. According to the latest data, it is known that there are fur seal rookeries on the islands of Lovushki and Sredny.
On Tyuleniy Island, the fur seal rookery has been restored, and fishing is underway here. Seals come to Tyuleniy Island every year in June. Here they breed and stay until cold weather sets in, then they swim to the Sea of ​​Japan, where they spend the winter.
Sea lion. Quite numerous throughout the Kuril ridge. It is valuable because its meat has high taste and is not much different from beef. Large male sea lions reach 1.5 tons of live weight. The animals feed on mollusks, coelenterates and crustaceans. They live on coastal reefs and rocks. According to the latest data, on the Kuril Islands the total number of sea lions is about 15-16 thousand. On some islands of the ridge there are sea lion rookeries numbering up to 2-2.5 thousand. Now we can completely begin the planned harvest of sea lion. Steller sea lion meat can be dried and smoked, and can be used to make canned food and sausages.
Seal. The waters surrounding the islands of the Sakhalin region are inhabited by large numbers of Okhotsk and ringed seals. In some places these animals form rookeries, gathering in groups of several thousand. They are important commercial objects, providing valuable fat, skins and fodder meat.
Whales. There are significant numbers of whales in the region - toothed and baleen. Of the toothed whales in the Sea of ​​Okhotsk, the Sea of ​​Japan and the Pacific Ocean, the sperm whale, killer whale, beluga whale and bottlenose whale are numerous. There are especially many killer whales everywhere. They swim in the seas in huge herds, attacking fur seals, sea otters, sea lions and seals, causing significant harm.
Of the baleen whales in our waters, the bowhead, southern, Japanese, minke, sei whale, vomit, humpback and blue whale live
Within the Sakhalin region, many whales are caught annually. All of them are processed at coastal whaling plants located on the Kuril Islands.
Whaling produces a very large amount of valuable food and technical products. Margarine and lard are made from whale fat, part of the fat goes to fur and tanneries for fattening, and the head fat of whales - spermaceti - is a highly valuable raw material for perfume production. Fine leather goods are made from leather: chrome, chevro, yuft. From the skin of one whale you can make 1,800 pairs of women's shoes.
Whale meat is used to prepare meat meal - the best protein feed for fattening pigs, chickens, and waterfowl. Whale bones can be used to make bone meal.
Whale fishing in the waters of the Far Eastern seas is planned
began to be carried out in 1932 and continues to the present day.
The diversity of natural conditions in the region makes it possible to increase the number of valuable commercial species of animals living on the islands; at the same time, it is possible to acclimatize new animals here and enrich the fauna
On Sakhalin there are all opportunities for breeding river beaver, a valuable animal that previously lived here. In 1952, a muskrat was acclimatized on the island. It has taken root well and will become a commercial target in the coming years.
On the islands of Kunashir and Iturup you can acclimatize sika deer, hazel grouse, black grouse, on Urup - sable, etc.
The bird fauna within the region is diverse in terms of species. About 700 species of birds are found throughout the Soviet Union; More than 330 have been recorded on our islands. The diversity of the bird world of the region is explained by the fact that the islands have a large extent from north to south and a variety of habitats associated with mountainous terrain, sea coasts, lakes and rivers.
At least 100 species of hunting birds and up to 30 species of commercial birds are found in the region. Of the commercial ones, first of all, it should be noted those whose lifestyle is connected with the sea. They form huge clusters on the islands, the so-called “bird colonies”.
The largest bird market in the region is located on Tyuleniy Island, where up to 600 thousand guillemots gather for nesting. The guillemot lays only one egg and incubates it for 30 - 33 days. If for some reason the egg of the first clutch disappears, then the bird lays a second, third and even fourth. On the island, up to 100 thousand guillemot eggs can be collected annually, which are used to feed animals bred in cages.
There are more than 20 bird colonies on the Kuril Islands. Moneron Island has a unique bazaar in the region. It is remarkable in that very rare long-billed puffins (or knobby loons) that nest only in the northeast of our country gather here. Puffins dig underground passages up to 2 m long, in which they make nests. The female lays only one egg and alternates incubation with the male. :
Guillemots, puffins, puffins, puffins, guillemots, auklets, the way of life ‘Which are associated with the sea, feed on small fish and are an adornment of the sea coasts, the harsh nature of the islands, and the guillemot is of commercial importance.
Birds from the order of auks inhabit all the islands of the Kuril ridge and in some places nest in huge colonies. Flocks of thousands of sea auklets gather on the middle islands of the Kuril ridge. These are small birds, the size of a quail, painted in a dark slate color. In places where their nesting colonies are located, so many auklets accumulate that they “swarm” in the air like bees. The food of auklets consists of various small crustaceans and amphipods.
The second large group of game birds consists of lamellar-billed birds - swans, geese, ducks.
About 70 years ago swans nested in large numbers on Sakhalin. On Lake Ainskoe (Raitisi), nests of swans were found back in the ShZO of the city. Now swans nest only in the most remote corners of the island (Urkt Bay) and then extremely rarely. During migration in spring and autumn, large flocks of whooper swan can be observed.
In the northern half of Sakhalin, the dry-nosed goose nests on “tundra-like” hills. This is the ancestor of our domestic goose. It is interesting because it is unpretentious and feeds on small sedges and grasses growing among moss swamps.
There are quite a lot of ducks on Sakhalin and the Kuril Islands: common and black ducks, wigeons, pintails, tufted ducks, Kamchatka ducks, goldeneyes, long-tailed ducks, oriental wheatears, East Siberian scoters, black scoters, teals, whistling ducks and gadwalls. All these ducks, when migrating in spring and autumn, are found in lakes, estuaries and sea bays. In other
For years, sea sage gathers in sea bays in huge flocks, numbering up to several hundred thousand.
During the migration period, a large number of waterfowl accumulate on lakes Nevskoye, Troitskoye, in lagoons and sea fills on the eastern coast of Sakhalin.
The best place for hunting on the island is Kuegda Bay, where almost no one scares the bird and where it gathers in flocks of thousands.
Floodplain forests abound in the feathered population not only in summer, but also in winter.” Here you can find tits: great tit, chickadee, black-headed chickadee, long-tailed tit; woodpeckers: black, great white-backed, lesser sharp-winged; flycatchers: broad-billed, yellow-backed, gray, blue; nightingales: red-necked, Japanese; blackbirds: deryab, naumana, golden; warblers, warblers, common and deaf cuckoos, pine pipit, long-tailed bullfinch, all kinds of buntings, etc.
Along with beneficial birds, there are also harmful birds in the region. These include hawks: goshawk, sparrowhawk, marsh harrier, and eagle owl. There is a fish owl in the area that feeds only on fish; this is a rare forest bird.

ANNA TEPLOVA
Presentation “Fauna of Sakhalin”

Introduction

By composition fauna of Sakhalin belong to the European-Siberian subregion of the Paleoarctic region. However, due to the island position fauna of Sakhalin somewhat depleted in species living on the mainland, but enriched in species sea ​​coast animals. In general, the fauna of the Northern Sakhalin has similarities with the fauna of the nearby part of the mainland, the fauna of the northern Kuril Islands is similar to the Kamchatka Peninsula, and the fauna of the southern Sakhalin and the southern Kuril Islands - with the fauna of the Japanese island of Hokkaido.

