Animals of the Zhiguli Nature Reserve. Zhigulevsky State Nature Reserve named after I.I.

Region: Samara Region

Settlements: Zhigulevsk, s. Bakhilova Polyana

Date of formation: 08/19/1927

Status: Active federal

Purpose: Nature conservation/biodiversity conservation

Activity profile: No protected areas are defined for this category

Department: Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment Russian Federation

Territory

Number of clusters: 2 clusters.

Total area: 23157.00 ha

Water area: 205.00 ha

Area of ​​the protected zone: 316.00 hectares

Area of ​​sites included within the boundaries of protected areas: 23157.00 hectares

Contact Information

Legislative acts

History and goals of creation

The first years of the work of the Middle Volga Nature Reserve were illuminated by the energy and talent of its organizer I.I. Sprygina. On his initiative, qualified specialists were attracted to work in the reserve - botanists M.V. Zolotovsky and A.N. Goncharova and zoologist A.R. Delivron.

In 1932, the Volga islands Seredysh and Shalyga were annexed to the reserve. In 1935, the Middle Volga Nature Reserve was renamed Kuibyshevsky and a new protected area in the Buzuluksky Forest was added to it. The total area of ​​the reserve was increased to 10 thousand hectares. The Buzuluksky site remained part of the Kuibyshevsky reserve for less than a year and was soon separated into an independent reserve. In the same 1935, the management of the reserve was moved from the city of Penza to the village. Bakhilova Polyana, located directly at the border of the Zhigulevsky protected area.

In 1937, the boundaries of the Zhigulevsky reserve area were significantly expanded and the area was increased to 22.5 thousand hectares. In 1938, the first forest inventory was carried out on the territory of the reserve, according to which the corresponding forest management materials were subsequently compiled: a forest plan and a taxation description.

Continued to develop Scientific research in the nature reserve. Work on the first inventory of the flora of vascular plants, the fauna of amphibians, reptiles, birds and mammals has almost been completed. A start has been made to identify species composition insect fauna, study of soils and vegetation cover. However, at first, no serious attention was paid to organizing long-term observations. In those distant thirties, in the conservation field, its classical principles were subjected to fierce criticism. Then it was believed that reserves should not be standards of natural, wild nature, but become examples of the best, richest nature. As a result of such performances, work began in the reserves not only to restore the number of representatives of the local flora and fauna, but also to enrich nature exotic species plants and animals. In 1938, sika deer were brought to the Zhigulevsky section of the Kuibyshevsky Nature Reserve from the Far East, and a small nursery of Amur velvet, Manchurian walnut and some foreign shrubs was founded.

At that time, a significant contribution to the scientific achievements of the reserve was made by P.S. Pavelev and E.F. Belevich (climate), M.V. Zolotovsky A.N. Goncharova and L.M. Cherepnin (flora and vegetation), A.R. Delivron, A.T. Lepin (terrestrial vertebrate fauna), E.I. Novoderezhkin (entomofauna), K.K. Vysotsky (forestry), P.B. Jurgenson and B.I. Mirolyubov (introduction of sika deer) and others. In the spring of 1941, research materials in the form of manuscripts prepared for publication were presented to Moscow.
Meanwhile, oil extraction work began outside the reserve, and research was carried out to design a hydroelectric complex on the Volga.

The Great Patriotic War had a significant impact on the reserves of our country. Many reserve workers went to the front. In order to help the front, resources were studied in the reserve, and then the procurement of medicinal plants was organized. Scientists from Moscow and Leningrad, who had previously worked in the reserves only as part of expedition groups during the field period, were evacuated to some reserves.

In connection with the start of exploration work and then industrial oil production, most of the territory adjacent to the Volga bank was removed from the reserve. In 1942 on this former territory The first oil wells were drilled in the reserve, and in 1943 a working settlement for oil workers, Zolnoye, was founded on the riverine terrace. The development of oil production led to the fact that asphalt roads were laid in Zhiguli, the routes of power lines and pipelines cut through protected forests, oil rigs with combustion flares associated gas climbed in remote ravines and on the tops of Zhiguli. Oil production in the early years was accompanied by severe soil contamination with petroleum products. Reserved forests were cut down to build industrial facilities and create fire breaks.

