Nature, plants and animals of North Ossetia. Rare animals and plants listed in the Red Book of the Caucasus Presentation on the nature of RSO-Alania

Vegetable and animal world North Ossetia is rich and diverse. There is steppe vegetation, huge tracts of forest, and rich subalpine and alpine meadows.

Vegetation is represented by the main types characteristic of the Greater Caucasus and Ciscaucasia: steppe, forest-steppe, forest, mountain xerophytic, subalpine, alpine, nitrazonal. The flora consists of 4030 species, incl. algae - 300, lichens - 250, mosses - 122, vascular introduced species - 471, vascular native species - 2437, fungi - 362 species, cultivated plants - 88. The predominant families are Asteraceae, Ranunculaceae, Pentaaceae, Lamiaceae - typical of Northern Eurasia: There are aroid, verbena, and euphorbia families characteristic of the tropics. Of the largest genera, the primacy belongs to sedges, astragalus, and saxifrage. There are families represented by 1-2 species: yew, ephedra, dogwood.

About 100 species of wild relatives of cultivated plants have been registered. Among them, 20 are endemic, 15 of which are very rare. With a reduction in the areas of wild fruit, nut, berry, forage, honey-bearing grasses and others, these rare species are also destroyed. There are plants unique to this area. Rare plant species are included in the Red Books of Russia.

In assortment medicinal plants grasses predominate, of which there are more than 130 species. Trees and shrubs in traditional and folk medicine More than 50 species are used, which, in addition to native species, also include introduced species (mulberry, quince, sumac, etc.). The republic has a great opportunity for the procurement of environmentally friendly medicinal raw materials. Once upon a time, the entire northern lowland part of the republic was covered with natural steppe vegetation, colorful with tulips, forget-me-nots, adonis, silver feather grass and purple sage flowers. But the steppe has long been transformed by man, and now only small islands of natural steppe vegetation remain (the slopes of the Sunzhensky ridge). Endless fields of wheat and corn, orchards and vineyards are now located in the steppe. South of the steppes, with the ascent into the mountains, a strip of forests begins. They occupy one fourth of the entire area of the republic. Forests are distributed unevenly on the territory of Ossetia. The greatest forest cover is typical for Alagirskoso, Irafsky and Digorsky districts. Here it reaches 50-60%; whereas in the east of the Right Bank region the area under forests is not even one percent. The forests rise to a height of 1900 m, and above are subalpine and alpine meadows. The forests of the highlands are sparse and consist of pine, aspen, alder and birch. The trees are low-growing, gnarled, with thin trunks. The harsh growing conditions of these forests - thin soil, long winters, frequent rainfall and strong winds - retard their growth, break off branches and bend them to the ground.

The proportion of individual species in the forests of Ossetia can be traced from the table compiled by prof. YES. Dzagurov.

The most common is beech (56% of all forests). It has durable wood, a height of up to 50 m and a diameter of up to 2 m; specimens up to 350 years old are often found. In second place after beech is hornbeam (12.5%).

IN mountainous areas Tsey, Kassar Gorge, Suargom, Fasnal, Karmadon, up to 30% of the tree vegetation is occupied by pine, which is the only coniferous species. In addition, birch, alder, oak, maple, linden, and ash grow in the forests. From wild fruits and berries, apples, pears, dogwoods, and cherry plums grow in the forests; buckthorn, hawthorn, elderberry, euonymus, and rose hips grow in the undergrowth; blackberries grow along the river banks. Juniper, barberry, pine, alpine willow, rhododendron and azalea grow at the upper border of the forest.

You should know that in the forest zone there are a number of poisonous plants: black henbane, Caucasian white-bottomed plant, common privet, crow's eye, wolf's bast, poisonous buttercup.

Forests are of great importance in preserving soils, protecting fields, and uniformly discharging moisture. High-mountain forest plantations strengthen the soils of steep slopes and thereby protect them from destruction and washout, and delay the formation of depressions and depressions. The forests of forestry enterprises adjacent closely to the steppe regions have a pronounced field-protective character. Forests growing in the floodplains of the Terek and other rivers regulate water flow and protect the banks from erosion. Forests purify the air in the cities and villages of the republic, soften the summer heat, abound in berries and nuts, quench thirst with spring water, and delight with the singing of birds. The main tourist routes pass through forest areas, pioneer camps and recreation areas have been built industrial enterprises and institutions. That is why forest protection is a big and important state matter, in which everyone should take an active part.

Above the forest belt, at an altitude of 2000-2500 m, there is a zone of subalpine meadows with lush grasses and beautiful flowers (white lilies, blue bells, columbine, scabiosis, buttercups, anemones, etc.).