Animal The world includes 355 species of birds, 88 species of mammals, 7 reptiles and 5 amphibians. From the north to the island (to the isthmus Poyasok) Arctic are penetrating species: white partridge, ruffed auklet, bunting, and also reindeer. In the south animal the world is enriched by representatives of the Manchurian zoogeographical subregions: Far Eastern tree frog, Japanese lesser starling, Japanese snipe.

Due to the cold climate Sakhalin it is depleted in amphibians and reptiles, the number of which decreases to the north. On Sakhalin Siberian salamander, common toad, Far Eastern and Siberian frogs are found everywhere, viviparous lizard, and the common viper is absent in the far north Sakhalin.

Due to the island and oceanic position on the migration routes, as well as the predominance of forest landscapes, the most numerous group animals areas are birds. Birds permanently resident in the area Sakhalin a little. This includes mainly forest birds: capercaillie (rarely, grouse, hazel grouse, tits (great, black tit and tit, crows (black and great-billed, sparrows, woodpeckers) (large and small motley, gray).

The group of mammals is also depleted. On Sakhalin are not found typical for Siberian forests animals – moose, deer, roe deer, badger, wolf. At the same time, the wolf was caught in the northern part Sakhalin in 1955. This fact indicates the relative isolation of the island and the possibility of the introduction of new species from the mainland in winter along the ice of the Nevelskoy Strait (7.5 kilometers at the narrowest part). In the recent past, migrations of tigers and lynxes from the mainland to Sakhalin. There were also visits of foxes and raccoon dogs from Hokkaido to the southern islands of the Kuril ridge, and of the white fox from Kamchatka to Paramushir.

Indigenous inhabitants Sakhalin forests are: white hare, flying squirrel, squirrel, chipmunk, fox, brown bear, ermine, weasel, wolverine, reindeer. Indigenous land mammals Sakhalin represented by taiga species: sable, otter, brown bear, wolverine, squirrel, flying squirrel, mountain hare, lynx, chipmunk, red fox and gray fox, ermine, weasel. All these types animals characteristic of the Siberian taiga. There are no ungulates on the Kuril Islands; Many species of animals and birds are absent here due to the action of volcanoes and island isolation. For example, in the middle part of the ridge there are islands on which there are no four-legged animals at all animals. On many islands only the fox is found.

I. Fauna of Sakhalin.

Fauna of Sakhalin The area is very diverse. Land animals of Sakhalin have absolute similarity in species terms with animals living on the mainland. This especially applies to mammals. However, in terms of the number of species, the island fauna is much poorer than on the adjacent part of the mainland.

1.1. Animals of Sakhalin

Mammals Sakhalin represented by taiga species: sable, otter, bear, wolverine, squirrel, flying squirrel, mountain hare, lynx, chipmunk, red fox and gray wolf. All these types animals characteristic of the Siberian taiga.

On There are no moose on Sakhalin, deer, roe deer and badger, but these animals may well be acclimatized here, since they are typical representatives of the fauna of the Siberian taiga and are absent in Sakhalin due to the geographical isolation of the island.

From animals of Sakhalin and the Kuril Islands should be noted as the most valuable:

Sable. Even in ancient times it was traded on Sakhalin Ainu and Nivkh. Sable was widespread throughout the island. Until 1952, it was not on the southern third of the island at all: The Japanese knocked out the beast. In the northern part Sakhalin sable fishing was banned until 1940. In 1952, more than 70 sables were released in the south for the purpose of reacclimatization. The animals took root and gave birth to offspring. Now sable is widespread everywhere.

Bear. On Sakhalin has a lot of it. The fur color is dark. The Hokkaido bear lives on the Kuril Islands, and the Kamchatka bear lives on the island of Paramushir.

Fox. On Sakhalin. Red foxes are numerous on the Kuril Islands and Moneron Island, and silver foxes are also found. According to conservative estimates, from 2 to 3 thousand gray fox skins can be obtained annually on the Kuril Islands. There are a lot of foxes on Iturup Island, and with planned harvesting, at least 1000 animal skins can be harvested every year.

Blue Arctic fox. Found on the islands of the Kuril chain. About 100 animals live on Yankich Island. The blue fox was recorded in Simushir and Onekotan. River otter. Lives on Sakhalin. Found throughout large and small rivers where there is fish.

White hare. Widely distributed throughout Sakhalin and on the islands of Kunashir and Iturup. Ermine and weasel. Meet on Sakhalin and the southern islands of the Kuril ridge. Their commercial value is small. These animals feed mainly on mouse-like rodents and are therefore useful for agriculture.

Squirrel. Forest dweller of all Sakhalin. The share of squirrels in fur harvesting is insignificant. In some places, squirrel serves as food for sable, as a result of which hunters often use squirrels caught during hunting to bait sable. There are no squirrels on the Kuril Islands.

Reindeer. On Sakhalin reindeer, both wild and domestic. Wild ones are found on the northern half of the island. Pets are bred in the East Sakhalinsk, Poronaisky and Rybnovsky districts. Reindeer pastures on Sakhalin small in the presence of reindeer moss (lichens) and by area.

Musk deer. All over Sakhalin found in small quantities. Hunting for it is prohibited. There are no ungulates on the Kuril Islands; Many species of animals and birds are absent here due to the action of volcanoes and island isolation. For example, in the middle part of the ridge there are islands on which there are no four-legged animals at all. animals. On many islands only the fox is found. (There are many mammals within the area animals, whose way of life is connected with the sea. Among these animals include: fur seal, sea lion, sea otter, seal (several species, toothed and baleen whales.

Sea otter. Back in the middle of the 19th century. sea ​​otters were caught in large numbers throughout the Kuril ridge and off the coast Sakhalin. By the beginning of the 20th century, this animal became rare. Entrepreneurs greedy for profit destroyed the beast everywhere because of its valuable fur. Sea otter skin in 1914-1916. cost more than two thousand rubles in gold. It differs from other furs in its strength, silkiness, tenderness and extraordinary beauty. Within our region, the sea otter is found on the islands of the Kuril ridge, north of Kunashir Island. In some places the number of animals is large. For example, there are about 1000 animals off the coast of Urup. Sea otter breeding slowly: The female brings only one cub. The sea otter feeds mainly on sea urchins, fish, mollusks and coelenterates, crustaceans. In 1958, the sea otter was brought to Moneron Island from Urup Island. On Moneron it is planned to acclimatize this animal and keep it in an enclosure for the purpose of studying biology.

Navy SEAL. Important in economics Sakhalin region, a very valuable fur-bearing animal. Its skin is durable, beautiful, silky brown. Forms rookeries on the Commander Islands and Tyuleniy Island. In the middle of the 19th century. fur seal rookeries were distributed throughout the Kuril ridge. According to the latest data, it is known that there are fur seal rookeries on the islands of Lovushki and Sredny. On Tyuleniy Island, the fur seal rookery has been restored, and fishing is underway here. Seals come to Tyuleniy Island every year in June. Here they breed and stay until cold weather sets in, then they swim to the Sea of ​​Japan, where they spend the winter.

Sea lion. Quite numerous throughout the Kuril ridge. It is valuable because its meat has high taste and is not much different from beef. Large male sea lions reach 1.5 tons live weight. The animals feed on mollusks, coelenterates and crustaceans. They live on coastal reefs and rocks. According to the latest data, on the Kuril Islands the total number of sea lions is about 15-16 thousand. On individual islands of the ridge there are sea lion rookeries numbering up to 2-2.5 thousand. Now we can completely begin the planned harvest of sea lion. Steller sea lion meat can be dried and smoked, and can be used to make canned food and sausages.