In heavy war time and in the first post-war years, the reserve honorably fulfilled the tasks assigned to it for the protection and study of nature. In 1943, materials from the reserve's forest inventory (conducted back in 1938) were processed and documents for the first forest management were drawn up. During this period, a number of zoological (S.I. Snigirevsky, E.M. Snigirevskaya, M.I. Zyabrev, I.V. Zharkov), botanical (A.I. Goncharova) and soil (A.A. Uspenskaya) studies were carried out. research. The influence of the ongoing construction on the placement and behavior of animals was studied. Particular attention was paid to studying the state and changes in the sika deer population, as well as its impact on the vegetation of the reserve. A conclusion was made about the harm caused by these animals to the unique vegetation of Zhiguli, and about the impossibility of preserving its population in Zhiguli without human help: active feeding during the period of deep snow and protection from wolves.

In 1947, at the request of the Main Directorate, the reserve began compiling a Chronicle of the nature of the reserve based on archival documents. The first essay for the first book of the Chronicle of Nature was compiled by the senior forester of the reserve M. Kostin. This material was included in the first book of the Chronicle of Nature of the Kuibyshev State Reserve. The compiler of the first and five subsequent books of the Chronicle (1928–1930, 1931–1935, 1936–1940, 1941–1945 and 1946–1950) was the deputy director of the reserve for science I.V. Zharkov. The completion of this work fatefully coincided with the liquidation of the Kuibyshev Nature Reserve.

Role in nature conservation

From the perspective of the main tasks solved by the reserve, it is important to ensure the preservation of both the natural complex of the reserve and each species. The reserve preserves coniferous-deciduous forests, steppe forests, rocky steppes, etc.

Managment structure

Administration of the reserve:

1. Director of the reserve - Krasnobaev Yuri Petrovich

2. Deputy Director for Security - Andrey Yurievich Snarsky

3. Head of the Department of Environmental Education – Akimova Anastasia Aleksandrovna

4. Head of the tourism and marketing department – ​​Olga Ivanovna Fadeeva

5. Deputy Director for General Issues – Ulashkin Vasily Aleksandrovich

6. Chief accountant - Yakimenko Natalya Nikolaevna

Administrative departments of the reserve:

1. Administrative and management personnel

2. Accounting and reporting department

3. Territory protection department

4. Scientific department

5. Department of Environmental Education

6. Tourism and Marketing Department

7. Main activity support department

Particularly valuable natural objects

Main Zhigulevsky ridge- coincides with the axis of the Zhiguli dislocation, and stretches from west to east for almost 70 km. A ridge is a mountain range, and is actually Zhiguli Mountains, having the form mountainous country only from the Volga side. To the south it imperceptibly passes into an elevated plateau. The ridge is divided into several structures that have independent names: Usinskie Zhiguli, Molodetskie Zhiguli, isolated Mogutova Gora and Sernye Zhiguli are located on the territory of the Samarskaya Luka NP, and only Morkvashinskie and Zolnenskie Zhiguli are in the reserve. The height ranges from 260 to 350 m, reaching its maximum in the area of ​​the village. Zolny (Zolny dome).

Zolna dome - the most powerful structural uplift of the Zhiguli Upland. Here it is highest point Zhiguli (381.2 m above sea level). The maximum elevation is confined to the flat part of the mountain range; it is not clearly expressed in the relief and is completely forested and closed, in contrast to the open mountain peaks of Bolshaya Bakhilova Gora and Strelnaya.