Behind the subalpine meadows, at an altitude of 2500-3000 m, in the kingdom low temperatures, strong winds, short growing season and abrupt changes temperatures, there is a zone of low-grass alpine meadows. Alpine meadows have a unique vegetation cover. Not here woody vegetation and the herbaceous cover is not rich (gentians, primroses, forget-me-nots, buttercups). Variegated fescue meadows predominate. Areas with low-growing alpine grasses, lost between pointed peaks, deep gorges and rocky ravines, make up a typical picture of alpine meadows. Treeless grassy areas of subalpine and alpine meadows are used as pastures.

At an altitude of 3000 m, the subnival vegetation zone begins, represented by mosses, lichens, and saxifrage, adapted to development in harsh conditions. Various vegetable world also determined the wide variety of animals in North Ossetia. The fauna of the Caucasus, and in particular North Ossetia, consists mainly of representatives of its ancient fauna: aurochs, Promethean mouse, snowcocks, Caucasian black grouse. Other animals found within North Ossetia came to the Caucasus much later from various places. From Western Europe such forest inhabitants as marten, wild forest cats, jays, etc. penetrated from the highlands Central Asia animals and birds that now live in the alpine zone of North Ossetia have made their way. Desert inhabitants from Central Asia and Kazakhstan penetrated into the Caspian steppes. They settled part of the Mozdok steppes. Thus, on the territory of the republic existing world animals was formed as a result of the mixing and assimilation of animals of different origins.

The relatively small territory of the republic is inhabited by animals characteristic of almost all regions. Russian Federation: from steppe species in the north to high-mountain species in the south. The habitat of 298 species of soil animals (terrestrial) has been registered, among them more than 70 species classified as rare and requiring inclusion in the Red Book have been identified. The ecosystems most rich in rare animal species are mountain, steppe and floodplain.

Typical representatives fauna of the steppe strip rodents: ground squirrels, voles, big jerboa, gray hamster. Interesting animal appearance and way of life - a long-eared hedgehog. This is a harmless and trusting animal. Unlike ordinary hedgehog it is less protected from enemies, because the needles of its shell are soft. The long-eared hedgehog is surprisingly unpretentious and voracious, and therefore often falls into traps set for rodents.

In the northeastern part of the Mozdok steppes lives the corsac - a small steppe fox, agile, dexterous, and beautiful. Its thick, light fawn fur is highly prized, but its keen sense of smell, excellent hearing and vision make it difficult to hunt. Unlike ordinary foxes, corsacs stay far from human dwellings and do not hunt in barns and poultry houses.

By feeding on mice, voles, gophers, hamsters and other rodents, the corsac dog brings benefits to humans. The most characteristic birds in the steppe zone are steppe harrier and the steppe eagle, benefiting what they destroy a large number of rodents - pests of agricultural fields. Rare birds Now the demoiselle crane and the little bustard have become. The pheasant again lives in the floodplain forests near Terechny. There are also a lot of reptiles in the steppe zone.

The habitat of larger animals is forests. The world of animals in the forest zone, like the steppe zone, is devoid of representatives that would be characteristic only of these forests. Foxes live in the forests of North Ossetia. They deftly attack ducks and water rats near ponds, but mainly hunt mice, voles and hamsters. By exterminating the most harmful rodents for agriculture, the fox thereby benefits humans. On the territory of the republic it has the greatest commercial importance. There are other predators: wolves, bears, wild cats. The largest animal is a bear. Bears choose hard-to-reach places: deep mountain forests, rocky ravines littered with windbreaks, the banks of mountain streams densely overgrown with weeds. Unlike other mammalian predators, the bear is almost omnivorous. He loves fish and catches it very skillfully, does not neglect large wild and domestic animals, pays tribute to mushrooms and berries, does not disdain ants, does not allow lizards and mice and frogs to pass, eats carrion, feasts on honey and the fruits of wild trees that grow in abundance in the forests North Ossetia. Bear meat and skins are highly prized.

The wolf is dangerous to humans not only because it destroys sheep, horses and cows, but also destroys a huge number of valuable game animals and birds. The “aggressive” character of a wild cat. In appearance, it is not much different from home. Cats live throughout the entire forest belt, and not only in the forest. They find shelter where there are tall corn stalks, reeds and weeds. Although wild cats destroy a lot of harmful forest rodents, the damage they cause (they destroy valuable game: pheasants, partridges, etc., devastate rural poultry houses) is incomparably greater than the benefit. Lives in remote places of mountain beech forests pine marten- yellowfly. The light brown fluffy fur of the marten is very valuable. It also lives in the forest and subalpine zones stone marten- white lady. Shy, sensitive and light roe deer have also been preserved.