Seal. In the waters surrounding the islands Sakhalin region, 11 Okhotsk and ringed seals live in large numbers. In some places these animals form rookeries, gathering in groups of several thousand. They are important commercial objects, providing valuable fat, skins and fodder meat.

Whales. There are significant numbers of whales in the region - toothed and baleen. Of the toothed whales in the Sea of ​​Okhotsk, the Sea of ​​Japan and the Pacific Ocean, the sperm whale, killer whale, beluga whale and bottlenose whale are numerous. There are especially many killer whales everywhere. They swim in the seas in huge herds, attacking fur seals, sea otters, sea lions and seals, causing significant harm. Of the baleen whales in our waters, the bowhead, southern, Japanese, minke, sei whale, vomit, humpback and blue whale live. Within Sakhalin region, many whales are caught every year. All of them are processed at coastal whaling plants located on the Kuril Islands. Whaling produces a very large amount of valuable food and technical products. Margarine and lard are made from whale fat, part of the fat goes to fur and tanneries for fattening, and whale head fat is a highly valuable raw material for perfume production. Leather is used to make excellent tanneries. goods: chrome, chevro, yuft. Whale meat is used to prepare meat meal - the best protein feed for fattening pigs, chickens, and waterfowl. Whale bones can be used to make bone meal.

The diversity of natural conditions in the region makes it possible to increase the number of valuable commercial species animals, living on the islands; at the same time, you can acclimatize new people here animals, enrich the fauna of Sakhalin there are all possibilities for breeding river beaver, a valuable animal that previously lived here. In 1952, a muskrat was acclimatized on the island. And it became a commercial object. On the islands of Kunashir and Iturup you can acclimatize sika deer, hazel grouse, black grouse, on Urup - sable, etc.

The bird fauna within the region is diverse in terms of species. About 700 species of birds are found throughout the Soviet Union; more than 330 have been recorded on our islands. The diversity of the region's bird life is explained by the fact that the islands have a large extent from north to south and a variety of habitats associated with mountainous terrain, sea coasts, lakes and rivers.

At least 100 species of game birds and up to 30 species of game birds are found in the region. Of the commercial ones, first of all, it should be noted those whose lifestyle is connected with the sea. They form huge clusters on the islands, the so-called "bird markets". The largest bird market in the region is located on Tyuleniy Island, where up to 600 thousand guillemots gather for nesting.

The guillemot lays only one egg and incubates it for 30 - 33 days. If for some reason the egg of the first clutch disappears, then the bird lays a second, third and even fourth. On the island, up to 100 thousand guillemot eggs can be collected annually, which are used to feed animals bred in cages. There are more than 20 bird colonies on the Kuril Islands. Moneron Island has a unique bazaar in the region. It is remarkable because very rare long-billed puffins (or knobby loons) gather here and nest only in the north-east of our country. Puffins dig underground passages up to 2 m long, in which they make nests. The female lays only one egg and takes turns with the male incubates: Guillemots, puffins, puffins, murrelets, guillemots, auklets, whose lifestyle is associated with the sea, feed on small fish and adorn the sea coasts, the harsh nature of the islands, and guillemots are of commercial importance. Birds from the order of auks inhabit all the islands of the Kuril ridge and in some places nest in huge colonies. Flocks of thousands of sea auklets gather on the middle islands of the Kuril ridge. These are small birds, the size of a quail, painted in a dark slate color. In places where their nesting colonies are located, so many auklets accumulate that they "swarm" in the air like bees. The food of auklets consists of various small crustaceans and amphipods. The second large group of game birds consists of lamellar-billed birds - swans, geese, ducks.

In the northern half Sakhalin on"tundra-like" The swan goose nests in the highlands. This is the ancestor of our domestic goose. It is interesting because it is unpretentious and feeds on small sedges and grasses growing among moss swamps. On Sakhalin and. There are quite a lot of Kuril Islands ducks: common and black ducks, wigeon, pintail, tufted pochard, Kamchatka duck, goldeneye, long-tailed duck, eastern stonewheat, East Siberian scoter, black scoter, teal, whistler and gadwall. All these ducks, when migrating in spring and autumn, are found in lakes, estuaries and sea bays. In other years, sea ducks gather in sea bays in huge flocks, numbering up to several hundred thousand. During the period of migration, a large number of waterfowl accumulate on lakes Nevskoye, Troitskoye, in lagoons and sea fills of the eastern coast Sakhalin.

The best place for hunting on the island is Kuegda Bay, where almost no one scares the bird and where it gathers in flocks of thousands. Floodplain forests abound in feathered populations not only in summer, but also in winter.” Here you can find tits: large, puffy chickadee, black-headed chickadee, long-tailed chickadee; woodpeckers: black, large white-backed, small sharp-winged; flycatcher: broad-billed, yellow-backed, grey, blue; nightingales: red-necked, Japanese; blackbirds: deryab, naumana, golden; warblers, warblers, common and deaf cuckoos, wood pipit, long-tailed bullfinch, all kinds of buntings, etc. Along with beneficial birds, there are also harmful ones in the region. These include hawk: goshawk, sparrowhawk, marsh harrier, eagle owl. There is a fish owl in the area that feeds only on fish; this is a rare forest bird.

1.2. Animals of Sakhalin listed in the Red Book.

The Red Book is a document that describes rare and endangered plant species and animals, the extraction of which is prohibited by law. Unfortunately, often some types of Red Book animals fall under a hunter's shot, and often this happens simply out of ignorance.

WHOOPER SWAN

Family Ducks. Red Book Sakhalin region. A rare breeding species with local distribution and low numbers.

Spreading. Nesting range - Sakhalin. On the Kuril Islands it occurs during migration and wintering periods. On Sakhalin back in the 30s of the twentieth century, whoopers nested in both the northern and southern regions of the island, in particular near the city of Shakhtersk and Lake. Ainskoe, along the shores of large lakes and bays on the north-eastern and north-western coasts and along the valleys of large rivers. Currently, the species’ range is represented in the form of isolated spots, mainly in the North Sakhalin plain.

Habitats and lifestyle. Swans nest in mossy and grassy swamps near lakes and rivers or in shallow lakes overgrown with coastal aquatic plants. Spring migrations in the third ten days of March - the first half of May, autumn migrations in September - the first half of November. Eggs are laid in the third ten days of May - the first half of June. Broods were observed in early August. During the migration period, swans are found in shallow sea bays and large lakes. A small number of birds winter in the waters of the southern Kuril Islands.

Number. The number of nesting birds is low and hardly exceeds 20 - 30 pairs. During seasonal migrations, whooper swans are common, and in some places numerous birds. Yes, in Salmon Bay (Aniva Bay) in the third ten days of April 1992, from 10 to 15 thousand whooper swans and small swans were counted on different days; total number of swans in the South Sakhalin(as of spring 1992) was probably at least 20 thousand individuals. Of this number of birds, 75% are whooper swans. It should be noted that in the 80s and 90s on the island Sakhalin There was a noticeable increase in the number of migrating swans, probably due to favorable wintering conditions in Japan.

Limiting factors. Transformation of habitats due to economic use of wetlands, disturbance factor during the nesting period, illegal shooting of birds.