Strelnaya Mountain- the highest open peak of Zhiguli with an absolute elevation of 351 m, clearly visible from the Volga. In contrast to the highest altitude of Zhiguli, the top of Strelnaya Mountain is crowned by a rocky ridge in the form of a shihan (massive stone). Almost vertical slopes descend from a narrow ridge. Weathered rocks made of cavernous carbonate rocks elongated in the form of a narrow bridge are called “Devil's Bridge”. A complex labyrinth of canyon-like ravines of the Main Zhigulevsky Range surrounds the mountain: Strelny ravine, Oleniy and Devil's ravine, starting with a circus at the Devil's Bridge of the mountain. The largest Strelnaya ravine, on the right side of which there is Strelnaya Mountain. The left side of the ravine in the mouth part was destroyed by a quarry founded in the 50s. during the construction of the Shiryaevo-Zhigulevsk highway, therefore clearly visible from the top.

Shiryaevskaya Valley- the largest on Samarskaya Luka. Its length is about 35 km, area drainage basin reaches 180-185 sq. km. The upper reaches of the valley are located in the vicinity of the White Houses (4 km southwest of the village of Bakhilovo), and the mouth is 3 km west of the Zhigulevsky Gate near the village of Shiryaevo. In the upper part the valley bifurcates, and the Kochkarny ravine branches off from it. The largest spur ravines are located on the left side of the valley and extend deep into the territory of the reserve: Bezymyanny, Budanetsky, Khmelevoy ravines.

Stone Bowl - tract in the Shiryaevskaya Valley. Formed by the confluence of two ravines: Stone and Deck, which are spurs of this valley. On the left slope of the Kamenny ravine, a spring gushes out from under a rock; the absolute elevation of the source is 143 m; in the mouth of the Koloda ravine on the left slope there are two springs. Aquifers are represented by dolomites of the Upper Carboniferous of the Paleozoic era. An increased amount of ammonia was noted in the spring water of the source, which indicates the close location of oil-bearing horizons. In general, the chemical and biological composition of water complies with GOST “Drinking Water”. The water flow rate in 2002 was 4.5 l/min or 6480 l/day; currently it has decreased significantly.

International status

The Middle Volga Biosphere Reserve was created on the basis of the Zhigulevsky State Nature Reserve and national park"Samara Luka". Included in World Wide Web biosphere reserves October 27, 2006. The total area is about 400,000 hectares, including: main zone 8%, buffer zone – 31%, transition zone – 61%.

On the territory of the reserve there are the Zhiguli Mountains, unique in their origin and biota, typical zonal forest-steppe natural and cultural landscapes on the plateau Samara Luka, landscapes and ecosystems of the Volga and Usa river valleys.

The nature of the reserve is characterized by high biological diversity. Mixed coniferous-deciduous and deciduous forests, meadow steppes and cereal-forb meadows are widely represented here.

The ecosystems of the limestone and chalk mountains are unique: virgin steppe pine forests and rocky steppes, sphagnum bogs, floodplain oak forests and sedge-willow forests, willow thickets and water meadows.

The reserve is surrounded by the large Samara-Togliatti agglomeration of cities. The main threat to nature comes from industrial enterprises, uncontrolled construction and uncontrolled recreational activities.

The landscapes and ecosystems of the reserve are used in varying degrees of exploitation from protected areas to agricultural, industrial and urban uses.

The territory of the reserve is an extremely valuable evidence of disappeared cultures: Sauromatian (VI-IV centuries BC), Sarmatian (IV-II centuries BC), Timber (VI-III centuries BC) , Imenkovskaya (V century), Novinkovskaya (VII-VIII centuries), Bulgar (VIII-IX centuries).

Within its borders, objects of noble estates from the mid-19th century have been preserved.

Of great interest are the old adits of Zhiguli, where the largest wintering of bats in Eastern Europe is located.

The purpose of creating the reserve is to ensure the protection of the landscapes of Zhiguli and forest-steppe complexes of the Middle Volga region, the organization environmental monitoring, development of a system of careful environmental management, without which it is impossible to preserve the unique nature and sustainable development this region.

Description

The reserve is located on a peninsula formed by a deep bend of the Volga River in its middle course and its tributary, the Usaya River (Saratov Reservoir - the lower pool of the Zhigulevsky hydroelectric complex and the Usinsky Bay of the Kuibyshev Reservoir). It consists of 2 sections: the main one, located on the mainland, and the island section located north of it.