The fauna of the subalpine and alpine zones is very unique, represented by the most agile, dexterous, beautiful and slender animal - chamois, inhabitants of high mountain ranges - aurochs and a small rodent - the Promethean mouse (such unusual name this Caucasian rodent received because it was first discovered where, according to the legend of the ancient Greeks, Prometheus, the son of the god Zeus, who stole fire from his father, was chained to a mountain). The chamois is a very special animal; in Russia it is found only in the Caucasus, and outside our country in the mountainous regions of Southern Europe. Chamois is a beautiful animal, distinguished by its extraordinary strength. Fleeing from enemies, she throws herself from steep slopes, jumps over abysses and climbs sheer cliffs. During the daytime they fall into forest zone and rest on the edges of the forest. Strong animal tour. During the day, aurochs live on high mountain ranges, in the kingdom of rocks. Only with the onset of dusk do they descend lower, to places covered with a carpet of lush grass, and long before dawn they return to the cold tops of the cliffs. Turs have excellent vision, hearing and smell. They usually live in herds and quickly hide in case of danger. It is also curious that aurochs, as a rule, graze near snowcocks, which have even more acute hearing and vision and warn aurochs of impending danger with their whistle. The Promethean mouse is a large vole with beautiful thick reddish-brown fur. Promethean mice live underground in alpine meadows and rarely appear on the surface. They feed on the roots of the bulbs of mountain meadow plants, which causes known harm. In the mountains live snowcocks, Caucasian black grouse, and Caucasian shur. IN last years The fauna of the republic has been significantly enriched. Deer, Altai squirrels, American minks, raccoon dogs, and bison were brought here from other regions of our country. The raccoon dog was brought into the republic from the Krasnodar Territory and released into the forests located near the city of Vladikavkaz, but later it settled in other places of the republic. Nutria was also brought from the Krasnodar Territory and released into an artificial reservoir on Bekan. where it acclimatized and took root very well. The introduced American mink settled along the banks of the Terek, mainly in the Kirov and Digorsky districts. According to V.A. Olisaev, in 1963, red deer were brought to the republic from the Caucasus Nature Reserve, which once lived in the forests of Ossetia, but were completely destroyed before 1927. Introduced in 1963, they settled in the forests of Ossetia and significantly increased their numbers. A sad fate befell the bison that once lived in the forests of the republic. However, now the bison located on the territory of North Ossetia have significantly increased their population.

Despite all the diversity, there are species of animals, birds and plants that are considered rare today. The reason, most often, is not the natural decline of one species or another, but irrational, or even simply criminal, human behavior in relation to flora and fauna. And, unfortunately, the Red Book of the Caucasus is updated from time to time with the names of those representatives wildlife who needs to be protected and protected.

Features of the flora and fauna of the Caucasus

It is necessary to immediately clarify that, as such, the Red Book of the region has not yet even been approved. This is because it consists of lists of protected species of plants and animals by region - Dagestan, Stavropol Territory, etc.

The Caucasus is truly diverse - and in all its manifestations. Here you can find a variety of landscapes, climatic zones and, of course, animals and birds that are not found anywhere else. covered with snow and ice, and deciduous forests spread in the foothills. It also has its own alpine meadows, as well as subtropics and even steppes.

Since the landscape looks multi-tiered, the region also has its own uniqueness. For example, those plants that usually grow in subtropical latitudes can sometimes be found in the foothills, that is, in areas where you would not expect to find this vegetation. This happens due to the relatively small area - after all, mountains and plains literally intersect here.

Many plants and animals from the Red Book of the Caucasus are endemic, that is, those species and subspecies whose distribution is very limited. There are also rare natural representatives belonging to endangered species.

Animals listed in the Red Book of the Caucasus

The world of the Caucasian fauna is striking in its diversity. The Red Book includes animals that are typical only for this region, but there are also those whose distribution can be observed in many other Russian territories. Muskrats, roe deer, bears, lynxes, raccoon dogs, jungle and forest cats, chamois, wolves, and badgers live here.

Enough and small representatives fauna like squirrels, voles and other rodents. Among the birds we can list the imperial eagle, the Caucasian nuthatch, the tawny owl, the black woodpecker, not to mention the most common Russian pichuga.

What exactly animals and birds of the Red Book are under state protection? There are quite a lot of them, let's list some of them.

Caucasian toad.

Amphibian, order of anurans. It is endemic to forests and southeastern Transcaucasia. In Russia, one of the largest toads, the size of males reaches 73.5-97 mm and the size of females - 91.5-124 mm. The surface is gray or light brown with dark spots above, and the belly is light brown or yellow color. The skin of this toad is poisonous and is covered with rounded tubercles. There are about 100 individuals per 1 hectare of land.

Bezoar goat.