Security measures taken. The whooper swan is listed among the rare protected birds of the Russian Far East. Required measures: preservation of habitats, protection of birds at nesting sites, elimination of disturbance during the nesting period, strengthening the fight against poaching. "

2. Reserves Sakhalin.

Currently, in the region there are two nature reserves, Kurilsky and Poronaisky, as well as 12 reserves, including Noglikisky, Aleksandrovsky, Kraternaya Bay, Izyubrovy, Krasnogorsky, Ostrovnoy, Makarovsky, Severny, Tundra, Small Kuriles, Moneron Island, Lake Dobretskoye, 57 monuments nature.

Kuril Nature Reserve

The Kuril Nature Reserve is located on Kunashir Island and the small islands of the Lesser Kuril Ridge; V Sakhalin region. Founded in 1984, area 65.4 thousand hectares. The reserve's topography is varied; the islands are the peaks of an underwater ridge. There is active volcanic activity in the area. activity: thermal springs, hot gas outlets. There are many inactive volcanoes. On the island of Kunashir there is the Tyatya volcano (1819 m, the cone of which is distinguished by its remarkable regularity of shape. The reserve preserves monuments of the Ainu and Okhotsk cultures of the Neolithic era. The climate is monsoon, relatively mild.

Most of the Kuril Nature Reserve is covered with deciduous forests of Sakhalin velvet, oak, ash, wild magnolia, elm. There are also spruce-fir, coniferous-deciduous forests; the dense undergrowth is characterized by intricate interlacing of ferns and vines (actinidia, lemongrass, Cognier grapes). At the edges of the forest, thickets of Kuril bamboo and tall grasses up to 4 m high are common (hogweed thickets). About 800 species of higher vascular plants are registered in the reserve. Animal the world is rich - 22 species of mammals, 223 species of birds (122 breeding species). On the territory of the reserve there are sea lion and seal rookeries (seals, entura). Of the rare animal found sea otter(Kamchatka beaver). Among the rare birds are the Steller's sea eagle and the white-tailed eagle, the fish owl (island population, the Japanese crane. Salmon fish spawn in the rivers of the Kuril Nature Reserve.

Poronaysky Nature Reserve.

Poronaisky Nature Reserve is located in the eastern part of the island Sakhalin, near Terpeniya Bay and on the Terpeniya Peninsula, in the Poronaisky district Sakhalin region of Russia. The reserve was founded in 1988, covers an area of ​​more than 56.7 thousand hectares, and consists of two sections - Nevsky and Vladimirsky. The reserve is dominated by mountain taiga forests of Ayan spruce and Sakhalin fir, larch trees. Representatives of the Okhotsk, Manchurian, North Japanese and North American fauna gathered here (over 200 species) and flora (more than 400 species). Along the shores of the bay and on the coast of the Sea of ​​Okhotsk there are flight paths for waterfowl.

Animal The world of the Poronaisky Reserve is represented by 34 species of mammals, 192 species of birds (92 species of nesting birds, 3 species of amphibians, 2 species of reptiles. In the reserve live: reindeer, sable, otter, brown bear. Colonial seabirds nest on coastal cliffs birds: slender-billed guillemot, black-tailed gull, spectacled guillemot, great and little auklet, old man, white-bellied gull. At Cape Terpeniya there is a large bird market. Sakhalin musk deer, Aleutian tern, mandarin duck, white-tailed eagle, Steller's sea eagle, osprey, spruce grouse, peregrine falcon living in the reserve are included in the Red Book of Russia.

Crater (bay)

A bay in the southern part of the island. Kraternaya Bay is a small bay on the southern coast of Yankich Island (Ushishir Islands). The entrance to the bay is located between Cape Craterny and the Kolpak rock. Open to the south, protrudes into the island for 1 km. The width of the entrance to the bay is about 300 m. The depth is up to 56 m. The area of ​​the bay is about 0.7 sq. m. km. On the shore of the bay is the Ushishir volcano (388 m, along the slopes of which taiga vegetation grows, descending directly to the water of the bay without forming a beach. The entrance to the bay, unlike it, is the shallowest. In the center of the bay there are two small islands (height 37 and 72 m). The coast of the bay, like the entire island of Yankich, is not inhabited. The tide height in the bay is 1.8 m. The flora and fauna of the bay are isolated from the surrounding nature. There are sea urchins at the bottom of the bay. 6 new species of living creatures were discovered in the bay. In 1988, Kraternaya Bay became a biological reserve.

Conclusion.

Each region has a unique community of living organisms, closely related to each other, many of which are adapted to exist in these natural conditions. Any interference in nature or disruption of the habitat leads to the disappearance of the most vulnerable species animals and disruption of ecological balance. The consequences of such changes are difficult to predict and often irreversible. Negative processes have the greatest impact on fragile island ecosystems, which exist in relative isolation and have limited ability to recover.

IN Sakhalin region you can find almost all the unique natural communities of the Far East. Here, like a mosaic, are collected the most beautiful natural objects that can only be found in the Far Eastern region: volcanoes and mountains, river valleys and tundra-like plains, spawning rivers and sea coasts, taiga and deciduous forests. However, the world of our islands is not only diverse, but also very vulnerable. Over the last century, the development Sakhalin and the Kuril Islands was accompanied by intense impact of economic activities on the fragile islands ecosystems: forests were cut down, river valleys were drained, seabird colonies were destroyed, marine biological resources were destroyed, large areas in the north Sakhalin were subjected to degradation and pollution during the exploration and exploitation of oil and gas fields. These processes could not but affect the state of nature.

In the 20th century, the problem of preserving and saving the most rare and vulnerable species animals has become global. In 1966, the Red Book of the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN) was published, which for the first time summarized and systematized information about rare animals, the salvation of which should be the goal for all humanity. In 1978, the Red Book of the USSR was published. Republished and expanded in 1984, it, in addition to species from the IUCN Red List, included rare animals, which were the property of our country. The first regional Red Book was the Red Book of the RSFSR, published in 1983, which, in addition to species from the Red Books of a higher rank, included species rare in the territory of the republic animals.

On March 16, 1999, the law came into force Sakhalin region"About the Red Book Sakhalin region» . To the Red Book animals of Sakhalin The region includes 18 species of mammals, 105 species of birds, 4 species of reptiles, 7 species of fish, 10 species of insects, 18 species of mollusks and 6 species of crustaceans. These included all types animals, included in the International Red Book, the Red Book of the Russian Federation, found in the territory Sakhalin region, species rare for the Far Eastern region, as well as new, recently described species whose distribution and abundance are unknown. The Red Book of Plants includes 154 species of flowering plants, 4 species of gymnosperms, 22 species of ferns, 1 species of lycophytes, 24 species of bryophytes, 9 species of algae, 37 species of lichens and 19 species of fungi.

How the island fauna was enriched.

There were no many game species on Sakhalin; their intensive settlement began in the early 50s of the last century with the aim of enriching the island fauna. American mink, muskrat, raccoon dog, sable, wild boar, Canadian beaver, black muskrat, elk, and wapiti were brought to the islands from the nearest regions (Primorsky, Khabarovsk, Altai territories, Magadan and Kamchatka regions).

It should be noted that animals settled earlier. So, starting in 1932, the Japanese from the island of Hokkaido brought the Japanese weasel, itatsi, to Southern Sakhalin to kill gray rats. Subsequently, it took root well, but as a result of anthropogenic impact and, probably, competition from the American mink, the Japanese weasel ceased to be recorded in the southern part of Sakhalin. In the 1930s, the Japanese also brought American mink to Urup Island for cage keeping, but during the 1941-1945 war the animals were released into the wild. In the 60s and 70s there were up to 1000 minks here.