The Zhigulevsky Nature Reserve is located in the center of the large Samara-Toltta industrial agglomeration with a population of many millions.

ZHIGULEVSKY
reserve

Location and history of the Zhigulevsky Nature Reserve.

The current Zhigulevsky Nature Reserve was organized in 1966. In August 1927, the Council of People's Commissars of the RSFSR decided to establish the Zhigulevsky nature reserve on an area of ​​2.5 thousand hectares and include it as the main part of the Penza nature reserve, which in connection with this was renamed the Middle Volga. In fact, the territory of the protected area was transferred from the Morkvashinsky forestry in June 1928. In 1935, the city of Samara was renamed Kuibyshev, and the Middle Volga region - Kuibyshevsky. In February 1935, the Middle Volga Nature Reserve received the status of a state reserve and the name “Kuibyshev State Reserve.” In the same year, a large protected area in Buzuluksky Bor (Orenburg Region) was included in it, and a few months later it was allocated as an independent reserve. In 1935, the management of the reserve was moved from Penza to the village. Bakhilova Polyana, located near the Zhigulevsky site. In December 1937, the Zhigulevsky section was significantly expanded, and the total area of ​​the reserve reached 22.5 thousand hectares.

With the beginning of the Great Patriotic War, a new stage began in the history of the reserve. In 1942, oil was discovered on the territory of the reserve, in 1943, on part of the territory seized from the reserve, the Zolnoye oil workers’ settlement was founded, and in 1944, the Zolnenskoye field began to produce industrial oil. In total, from 1942 to 1947, 6 thousand hectares of land along the Volga bank in the northern, mountainous part were withdrawn from the reserve for the needs of oil production. The rapid growth of industry in the region during the war years increased the economic importance of the reserve's territory. These circumstances, along with the difficulties of the post-war recovery period, served as an objective basis for doubts about the advisability of the existence of the Kuibyshev Nature Reserve, and it was included in the list of those subject to closure. The reserve in Zhiguli was re-established on an area of ​​17.6 thousand hectares, but it existed for less than two years: already in 1960 a decision was made to liquidate it. In 1966, a reserve was organized in Zhiguli for the third time; its area was 19.4 thousand hectares. In connection with the 50th anniversary of the formation of the first reserve in Zhiguli in May 1977, it was named after the organizer and first director, Professor Ivan Ivanovich Sprygin. In 1979, the boundaries of the reserve were changed and the area was increased to 23.1 thousand hectares. The final legalization of its boundaries ended on March 22, 1982 with the issuance of a State Act for the right to use land to the reserve.

The departmental subordination of the reserve in Zhiguli, its goals and objectives have changed repeatedly. The modern goals and objectives of the Zhigulevsky Reserve are formulated in individual Regulations, which, in particular, say that the Zhigulevsky State Reserve was formed with the aim of preserving the natural complexes of Samarskaya Luka in their natural state with the entire set of their components, especially relicts and endemics of the Zhiguli, and studying them natural course natural processes and phenomena and development of scientific foundations for nature conservation in the zone of mixed coniferous-broad-leaved forests of the Middle Volga region.

The Zhigulevsky Nature Reserve is located on the Samarskaya Luka - a peninsula formed by a deep bend of the Volga in its middle reaches, in the section from the village. Usolye to Syzran. The eastern part of the Samara Luka is sharply separated from the western part by the meridional estuary section of the Usa, a right tributary of the Volga. The width of the isthmus between the Usinsky Bay of the Kuibyshev Reservoir and the Saratov Reservoir near the village. Perevoloki does not exceed 2 km, while the length of the coastline along the water edge of the Kuibyshev and Saratov reservoirs, limiting the eastern part of the Samarskaya Luka, is about 200 km. The length of the eastern part of Samara Luka in the latitudinal direction is 70 km, and from north to south - 30 km.