An artiodactyl mammal belonging to the bovid family lives in the North Caucasus. They feed on herbaceous plants, leaves, shoots of trees and shrubs. This type of goat is little valued as a trophy, and is rarely used for dressing, but this does not reduce the interest of poachers in them. Hunting them is a labor-intensive process, as they stay close to the bottoms of rocks. In recent years, poachers have become more active, and in connection with this there is a sharp decrease in the population. They are protected in three reserves in Dagestan.

Giant mole rat

A mammal belonging to the order of rodents, the mole rat family. It is a rare species, small in number and distributed in a limited area, endemic to the north-eastern Ciscaucasia, protected in Dagestan and. The mole rat is the largest of the Georgians, body length is about 40 cm, lives in the clay and sandy deserts of the Caspian regions.

A peculiarity of the mole rat is that it digs a hole not with its paws, but with its incisors; they are very well developed, especially the lower ones, protruding forward. The mouth opening is always closed with the lips turned inward, why the earth does not enter the mouth. Factors that influence the population decline are: irrigation and subsequent soil salinization, overgrazing, plowing, and low reproductive potential of animals.

Caucasian leopard.

Many people call him snow leopard, however, in fact, its name is the Central Asian leopard. A powerful and very beautiful animal, graceful, like other felines, is listed in the Red Book. The leopard is found in the North Caucasus; it usually settles in the foothills. Most often, the habitat of the Caucasian leopard is deciduous forests, here it hunts and rests.

This animal is extremely rare both for the Caucasus and other territories. There are about 1,300 individuals of this species worldwide. Perhaps it was precisely such a beast that Mtsyri fought in Lermontov’s poem. Apparently, because of their beautiful skin, as well as their dangerous disposition, Caucasian leopards were mercilessly exterminated, which is why, for example, in the entire 2013, only one representative of leopards was noted. In Russia today it is accepted Government program recovery Central Asian leopard.

Bison

This is one of the largest animals in the Caucasus and is on the verge of extinction. There once existed an entire subspecies of bison, which were hunted uncontrollably by humans for centuries. As a result, by 1924 there were no more than 10 individuals, and three years later the subspecies became extinct. Currently, they are breeding European bison, which are the closest relatives of the extinct Caucasian bison. These animals settle in the forests, without going deep into forests, but at the same time they try not to appear in flat areas.

Griffon vulture.

A bird from the family Accipitridae of the order Falconiformes. It is a rare species with limited distribution. Distributed along the northern slopes of the Greater Caucasus, lives in the mountains of Dagestan, North Ossetia, Georgia, and also lives in, but there it is on the verge of complete extinction. Mainly leads sedentary image life, nesting sites are located on rocky cliffs along river valleys, or where mountain ranges meet tracts of forests and meadows. They live in colonies of 30-50 individuals. The breeding cycle is 6 months, 1 egg per clutch. It feeds on carrion, preferring their internal organs.

Pointy-eared bat.

This is a species of chiropteran mammals, its numbers are declining due to anthropogenic factors. In Russia, distributed throughout the North Caucasus from western regions Krasnodar region. The maximum lifespan of this animal is 13 years. It feeds on orthoptera and moths. Lives in foothill treeless areas. They overwinter underground, forming large concentrations of individuals.

Caucasian black grouse.

It is endemic and therefore included in the Red Book. During the years of the USSR, the state did everything to increase the number of the species, and in 1984 the black grouse was assigned to category V, that is, to those species for which the danger of extinction had passed. However, even today the bird is quite rare. It settles on the border between alpine meadows and forests, usually nesting in bushes.

Plants in need of state protection

Not only the fauna, but also the local flora needs protection. Many of the plants found here are either endemic or on the verge of extinction due to the fact that for many years man considered them extremely useful and used them without allowing them to spread. Plants of the Caucasus listed in the Red Book include:

Baksan wolfberry is a plant of the angiosperm or flowering class, a critically endangered species, a narrowly local endemic;
Ossetian bellflower - from the bellflower family, flowers purple. Grows on the territory of the republics of the Chechen Republic and Ossetia;
Caucasian lily is a vulnerable subspecies that grows in damp, shady places in forests. Grows on the northern and southern slopes of the Greater Caucasus, also in;
Pitsunda pine - endemic race Black Sea coast, grows on coastal steep slopes;
Yew berry from the vocal section, found mainly in foothill forests (in the upper reaches of the Netkhoi River);
Porphyritic pseudobirch fungus (mushroom) is a rare species from the family of cone-fungi plants, common in the Krasnodar region, in Georgia, most often found in coniferous and displaced forests;
Letaria wolfaria from the lichens section, grows in North Ossetia and in, can also be found in the Stavropol Territory and in Karachay-Cherkessia, grows on the trunks and branches of trees coniferous species in mountain forests;
Usnea flowering is a vulnerable species of lichen with a disjunctive range, used in the pharmaceutical industry;
Cryphea multidirectional belongs to the bryophyte plants, grows on the bark of trees, reproduces by spores;
Kostenets Dagestan - fern plant, a rare species. Narrowly local endemic, grows in cracks of shady rocks;
Caucasian snowdrop - flowering plant. White snowdrop flowers are rare due to mass collection for bouquets.