In the period from 1916 to 1920, blue foxes were acclimatized by Russian and Japanese industrialists on some of the Kuril Islands. Currently, a small population of animals has survived only on the Ushishir Islands.

The spread of muskrats to Sakhalin began in the 50s. A total of 263 muskrats were brought from Primorye. Since 1956, their intra-island resettlement has been carried out. In just ten years, about 1000 animals were released. The muskrat occupied a high place in regional procurements. The peak of muskrat harvesting occurred in the 60s and amounted to more than 20 thousand pelts per hunting season. Currently, procurement organizations in the region receive no more than a few hundred skins.

American mink has been imported to Sakhalin since 1956. A total of 636 individuals were released. In the first years of fishing, American mink in the harvesting system took second place in terms of specific gravity, second only to sable in monetary terms.

The raccoon dog previously inhabited the island. Sakhalin and about. Moneron. The last animals were caught in 1951–1952. In 1956, 192 individuals were released to the south of Sakhalin and the Poronaisky region. Does not live on the Kuril Islands. The raccoon dog is very fertile (12 or more puppies), but it is a passive predator. Hunters know that the Ussuri raccoon can pretend to be dead. This may have been the reason for the reduction in the number of the animal, since the ability to defend itself from enemies has been lost. This species is spreading very slowly to the north. In the Okha and Nogliki regions, the raccoon dog is rare. Every year, hunters kill no more than 200 individuals.

Red deer were brought to Sakhalin from the Khabarovsk and Primorsky territories in the amount of 29 heads and released in the area of ​​lakes Tunaicha and Svobodnoe in 1965. In the mid-90s, their number reached 700 individuals. From the Korsakovsky district, some of the animals were resettled to the Dolinsky and Tomarinsky districts. Since the beginning of 2000, the number of wapiti began to decline as a result of difficult climatic conditions and increasingly progressive poaching. At present, their total population probably does not exceed 200 individuals.

If the listed species of acclimatized animals still exist, others are not so lucky. Wild boar, Canadian beaver, and black muskrat are no longer included in the fauna of the Sakhalin region. The disappearance of these species is associated with the specific features of local weather conditions (heavy snow, high humidity). And the number of elk (10 individuals), brought in 1988 from the Magadan region and released in the Smirnykhovsky district, now numbers several heads.

In recent decades, animals have not been imported to Sakhalin, but in 2005 and 2007 on the island. Shumshu (Northern Kuril Islands) were released reindeer, caught in Kamchatka with a total of 20 heads. The deer have taken root, and currently their population numbers more than 60 animals.

Another newcomer - a native of the Kamchatka Peninsula, the black-capped marmot was released on the island. Paramushir (Northern Kuril Islands) in 2003 in the amount of 43 individuals. Their total number is currently unknown, but experts regularly note young rodents.
To summarize, today we can state that the success of acclimatization of animals depends, first of all, on the justification of scientists for the dispersal of a particular species, the location of choice for their release, living conditions, appropriate conservation measures and monitoring of the state of the population.

Y. EREMIN, head of the department of state registration and cadastre of fauna objects of the regional hunting department

Description of the Sakhalin region

Geographical location, borders

Sakhalin region -the only one in the country, located on 59 islands, includes the island of Sakhalin with the nearby islands of Moneron and Tyuleniy and two ridges of the Kuril Islands.

The current borders of the Sakhalin region were formed on January 2, 1947, shortly after the reunification of the southern part of Sakhalin and the Kuril Islands, seized by Japan in 1905, with the Soviet Union.

The northern point of the Sakhalin region is located on the island. Sakhalin on Cape Elizabeth (54° 24" N), southern - on Anuchina Island, which is part of the Lesser Kuril Ridge (43° 26" N), western - on Sakhalin Cape Lakh (141° 38 "E.) and eastern - Cape Yaugich (156°W) on the eastern edge of Shumshu Island. The state border between Russia and Japan runs along the La Perouse, Kunashirsky, Izmena and Sovetsky straits.

The area of ​​the Sakhalin region is 87.1 thousand square meters. km, of which about 78 thousand sq. km occupies Sakhalin. In size, the region's territory is slightly larger than Austria and three times the area of ​​Belgium.

Sakhalin is one of the largest islands in Russia. It is elongated in the meridional direction between 141° 38" and 144° 55" east longitude. Its length reaches 948 km, maximum width 160 km (at the latitude of Lesogorsk), minimum - 26 km (Poyasok isthmus). Sakhalin is separated from the mainland by the Nevelskoy Strait, the width of which at its narrowest part is between capes Pogibi and Lazarev, is 7.5 km. From the west and southwest the island is washed by the waters of the warm Sea of ​​Japan, from the north and east by the cold Sea of ​​Okhotsk.

The Kuril Islands group extends from the southwest to the northeast (from the island of Hokkaido (Japan) to the Kamchatka Peninsula, which includes two ridges - the Big and the Small, separated by the South Kuril Strait.

The Great Kuril Ridge, about 1250 km long, has about 30 islands, of which the largest are Kunashir, Iturup, Urup and Paramushir.

Kunashir Island is the southernmost island of the Great Kuril chain. Kunashir is the third largest island of the great Kuril ridge, its area is 1548 km 2. The island stretches from northeast to southwest, its length in this direction is 123 km, and the width of the island ranges from 7 to 35 km. From the west and southwest, Kunashir Island is separated by the Kunashir Strait and the Strait of Izmena from the Japanese island of Hokkaido. The South Kuril Strait separates Kunashir from the islands of the Lesser Kuril Ridge. Iturup Island is separated from Kunashir by the Catherine Strait,which is 437 m deep and 22.2 km wide. In the north of. Iturup is separated by the Frisa Strait from the island of Urup; the depth of the strait is 500 m and the width is 38.9 km. Iturup is the second largest island of the Kuril ridge, its area is 3200 km 2.

The Small Kuril Ridge, 105 km long, stretches parallel to the Greater Kuril Ridge. The ridge includes six islands, the largest of which is Shikotan.

Geographically, the Southern Kuril Islands mean the southern link of the Great Ridge, consisting of the islands of Kunashir, Iturup, Urup, and the entire Small Ridge, located southeast of Kunashir.

From the western part, the Kuril Islands are washed by the Sea of ​​Okhotsk, from the eastern part - by the Pacific Ocean.

Relief

The surface of Sakhalin is very mountainous. Most of its territory is made up of medium-altitude mountains, an important feature of which is their meridional orientation. The western part of the island is occupied by the Western Sakhalin Mountains (the highest point of the city of Return is 1325m). In the eastern part of the island are the East Sakhalin Mountains with the highest peak of Sakhalin - Mount Lopatina (1609 m). They consist mainly of two mountain ranges - Nabilsky and Central. In the south of Sakhalin there are the Susunaisky and Tonino-Aniva ranges.

The mountain structures of the island are separated by lowlands, of which the largest are Tym-Poronaiskaya, Susunaiskaya and Muravyovskaya. The surfaces of the lowlands are often swampy and cut by numerous rivers.

In the north of Sakhalin there is the North Sakhalin Plain with a highly dissected topography and residual denudation hills 300-600 m high, passing to the north into the lowlands of the Schmidt Peninsula.

The modern Kuril Islands are the highest peaks and ridges of a grandiose mountain system, most of which is covered by the waters of the Pacific Ocean. Above the bottom of the adjacent basins of the Sea of ​​Okhotsk and the Kuril-Kamchatka basin, it rises to a height of more than 5,000 m and more than 12,000 m, respectively.