The main mainland section of the Zhigulevsky Nature Reserve is located in the center of the northern half of the eastern part of Samarskaya Luka. It stretches 30 km along the Volga, and up to 13 km deep into the peninsula. But the protected area approaches the banks of the Volga only in the western part for 7 km, between the city of Zhigulevsk and the village. Bakhilova Polyana. In addition to the mainland area, the reserve includes the Volga islands Seredysh and Shalyga. The islands are located to the north of the main site, their maximum width does not exceed 1 km, the total length from west to east is 5 km, the total area of ​​the island site with the protected water area of ​​the Saratov reservoir is about 540 hectares, and the area of ​​the mainland site is 22.6 thousand hectares. Both sites are included in the Stavropol district of the Kuibyshev region.

Since the organization of the first reserve in Zhiguli, the economic development of Samarskaya Luka has increased enormously and the population has grown. If in 1927 no more than 40 thousand people lived in the entire eastern part of Samara Luka, 15 thousand in Stavropol, the closest to the reserve, and 300 thousand in the regional center Samara, then currently Samara Luka is surrounded by 6 industrial cities: Kuibyshev, Novokuibyshevsk, Chapaevsk, Oktyabrsk, Syzran and Togliatti with a population of more than 2.5 million (1989 data - editor's note). Figuratively speaking, Samara Luka and Zhiguli cars seem to have moved from a remote outback to the center of the largest modern industrial hub. Along with natural historical conditions, this determines the problems of the Zhigulevsky Nature Reserve.

Nature of the Zhigulevsky Nature Reserve.

The flora of the Zhigulevsky Nature Reserve is extremely diverse. The flora of vascular plants has been the most studied, but their list cannot be considered exhaustive, since many clarifications have to be made every year. In the modern territory of the reserve, by 1984, 832 species of 90 families and 370 genera of vascular plants were reliably recorded, although 58 of these species have never been discovered over the past 20 years. The most diverse families in the reserve are the Asteraceae (42 genera, 105 species) and Poaceae (31 genus, 67 species). Legumes, cloves, rosaceae and cruciferous plants - from 38 to 47 species. Half of the families are represented by 1-2 species.

From a scientific and environmental point of view, the greatest interest is given to species that have a very narrow distribution area (endemics), growing outside the main range, having a broken range or growing on its border (relicts), as well as species that are rare for the flora of our country as a whole or for the flora large region in which the reserve is located. To the number of “valuable” species of the reserve’s flora should also be added those that have a “classical” location here, that is, were first described and recognized by science from collections made on the territory of the reserve or its immediate environs. And finally, this rather heterogeneous group includes species whose taxonomic position has not yet received general recognition. In the flora of the reserve there are about a hundred species of plants that are of particular interest for floristry and taxonomy.

A special attraction of the reserve's flora is the narrow endemic Zhiguli, which is not found anywhere in the world except for the Zhiguli. All of them, naturally, have classic locations in Zhiguli, and in particular on the territory of the reserve. These are the species: Euphorbia Zhiguli, Kachim Zhigulevsky, Kachim Yuzepchuk and a variety of rocky sunflower - Sunflower Zhigulevsky. Another 22 plant species are recognized as endemic to various more large regions, including the territory of the reserve. Thus, the Volga hawthorn, which is quite widespread in Zhiguli and on the plateau, grows wild only in a narrow Volga strip within the Kuibyshev and Saratov regions. Endemic to the Volga Upland as a whole are Zinger's astragalus, Volga bellflower, Ukrainian flax, tansy, and thin-legged stiff-leaved.