Let's look at some more plant species listed in the Red Book:

Caucasian cyclamen is a small but very beautiful plant that is under threat of complete extinction because people collect these flowers for bouquets or dig them up for medicinal purposes. Feels good on mountain slopes, as well as in forests. Its bright color is visible from afar. People use it to fight diseases of the digestive system, despite the fact that cyclamen is a poisonous plant.
Veronica of Imereti. The pyramids of Veronica inflorescences attract the eye with their brightness. It grows closer to forests; it “likes” meadows with good moisture.
Adiantum venus hair. It is found in rock crevices closer to streams and springs, as well as along river banks or near waterfalls. It belongs to the fern class. Its stems are quite thin and long, completely covered with small openwork leaves. Adiantum looks very elegant, so this plant is most often used for holiday floral decorations.

Of course, this is not the entire list of animals and plants that are on the verge of extinction. In the “” category we will introduce you in more detail to the fauna and flora protected by the state.

The Republic of North Ossetia delights with the diversity of its nature, and all thanks to the fact that it is located in different physical and geographical zones. The Caucasus Mountains, forest-steppes, plains - each zone has a unique climate, flora and fauna.

Separately, it is worth mentioning the glaciers, which extend over an area of 200,000 m². But these are not dead glaciers, birds and animals live here, lichens, mosses and rhododendrons grow. Glaciers are especially popular among both climbers and ordinary tourists.

Flora of North Ossetia

About 22% of the republic is covered with forest, but its type differs from region to region. Thus, open forest covers the eastern slopes of the Genaldon Gorge and consists mainly of willows and mountain birches, which are occasionally supplemented by rose hips, hawthorn, rowan, bird cherry and juniper. Under the trees you can often find thickets of currants, raspberries, lingonberries and Caucasian blueberries. The western slope of the gorge is covered with lush meadows on which alpine clover, white grass, variegated and other grasses grow.

Another gorge in North Ossetia, Karmadonskoye, in May is covered with an emerald grassy canopy, where lawns and flower carpets are full of bright colors. There are really a lot of flowers here - buttercups, primroses, anemones and forget-me-nots. At the end of summer, new colors are added - red poppies, white cereals, pink daisies and colorful bluebells bloom.

The southern slopes of the Chizhdzhity-khokh and Arau-khshkh mountains are drying up sun rays, and therefore only dry-loving plants grow here, such as sage, sainfoin, wormwood, thyme and timothy. Among the flowers you can find bells, cuffs and saxifrage. The glaciers of the Side Range are dominated by a high-mountain tundra climate with small birches and willows.

Fauna of North Ossetia

The most common animals in the republic are called aurochs, which graze in the meadows of Karmadon and its environs. They usually walk in herds of 30-40 animals. During the day, these timid animals hide in the rocks, and at nightfall they descend to the meadows, where they graze until dawn. Along with tours in the gorge, you can meet mountain snowcock turkeys - large birds with protective coloring. In the warm season, they prefer to live in the upper part of the mountains and descend into open forests only with the onset of cold weather.

Another one business card North Ossetia - chamois. Beautiful, hardy and brave, they easily overcome deep abysses and steep cliffs. In summer they live in birch copses, and in winter they go to the sunny side of the mountains. On the right bank slopes of the Genaldon Gorge there is a brown bear. It does not hibernate like its northern relative, but also likes to feast on raspberries, currants and blueberries. In the ravines there are also less formidable representatives of the fauna - foxes, badgers and hares.

The meadows of Karmadon are home to many species of birds - larks, mountain buntings, blackbirds, pigeons and wall climbers. Such an abundance of birds attracts predators; eagles and golden eagles build their nests on high rocks. Falcons also often fly in.

Those who want to enjoy all the beauties of the republic should definitely visit the North Ossetian Nature Reserve, which is located in the upper reaches of the Tsey, Ardon and Fiagdon rivers.

Climate in North Ossetia

The climate of the republic is temperate continental, but with characteristic differences depending on the area. On the Mozdok Plain it is arid, with temperatures in June of +24 °C and in January of -16 °C. Precipitation here falls within 900 mm in the foothills and up to 700 mm per year on the plains.