In the formation of the modern appearance of the Kuril Islands, the leading role belongs to volcano-tectonic processes. Most of the Kuril Islands are individual volcanoes or a chain of volcanic structures of the most varied shapes fused together. There are about 40 active volcanoes here, of which Alaid (2339 m) is the highest peak of the Kuril ridge and the Sakhalin region. The lowest of the islands of the Great Kuril ridge is Shumshu; insignificant heights are also typical for most islands of the Lesser Kuril Ridge. The relief of the Kuril Islands is to some extent modified by abrasion, accumulative, and, on the northern islands, glacial processes. There are few lowlands in the Kuril Islands, they are confined to river valleys or sea coasts.

The shores of Sakhalin and the Kuril Islands are mostly rocky, steep, and only at the exits to the sea of ​​large depressions are low-lying, sandy, swampy with bays and lagoon-type lakes. Sometimes there is a narrow strip of beach along the rocky shores along the sea.

Climate

The climate of the region is unique. Sakhalin and the Kuril Islands are included in the monsoon zone of temperate latitudes. On Sakhalin the climate is monsoonal, on the Kuril Islands it is oceanic. However, the climate here is much harsher compared to other temperate regions. This is determined by a number of factors:

1) Geographical location between 46 0 and 54 0 N. latitude. causes the arrival of solar radiation from 410 kJ per year in the north to 450 kJ in the south of the island.

2) Position between the Eurasian continent and the Pacific Ocean. It is associated with the wet, cool Sakhalin summer with frequent rains.

3) Relief affects the direction and speed of the wind. A decrease in wind speed contributes to radiative cooling of the air in winter and warming in summer. The mountainous terrain of Sakhalin protects the interior parts of the Tym-Poronai lowland and the Susunai valley, as well as the western coast from the effects of cold sea air. Therefore, the greatest temperature contrasts are observed in the valleys.

4) Cold East Sakhalin Current. During the summer months, it causes lower temperatures on the eastern coast of Sakhalin. The western coast of the southern part of the island is influenced by the warmer Sea of ​​Japan and the warm Tsushima Current.

It is these factors that determine that winter on Sakhalin is snowy and long (5–7 months); spring is long, cold, with late snowfalls and fogs; summer is relatively short (2–3 months), rainy and cool - this is due to the influence of ice, which during this period is carried by the current from the Sea of ​​Okhotsk to the south along the eastern coast of the island; autumn is sunny and mostly warm.

Thus, the climate of Sakhalin Island is formed under the influence of the monsoons of temperate latitudes, the system of sea currents and relief features and is characterized by cold, dry winters and warm, humid summers.

The Kuril Islands in winter are characterized by intense precipitation and snowstorms, especially snowstorms, which greatly impair visibility. In summer, southeastern and southern currents from the Pacific Ocean cause calmer weather with a high frequency of fog (120-160 days a year).

The average January temperature on Sakhalin varies from -23°C in the northwest and inland to -8°C in the southeast. The absolute minimum fluctuates across the territory in the same direction from -49°C to -25°C.

Average temperatures in August range from +13°C in the north to +18°C in the south of the island. The absolute maximum ranges from +30°C in the north to +39°C in the Tymovskaya Valley.

On the Kuril Islands, the average temperature in January is -5.1°C, in August – +10.7°C. The absolute minimum varies from -19°С in the center to -27°С in the south, the absolute maximum is +32°С.

Wind mode. The winter period is characterized by increased wind speeds and the predominance of northern and northwestern winds. The highest wind speeds in January are found in the northern tip of the island and land areas prominent in the sea (7-10 m/sec), on the west coast the average wind speed is 5-7 m/sec, on the east coast - 3-5 m/sec, in Tymovskaya valley 1.5-3.0 m/sec. In summer, southeastern and southern winds predominate; average wind speeds in August across the island vary from 2 to 6 m/sec.

On the Kuril Islands, the average annual wind speed is 5.7 m/sec in the south, 6.4 m/sec in the north, and 7.8 m/sec in the middle Kuril Islands. In winter, the average wind speed is 8-12 m/sec. In winter, northwestern winds predominate, and in summer, southern and southeastern winds.

Humidity conditions. The annual precipitation ranges from 500-600 mm in the north to 800-900 mm in the valleys and 1000-1200 mm in the mountainous areas in the south. The amount of precipitation falling during the warm period ranges from 300 mm in the north to 600-650 mm in the valleys and 800 mm in the south of Sakhalin. On the Kuril Islands, 1100-1700 mm of precipitation falls per year with a maximum on the island. Simushir. A third of precipitation falls during the cold period, sometimes in the form of heavy snowfalls and sleet. Frequent and prolonged snowstorms with powerful drifts are typical.

Soil and vegetation cover

Due to the large meridional elongation of Sakhalin and the Kuril Islands and their mountainous terrain, the distribution of soil and vegetation cover manifests latitudinal zoning and vertical zonality.

The humid monsoon climate and mountainous terrain of the region determined some of the features of the soil and vegetation cover of Sakhalin. The main ones include the dominance of taiga landscapes. On most of the island, the dominant type of vegetation is the dark coniferous spruce-fir taiga of Ayan spruce and Sakhalin fir, with the participation of Mayer fir and Glen spruce in the south of the island.

The northern part of Sakhalin Island is dominated by forests and woodlands of Dahurian larch with thickets of wild rosemary, cedar, blueberries, cranberries, etc. There are many peat bogs with poorly developed grass cover and an abundance of lichen. Meadows occupy small areas and consist mainly of reed grass, sedges and forbs. The North Sakhalin Plain is dominated by bog and podzolic soils, and on the Schmidt Peninsula - mountain podzolic soils. South of the village. Nysh begins the spruce-fir taiga with the dominance of spruce-green moss forests, moving further south into spruce-fir forests with a predominance of fir and with a carpet of ferns in the grass stand, where mountain-podzolic and mountain brown forest soils have formed under them.

In the southern part of the island and on the Southern Kuril Islands, the second feature of the vegetation cover is clearly visible - a mixture of northern and southern elements of the flora: lemongrass grows next to the spruce; in mountain larch forests - grapes; hydrangea entwines the fir; Kuril bamboo is adjacent to wild rosemary, etc. In the extreme southwest there is an admixture of broad-leaved species growing on mountain forest brown soils.

In the forests of Sakhalin and the Kuril Islands there are many shrubs that form thickets both in the valleys and in the mountains: currants, rose hips, svidina, holly, skimmia, euonymus, aralia, eleutherococcus and many others. In the south of the island there are a large number of vines: actinidia, grapes, hydrangea. In river valleys on alluvial soils, floodplain forests grow, formed by willow, choicenia, alder, elm, poplar with an admixture of white birch, ash, rowan, bird cherry and thickets of bushes. Large grass formations are confined to river valleys and the foothills of slopes, especially widespread in the southern part of Sakhalin, as well as on Iturup, Kunashir and Shikotan. Stone birch forests (mountain formations), under which mountain-forest acidic soils are formed, descend to the sea in the south. In the southern part of Sakhalin and on the Kuril Islands, thickets of Kuril bamboo, as well as shrubs, yellow maple, diervilla, honeysuckle, etc. are ubiquitously developed. The highest areas of the mountains with mountain-peaty-gley soils are occupied by thickets of dwarf cedar and mountain tundra formations.