In the reserve, 30 species of flora are recognized as relics of various geological eras. Among them are tertiary (Pliocene) steppe (carnation needle-leaved, Siberian istod, Clausia sun-loving, Cossack juniper, desert oatmeal, Zhigulevsky and coinifolia sunflowers, mottled globewort) and forest relicts (Altai anemone, golden capillary, Tatarian bark, three-lobed bluegrass, lungwort soft ). The flora of the reserve also contains relicts of the Ice Age - two-leafed urchin and bearberry. This group is characterized by ferns such as Robert's holocumulus, Siberian diplasia, and hairy ossicle. The group of later relics of the xerothermic period is represented by Alpine knotweed, Austrian kozelets, Razumovsky's kopek, gray teresken, and ephedra two-spikelet. 10 species of plants from collections made in Zhiguli have become known to science. In addition to endemic ones, among them there were also species with a wide range: Lessing's feather grass, Zhiguli's grasshopper, Volga fescue. Five species are recognized rare plants flora of the USSR and are included in the Red Book of simple listing of species recognized as rare. The fact is that their numbers and the state of populations in the reserve may differ significantly from similar indicators in large regions. The significance of the reserve in preserving the gene pool of the flora is most significant in cases where species that are rare in vast regions are numerous in the reserve and are successfully restored. Thus, the Zhigulevsky Nature Reserve is very important for the conservation of Tatarian barkweed, Zhigulevsky milkweed, red pollenhead, rigid-leaved slender-leaved grass, speckled harlequin and Podolsk shiverekia.

The vegetation cover of the reserve is dominated by forests (93.7% of its total area). On the mainland area, the largest area is occupied by forests with a predominance of small-leaved linden (10,851 hectares), followed by aspen forests (5,368 hectares). Pine forests (1811 hectares) are found almost exclusively in the mountainous part, on the steepest slopes and ridges of the mountains. There are quite a lot of oak forests (1664 ha), birch forests (1071 ha) and forests dominated by Norway maple (481 ha) are also common. In the floodplain part, the largest area is occupied by forests dominated by sedge, or black poplar (113 ha), there are forests dominated by smooth elm (36 ha), black alder (13 ha) and willow, or white willow (12 ha).

Animals of the Zhigulevsky Nature Reserve.

In the territory of the reserve and its immediate surroundings, by 1984, 213 species of terrestrial vertebrates were recorded that permanently live here or regularly visit it. Among them are 40 species of mammals, 158 species of birds, 7 species of reptiles and 8 species of amphibians. Mammals belong to 6 orders: insectivores (5 species), chiropterans (6), rodents (15), lagomorphs (2), carnivores (9) and artiodactyls (3 species). Among the birds there are representatives of 14 orders. Like everywhere else in middle lane, the most diverse passerines (79 species). The avifauna of the reserve is distinguished by a large number of diurnal predators (15 species), Anseriformes (14) and Woodpeckers (7 species). The remaining orders of birds are represented by 1-6 species. Among reptiles there are 3 species of lizards and 4 species of snakes; among amphibians, tailless animals predominate (7 species).

According to condition modern numbers 101 species (25 mammals, 70 birds, 3 reptiles and 3 amphibians) can be considered background, numerous and common; the remaining 112 species in the reserve are rare. All reptiles, amphibians and most mammal species live permanently on protected area; among resident birds - 28 species, nesting - 77, migratory - 41, wintering - 4 and vagrant - 8 species. In zoogeographical terms (Yurgenson, 1981), the fauna of terrestrial vertebrates is dominated by widespread species and representatives of the fauna deciduous forests. Northern species among mammals make up 12%, birds - 10, reptiles and amphibians - 7%.

In the reserve there are no mammals, reptiles and amphibians, rare for the fauna of the USSR, but 3 species of birds (white-tailed eagle, osprey and golden eagle) are listed in the Red Book of the USSR. The first two regularly nest in the reserve; the golden eagle visits only rarely.

The fish fauna of the Saratov reservoir includes about 40 species. However, the protected water area is so small that it is difficult to determine the ichthyofauna of this section of the reservoir, since most of the fish species only enter it, and moreover, irregularly.

The fauna of invertebrate animals has not been sufficiently studied, although more than 1.5 thousand insects are known, but this is only about a quarter of their species diversity. Among the insects of the reserve, 5 species are listed in the Red Book of the USSR (1978): alpine longhorned beetle, hermit waxwing, steppe bumblebee, steppe racket and black Apollo. The Red Book of the RSFSR, published in 1983, lists 21 species of the reserve’s entomofauna. However, there is still no real basis to talk about the significant role of the reserve in preserving the gene pool of these animals, since methods for assessing the number of rare species and monitoring the state of their populations have practically not been developed.