In the Foothill and Central regions, the temperate zone predominates, which is softened by the proximity of the mountains. It is characterized by long, rainy summers and mild winters. In winter, precipitation comes mainly from the Caspian Sea, and in summer it can come tropical cyclones with thunderstorms and rainy monsoons. average temperature in these areas it is +21 °C in summer and -3 °C in winter.

The diverse flora also determines the wide variety of animals in North Ossetia. The fauna of the Caucasus, and in particular North Ossetia, consists mainly of representatives of its ancient fauna: aurochs, Promethean mouse, snowcocks, Caucasian black grouse. Other animals found within North Ossetia came to the Caucasus much later from various places. From Western Europe, forest inhabitants such as martens, wild forest cats, jays, etc. came. Animals and birds that now live in the alpine zone of North Ossetia made their way from the highlands of Central Asia. Desert inhabitants from Central Asia and Kazakhstan also penetrated into the Caspian steppes. They settled part of the Mozdok steppes. Thus, on the territory of the republic, the existing world of animals was formed as a result of the mixing and assimilation of animals of different origins.

Typical representatives of the animal world of the steppe strip are rodents: ground squirrels, voles, large jerboa, gray hamster. An interesting animal in appearance and lifestyle is the long-eared hedgehog. This is a harmless and trusting animal. Unlike an ordinary hedgehog, it is less protected from enemies, because the spines of its shell are soft. The long-eared hedgehog is surprisingly unpretentious and voracious, and therefore often falls into traps set for rodents.

By feeding on mice, voles, gophers, hamsters and other rodents, the corsac dog brings benefits to humans. The most characteristic birds in the steppe zone are the steppe harrier and the steppe eagle, which are beneficial by destroying a large number of rodents - pests of agricultural fields. The demoiselle crane and little bustard are now rare birds. The pheasant again lives in the floodplain forests near Terechny. There are also a lot of reptiles in the steppe zone.

The habitat of larger animals is forests. The world of animals in the forest zone, like the steppe zone, is devoid of representatives that would be characteristic only of these forests. These animals are common in the European part Soviet Union. Foxes live in the forests of North Ossetia. “In fairy tales, endowed with extraordinary intelligence and cunning, deceiving everyone with whom she has to deal, the beautiful fox really belongs to the most intelligent animals,” writes Professor L. B. Boehme. Like the corsac, the fox has excellent sense of smell, hearing and the greatest caution. It deftly attacks ducks and water rats near ponds, but mainly hunts mice, voles and hamsters. By exterminating the most harmful rodents for agriculture, the fox thereby brings benefits to humans. On the territory of the republic it has the greatest commercial importance. There are other predators: wolves, bears, wild cats. The largest animal is a bear. Bears choose hard-to-reach places: deep mountain forests, rocky ravines littered with windbreaks, the banks of mountain streams densely overgrown with weeds. Unlike other mammalian predators, the bear is almost omnivorous. He loves fish and catches them very skillfully, does not neglect large wild and domestic animals, pays tribute to mushrooms and berries, does not disdain ants, does not allow lizards and mice and frogs to pass, eats carrion, feasts on honey and the fruits of wild trees that grow in abundance in our forests Bear meat and skins are highly prized.

The wolf is dangerous to humans not only because it destroys sheep, horses and cows, but also destroys a huge number of valuable game animals and birds. The wolf acts with great caution. A well-developed hearing helps him.

“Aggressive” is the character of a wild cat. In appearance, it is not much different from home. Cats live throughout the entire forest belt, and not only in the forest. They find shelter where there are tall corn stalks, reeds and weeds. Although wild cats exterminate harmful forest rodents a lot, the damage they cause (they destroy valuable game: pheasants, partridges, etc., and devastate poultry houses) is incomparably greater than the benefit. In the remote places of mountain beech forests the yellow-billed pine marten lives. The light brown fluffy fur of the marten is very valuable.

The stone marten also lives in the forest and subalpine zones. Shy, sensitive and light roes have also been preserved here.

The fauna of the subalpine and alpine zones is very unique, represented by the most agile, dexterous, beautiful and slender animal - the chamois, the inhabitants of high mountain ranges - the aurochs and a small rodent - the Promethean mouse (this Caucasian rodent received such an unusual name because for the first time it was discovered where, according to the legend of the ancient Greeks, Prometheus, the son of the god Zeus, who stole fire from his father, was chained to the mountain). The chamois is a very special animal; in Russia it is found only in the Caucasus, and outside our country in the mountainous regions of Southern Europe.