The vegetation of the Kuril Islands is more diverse: the forests of the southern part of Kunashir have much in common with the forests of the southwestern part of Sakhalin, and the vegetation cover of the islands located north of the island of Rasshua is similar to the vegetation of Kamchatka and is characterized by the predominance of subalpine shrubs of dwarf pine and Kamchatka alder, in combination with heather, meadow and meadow-swamp groups. The north of Kunashir and the southern large part of Iturup are covered with coniferous forests of fir and larch with areas of broad-leaved forest consisting mainly of oak. The northern tip of Iturup and Urup are occupied by peculiar sparse forests of stone birch with dense and high (up to 2.5 m) thickets of Kuril bamboo with the participation of yew, sumac, euonymus, etc. Spruce-fir forests grow on Shikotan. The other islands of the Malaya Kuril ridge are completely treeless and covered with herb meadows.

A feature of the soil cover of Sakhalin is the distribution of mountain-forest brown soils with a small thickness of the humus horizon. The soils of Sakhalin are characterized by waterlogging and heavy mechanical composition. These features reduce soil temperature and inhibit the activity of soil microorganisms, which contributes to the accumulation of large amounts of plant litter and the development of the gley process. All this worsens the air and hydrothermal regime of soils, increases their acidity and reduces their economic value.

Natural resources

The Sakhalin region has significant and diverse types - more than 50 - of mineral resources, of which combustibles (coal, oil, gas), raw materials for the chemical, cement industry, etc. In addition, there are placers of titanomagnetite, mineral and thermal waters, and occurrences of ore gold, mercury, manganese, tungsten, silver, copper, lead, zinc, chromium, nickel, cobalt, titanium, strontium and other minerals. Coal, oil, gas, gold and limestone are mined from them. Coal deposits are confined to Cretaceous and Tertiary deposits and are located on both slopes of the Western Sakhalin Mountains. Industrial oil and gas reserves are concentrated mainly in the Upper Tertiary sediments in the north of the island (Okha, Ekhabi, etc.). Limestone is extracted from the Paleozoic and Lower Mesozoic formations of the Susunai Range and the East Sakhalin Mountains. The latter is also associated with a placer gold deposit. Industry based on the processing of these resources is the leading sector of the economy of the Sakhalin region.

Surface water

The Sakhalin region is rich in inland waters: rivers, lakes, springs, which, on the one hand, is explained by the positive balance of moisture, and on the other, by the uniqueness of the relief. The rivers of the region are mostly small in length and, by the nature of the watercourses, are of the mountain type. Large rivers of Sakhalin, such as the Tym, Poronai, Susuya, Lyutoga, the channels of which, excluding the upper reaches, are located in the lowlands, have a typically flat character.

In terms of food sources, flow regime and intra-annual regime, the majority of rivers in the Sakhalin region are close to the Far Eastern monsoon type. In winter, the rivers of Sakhalin freeze for a long time, and the mountain rivers of the Kuril Islands flow under a dense crust of snow.

A rise in level on most rivers in the region is observed twice: in the spring, due to melting snow, and in the fall, as a result of monsoon rains. Summer low water on the rivers of the Sakhalin region is observed at the end of July or in August.

On the territory of the Sakhalin region there is a fairly large number of lakes of the most diverse origin. The largest of them belong to the type of lagoon lakes, distributed along the coasts of the seas: Tunaicha, Busse, Nevskoye, etc. The crater (caldera) lakes of the Kuril Islands are very unique.

Land resources

The total area of ​​the region's land fund is 8,710,100 hectares. Distribution of land fund by land (thousand hectares): agricultural land, total - 183.4; lands under surface water - 233.1; swamps - 637.2; land under forests and trees and shrubs - 6981.0; other lands - 675.4; of all lands - lands under reindeer pastures - 916.1.

Forest resources

The region is rich in forest. The total area of ​​forest land, total, thousand hectares - 7077.5, forest cover, % - 64.8, total standing timber stock, million m3 - 629.0. The share of burned areas from the total forest area is 4.971%, the share of clearings is 2.2%.

In the north of Sakhalin, sparse larch taiga dominates; south of 52o N forests of Ayan spruce and Sakhalin fir predominate; in the southwest, the role of broad-leaved trees (maples, velvet, Manchurian ash, Mongolian oak, etc.) and vines (actinidia, lemongrass, grapes) is increasing. In the upper belt of the mountains there are thickets of stone birch and dwarf cedar. Kuril bamboo is abundant in the undergrowth on the slopes of the Western Sakhalin Mountains.

Biological resources

On Sakhalin and the Kuril Islands, nature has created unique landscapes where the northern Okhotsk and southern Manchurian flora are combined in a very unique way. Along with typical taiga representatives of the animal world, heat-loving animals live: amphibians, reptiles, birds and even subtropical and tropical species of beetles and butterflies. Natural territories on Sakhalin and entire island systems on the Kuril Islands have remained completely untouched or little changed by human economic activity. These pristine and very picturesque corners of the island nature are biosphere reserves, guardians of rare and endangered species of flora and fauna, and ecological systems.

Water resources

The seas washing the shores of Sakhalin and the Kuril Islands are one of the most productive areas of the world's oceans. The biological resources of the region are unique in their quantity and quality and are of not only national but also global significance. The Sakhalin-Kuril basin is one of the largest fishing areas in Russia. Many valuable species of commercial fish live here; The main fisheries, accounting for up to 90% of the annual catch, are salmon, herring, flounder, pollock, saury, mackerel, cod, navaga, greenling, and halibut.

The shelf of Sakhalin and the Kuril Islands is favorable for fishing for crabs (Kamchatka, blue, snow crab, hairy crab, spiny crab), shrimp, whelk, and bivalves (scallops, mussels). Squid enter the Strait of Tartary in large numbers in the summer. Many of the invertebrate mollusks and echinoderms are in high demand on the foreign market.

Algae (kelp, ahnfeltia, etc.) are of great commercial importance. Without compromising reproduction, 2 million tons of seaweed can be produced annually, with a total reserve of 9.8 million tons. Reserves of brown algae - kelp - exceed 600 thousand tons.

Marine mammals are represented by numerous species: larga seals (numbering about 10 thousand heads on Sakhalin and 3 thousand heads on the Kuril Islands), lionfish (Sea of ​​Okhotsk - 350 thousand heads), eared seals - sea lion and northern fur seal (about 80 thousand heads on Tyuleniy Island, about 32 thousand heads on the Kuril Islands), sea otters listed in the Red Book (12 thousand heads, Kuril Islands), various species of whales.

Marine biological resources are used very unevenly: some types of fisheries have been used for a long time and intensively, often to the detriment of natural reproduction, others have been developed extremely poorly (for example, some types of crabs, shrimp), or are not used at all (anchovies, sand lance). The total commercial reserves of biological resources (possible annual catch) are currently estimated at 200 thousand tons in the waters adjacent to Sakhalin, 300 thousand tons in the Northern Kuril Islands, and 500 thousand tons in the Southern Kuril Islands.

Natural spawning of salmon occurs in almost all rivers of the region and in a significant part of the lakes. The total area of ​​spawning grounds exceeds 27 million square meters. m. The most numerous species of salmon on Sakhalin is pink salmon, whose spawning areas make up 92.5% of the total spawning area of ​​the island. The recorded spawning stock of chum salmon occupies only 1.6 million sq.m. Spawning areas are distributed very unevenly. Almost 80% of pink salmon spawning grounds and 42% of chum salmon spawning grounds are located in the southern part of Sakhalin.