Chamois is a beautiful animal, distinguished by its extraordinary strength. Fleeing from enemies, she throws herself from steep slopes, jumps over abysses and climbs sheer cliffs. Chamois graze in the early morning and late evening. During the daytime, they descend into the forest zone and rest on the edges of the forest. Strong animal tour. During the day, aurochs live on high mountain ranges, in the kingdom of rocks. Only with the onset of dusk do they descend lower, to places covered with a carpet of lush grass, and long before dawn they return to the cold tops of the cliffs. Turs have excellent vision, hearing and smell. They usually live in herds and quickly hide in case of danger. It is also curious that aurochs, as a rule, graze near snowcocks, which have even more acute hearing and vision and warn aurochs of impending danger with their whistle.

The Promethean mouse is a large vole with beautiful thick reddish-brown fur. Promethean mice live underground in alpine meadows and rarely appear on the surface. They feed on the roots of the bulbs of mountain meadow plants, which causes known harm. In the mountains live snowcocks, Caucasian black grouse, and Caucasian shur. In recent years, the republic's fauna has become significantly enriched. Deer, Altai squirrels, American minks, raccoon dogs, and bison were brought here from other regions of our country.

The raccoon dog was brought into the republic from the Krasnodar Territory and released into the forests located near the city of Vladikavkaz, but later it settled in other places of the republic. Nutria was also brought from the Krasnodar Territory and released into an artificial reservoir on Bekan. where it acclimatized and took root very well.

The American mink brought to us settled along the banks of the Terek, mainly in the Kirov and Digorsky districts. According to V.A. Olisaev, in 1963, red deer were brought to the republic from the Caucasus Nature Reserve, which once lived in the forests of Ossetia, but were completely destroyed before 1927. Introduced in 1963, they settled in the forests of Ossetia and significantly increased their numbers. A sad fate befell the bison that once lived in our forests. However, now from total number(800 in the USSR) 242 bison live in the forests of North Ossetia.

The fauna of mammals includes 49 species, reptiles - 5, amphibians - 4, birds - 213, as in 2001. The inhabitants are the Dagestan tur, chamois, roe deer, wild boar, brown bear, pine marten, and ermine. Based on the results of winter route surveys in 2002, the number of individuals of the background mammal species of the republic was determined: wild boar - 1192 individuals (644 individuals are missing from the optimal number in its habitat area), roe deer - 871 (873), deer - 460 (75) , tur - 3480, chamois - 855, bear - 155. A rare species is the wolf - only 26 individuals. The situation in biocenoses is somewhat balanced by the number of other predators - foxes (527 individuals), jackals (118), martens (448). The bison has been restored in the North Ossetian Nature Reserve. The main flight route of many birds passes through the territory of the republic - the gray crane, as well as the steppe eagle and imperial eagle (listed in the Red Book of the Russian Federation). nesting rare species birds - black stork, Caucasian black grouse, bearded vulture. According to the results of a visual census of mountain bird species in 2002, 564 individuals of the Caucasian snowcock, 479 of the Caucasian black grouse, 226 of the chukar, 107 of the partridge, and 117 of the pheasant were noted. It is difficult to present an objective picture of the conservation of biodiversity in the Republic of North Ossetia – Alania due to a lack of information. Thus, the number of wild animals in the Alaniya National Park is not counted.