Flora

The flora of the Sakhalin region is rich and diverse. Here, as in a huge botanical garden, larch and polar birch, spruce and wild grapes, dwarf cedar and velvet trees coexist in close proximity. Traveling around the islands, you can visit various natural zones in a few hours, get from pristine taiga to subtropical thickets, from mossy tundra to the jungle of giant grasses. Herbal vegetation on the island. Sakhalin is unusually lush, tall and very dense. It is extremely difficult to pass through the bamboo thickets that cover almost all the slopes of the hills - one plant is so tightly pressed against another.

Despite the generally taiga appearance of the vegetation on the islands, in the middle and southern parts of Sakhalin Island and in the South Kuril Islands, features of the flora of the East Asian type appear. The northern border of the distribution of this flora coincides with the northern border of the distribution of Kuril bamboo, which is a kind of “emblem” of the flora of mountainous Sakhalin and the southern Kuril Islands. The southern border coincides with the southern limits of the distribution of spruce and fir on Sakhalin, the Southern Kuril Islands and Hokkaido.

The rare combination of dark coniferous forests with thickets of Kuril bamboo is typical only for the south of Sakhalin, the Southern Kuril Islands and Hokkaido and is not repeated anywhere else on the globe. Therefore, it needs special protection.

The flora of the region is rich and diverse, which contributes to its widespread use in the national economy. Woody plants are used as timber raw materials and fuel (spruce, fir, larch). The group of fruit, berry and food plants is especially numerous in the region (redberry, three types of blueberries, currants, edible honeysuckle, Ainu bird cherry, elderberry, rose hips, actinidia, lemongrass, ferns, cranberries, mushrooms, etc.). The group of forage and silage plants is represented by Langsdorff's reed grass, butterbur, Kamchatka whitewing, Weirich and Sakhalin buckwheat, etc. They are characterized by high yields and a high content of nutrients, especially proteins. Many plants are used for the production of medicines (Keiske lily of the valley, wild cherry, grassy aralia, eleutherococcus (free berry), Chinese lemongrass, chamomile, lingonberry, redberry, celandine, valerian, etc.). Many plants from the rocky low-mountain group can be used as ornamental plants to create and decorate cultural landscapes of cities and towns in the Sakhalin region.

Animal world

According to the composition of the animal world, Sakhalin belongs to the European-Siberian subregion of the Paleoarctic region. However, due to its island position, the fauna of Sakhalin is somewhat depleted in species living on the mainland, but is enriched in species of sea coast animals. In general, the fauna of Northern Sakhalin is similar to the fauna of the nearby part of the mainland, the fauna of the northern Kuril Islands is similar to the Kamchatka Peninsula, and the fauna of Southern Sakhalin and the southern Kuril Islands is similar to the fauna of the Japanese island of Hokkaido.

The fauna includes 355 species of birds, 88 species of mammals, 7 reptiles and 5 amphibians. From the north, arctic species penetrate into the island (up to the Poyasok isthmus): white partridge, ruffed auklet, remez bunting, as well as reindeer. In the south, the fauna is enriched by representatives of the Manchurian zoogeographical subregion: the Far Eastern tree frog, the Japanese lesser starling, and the Japanese snipe.

Due to the cold climate, Sakhalin is depleted in amphibians and reptiles, the number of which decreases towards the north. On Sakhalin, the Siberian salamander, the gray toad, the Far Eastern and Siberian frogs, and the viviparous lizard are ubiquitous, but the common viper is absent in the far north of Sakhalin.

Due to the island and oceanic location on the migration routes, as well as the predominance of forest landscapes, the most numerous group of animals in the region are birds. There are few permanent birds living on the territory of Sakhalin. This includes mainly forest birds: capercaillie (rare), grouse grouse, hazel grouse, tits (great tit, great tit and great tit), crows (black and large-billed), sparrows, woodpeckers (great and small motley, gray-haired).

The group of mammals is also depleted. Animals typical of Siberian forests - elk, deer, roe deer, badger, and wolf - are not found on Sakhalin. At the same time, the wolf was caught in the northern part of Sakhalin in 1955. This fact indicates the relative isolation of the island and the possibility of the introduction of new species from the mainland in winter along the ice of the Nevelsk Strait (7.5 kilometers at the narrowest part). In the recent past, tiger and lynx migrations from the mainland to Sakhalin were noted. There were also visits of foxes and raccoon dogs from Hokkaido to the southern islands of the Kuril ridge, and of the white fox from Kamchatka to Paramushir.

The indigenous inhabitants of the Sakhalin forests are: mountain hare, flying squirrel, squirrel, chipmunk, fox, brown bear, ermine, weasel, wolverine, reindeer. Indigenous land mammals of Sakhalin are represented by taiga species: sable, otter, brown bear, wolverine, squirrel, flying squirrel, mountain hare, lynx, chipmunk, red fox and gray fox, bugle stag, weasel. All these animal species are characteristic of the Siberian taiga. There are no ungulates on the Kuril Islands; Many species of animals and birds are absent here due to the action of volcanoes and island isolation. For example, in the middle part of the ridge there are islands on which there are no four-legged animals at all. On many islands only the fox is found.

Protection of flora and fauna of the Sakhalin region

Each region has a unique community of living organisms, closely related to each other, many of which are adapted to exist in these natural conditions. Any interference in nature or disruption of the habitat leads to the disappearance of the most vulnerable animal species and disruption of ecological balance. The consequences of such changes are difficult to predict and often irreversible. Negative processes have the greatest impact on fragile island ecosystems, which exist in relative isolation and have limited ability to recover.

In the Sakhalin region you can find almost all the unique natural communities of the Far East. Here, like a mosaic, are collected the most beautiful natural objects that can be found in the Far Eastern region: volcanoes and mountains, river valleys and tundra-like plains, spawning rivers and sea coasts, taiga and deciduous forests. However, the world of our islands is not only diverse, but also very vulnerable. Over the last century, the development of Sakhalin and the Kuril Islands was accompanied by an intense impact of economic activity on the fragile island ecosystems: forests were cut down, river valleys were drained, seabird colonies were destroyed, marine biological resources were exterminated, large areas in the north of Sakhalin were subject to degradation and pollution during the exploration and exploitation of oil and gas fields . These processes could not but affect the state of nature.

In the 20th century, the problem of preserving and saving the most rare and vulnerable species of animals became global. In 1966, the Red Book of the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN) was published, which for the first time summarized and systematized information about rare animals, the salvation of which should be a goal for all humanity. In 1978, the Red Book of the USSR was published. Republished and expanded in 1984, it, in addition to species from the IUCN Red List, included rare animals that were the property of our country. The first regional Red Book was the Red Book of the RSFSR, published in 1983, which, in addition to species from the Red Books of a higher rank, included species of animals rare in the territory of the republic.

On March 16, 1999, the law of the Sakhalin region “On the Red Book of the Sakhalin Region” came into force. The Red Book of Animals of the Sakhalin Region includes 18 species of mammals, 105 species of birds, 4 species of reptiles, 7 species of fish, 10 species of insects, 18 species of mollusks and 6 species of crustaceans. These included all species of animals included in the International Red Book, the Red Book of the Russian Federation, found in the Sakhalin region, species rare for the Far Eastern region, as well as new, recently described ones, the distribution and numbers of which are unknown. The Red Book of Plants includes 154 species of flowering plants, 4 species of gymnosperms, 22 species of ferns, 1 species of lycophytes, 24 species of bryophytes, 9 species of algae, 37 species of lichens and 19 species of fungi.

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