The fauna of the republic contains species of mammals and birds characteristic of the Mediterranean, Western Asia, and Northern Asia. Europe and even Siberia. Among the latter we can name the lynx, brown bear, spruce crossbill. From southern species Let us mention the polecat, a small predator that lives in the steppes of the republic. The Central Asian leopard, exterminated at the beginning of the century, was also a representative of the southern fauna. The fauna includes ancient species that lived in broad-leaved tertiary forests: bison, red deer, and pine marten. There is a significant number of endemics of the subspecies rank (forest cat, bear, dipper, robin), the presence of which is explained by the antiquity of the fauna, developing in the specific conditions of the mountains. Among the representatives of the mustelid family, the republic is inhabited by: pine and stone martens, weasel, ermine, badger, American and European mink, and otter. Minks and otters lead a semi-aquatic lifestyle, feeding on fish. The tiny weasel and ermine are inhabitants of high-mountain screes, feeding on mouse-like rodents. Brown hare, fox, wolf, and hedgehog are also found here. A representative of the primitive world or a living fossil is the wild boar, which has inhabited our forests since ancient times.
However, the most characteristic animal species of the republic are the original inhabitants of the Caucasus: the Dagestan tur, the Caucasian black grouse and snowcock, the Promethean vole and others. A number of animals and birds are common to the Caucasus and mountain systems Asia and Europe. Thus, chamois lives in the Caucasus, the Alps, and the Pyrenees. Currently, the Caucasus is the only area where it lives in our country. Bearded vulture inhabits the mountains southern Europe, Africa and Asia. Only a few dozen individuals of this largest bird, listed in the International Red Book, live in our mountains. About 230 species of birds are found in North Ossetia, most of their spans.
In the clear mountain streams there is trout, and in the lowland part there is barbel, chub, and subs. In the mountain meadows you can find the steppe viper, the Caucasian lizard, near the reservoirs - the grass snake, the Asia Minor frog and the green toad. Lives in beech forests tree frog tree frog, whose singing can be heard on warm May evenings. On the plain there are lake frogs, grass snakes, yellow-bellied snake, legless spindle lizard and copperhead. In recent years, the republic has appeared Mediterranean turtle, listed in the Red Book.
Of the bats - one of the most ancient inhabitants of the Earth - 17 species have been recorded in Ossetia. Of these, 2 are listed in the Red Book (giant noctule and common longwing). In some caves of the republic (Shubi-Nykhasskaya, Universitetskaya), thousands of clusters of the pointed-eared bat spend the winter, clinging to the cave roof. Small and large horseshoe bats are found in the wintering grounds.
Rodents are also numerous, including many agricultural and agricultural pests. forestry. The most interesting is the Promethean vole, which lives in subalpine meadows and digs extensive underground passages. Apart from the high mountain belt of the Caucasus, this animal is not found anywhere. The giant mole rat, listed in the Red Book and living on the Kabardino-Sunzhensky and Tersky ridges, is also unique. IN mountain rivers and the swamps of the Zaromagskaya basin are home to a unique, well-diving insectivorous animal, the shrew.
The world of insects is diverse, full of secrets and amazing colors. In addition to great practical benefits, insects also have great aesthetic value. Butterflies, bumblebees, grasshoppers and other insects decorate meadows and forests. There are many beautiful beetles, attractive with a variety of shapes and colors, reminiscent of gems. Here you can see a rare odorous beetle, the Caucasian ground beetle from the Red Book. The rhinoceros beetle flying in the evening hours is original.
In the near future, the fauna of North Ossetia will be replenished with leopards and bison. The Minister of Security announced this environment And natural resources Taimuraz Mildzikhov. The first batch of bison will be delivered to the republic in agreement with the Wildlife Fund. In addition, negotiations are also underway to restore the population of the Central Asian leopard. The reason for this step, according to the head of the environmental department, was the fact that the coat of arms of Ossetia depicts a leopard, which currently does not live on the territory of the republic. According to Minister Mildzikhov, some of the bison, which had previously been brought into the republic, were exterminated by poachers, and the other part experienced inbreeding, resulting in depopulation of the species. To do this, it is necessary to bring in other animals to increase the population and increase the birth rate. Tours, according to the minister, will not be imported into the republic. There are still enough of them in the mountains.

The main form of economic development of wild animals in the republic is hunting, specialized in the protection, reproduction and rational extraction of game fauna. The total area of hunting grounds and specially protected natural areas is 596.5 thousand hectares, of which 404.4 thousand hectares are assigned to game users and 192.1 thousand hectares occupy specially protected natural areas.
The following main species of wild animals live on the territory of the republic: deer, bison, aurochs, wild boar, roe deer, bear, brown hare, marten, fox, jackal, wolf, chamois.

Water biological resources republics:
The natural fishery reservoirs of the republic are home to 20 species of fish: barbel, barbel-murzak, poduy, carp (carp), brook trout, rainbow trout, chub, grass carp, silver carp, crucian carp, perch, roach, bleak, verkhovka, bystryanka, catfish, pike, gudgeon, tench, lamprey. The main species that form the ichthyofauna are trout, barbel, and pods. In addition, such especially valuable species of fish as kushum, Caspian salmon, sturgeon, and stellate sturgeon come up to the dam of the Terek-Kum hydroelectric complex from the Caspian Sea to spawn.

North Ossetian Nature Reserve

The reserve features natural communities from deciduous forests to rocky scree vegetation. About a third of the reserve's territory is occupied by forests. There are broad-leaved beech-hornbeam and maple forests, and mountain pine forests. The most common trees are: oriental beech, Koch pine, Litvinov birch, and gray alder.
A huge number of endemic species grow here, characteristic only of the Caucasus, and some of them are found only in Ossetia. These are, for example, Tseysky, cold-loving and Ardonsky bells, growing on granite rocks.
The most typical animals in deciduous forests are: pine marten, forest cat, wild boar, roe deer, reacclimatized red deer and the Caucasian-Belovezhsky bison, listed in the Red Books of various ranks.
The highland part of the reserve is inhabited by ermine, stone marten, Dagestan tur, and chamois. And such animals as bear, lynx, wolf, fox are found in all high altitude zones- from forests of the foothills, to high mountain meadows, rocks and stone placers.