Historically, conservation in our country was closely connected with the protection of game animals, which is why they have been studied in the most detail in the Zhigulevsky Nature Reserve. The current level of the number of mammals of the background species of this group is quite high: white hare - 300, elk - 200, wild boar - 150, badger, squirrel and marten - 100 each and fox - 30 heads. Of the birds in this group of species, the most interesting is the upland game, which is relatively small in the reserve: black grouse - 300, hazel grouse - 100, wood grouse - 50 individuals.

Over the half-century period of conservation in Zhiguli, the number of hunting and commercial animals has changed. The history of ungulates is most revealing in this regard. The only native representative of this group is the elk. By the time the first reserve was organized, a herd of 7 moose lived on Samarskaya Luka. The widespread ban on its production, combined with compliance with the reserve regime, contributed to the growth of the moose population. Their number in the protected area alone in the pre-war years reached 20-30, and in 1960 it amounted to 40 animals. Many moose also lived in the adjacent territory. The number of moose reached its maximum by the mid-70s, exceeding 300 heads, and in general in Samarskaya Luka - 1 thousand. During these years, seasonal migrations of moose were clearly expressed: at the beginning of winter - from the reserve to neighboring territories, where they were attracted by the abundance of deciduous trees young animals in clearings, and with the beginning of spring - to the reserve, where, with the widespread abundance of food, they were attracted by peace. During this period, the one-time maximum number of moose in the reserve in the pre-winter period and at the beginning of winter reached 500 animals. Since the winter of 1975/76, their number began to decline to 300 animals in 1984. The main reasons for this: increased mortality in deep-snowy winters (especially 1978/79), a sharp increase in the number of wolves, the annual shooting of moose outside the reserve, and reduction of winter pastures for moose. Currently, moose prefer to winter in permanent places reserve, where they gather at the beginning of winter.

In 1938 -1939 About 30 sika deer brought from the Far East were released into the reserve. Sika deer did well in Zhiguli, and by 1951 there were almost 100 of them on Samarskaya Luka, of which about 80 were kept in the protected area. But deer caused noticeable damage to the vegetation of the rocky steppes: they stayed here for a long time in winter time, foraging from under shallow snow. The sika deer population in Zhiguli was unstable. A critical situation for them arose after the closure of the Kuibyshev Nature Reserve in 1951. One exceptionally deep snowy winter of 1955/56 was enough for the sika deer population on Samarskaya Luka to be fatally undermined. In the summer of 1956, the remains of 28 corpses of sika deer were discovered on Bakhilova Mountain alone. In 1960, there were only a few (and dubious) evidence of the sighting of traces of this animal. After 1966, not a single sighting of sika deer or their tracks was recorded in the reserve.

Due to changes in environmental conditions in the region, two new species of ungulates have appeared on Samarskaya Luka over the past 20 years. Since 1960, roe deer have been found here, and since 1973, wild boar. The number of roe deer has gradually increased since 1960 and reached a maximum of 50 animals in 1975. Wolves that appeared in the winter of 1975/76 immediately destroyed several herds of roe deer, which survived only in the mountainous part of the reserve. Currently, roe deer have become very rare inhabitants of the reserve (there are no more than 5 of them), but there is hope that as a result of the fight against wolves, there will be more roe deer on Samarskaya Luka.

The main factor limiting the habitat and increase in the number of wild boars in the reserve is also the height of the snow cover. In search of available food, wild boars chose some ravines in the mountainous part of the reserve as their wintering grounds. By mid-winter, groups of wild boars, due to the high snow cover, find themselves confined to very limited areas and starve. In milder winters, they survive safely until spring, when they begin to actively rummage in the first thawed patches, in search of which they rise from the ravines to the southern slopes. Here they seriously damage the vegetation of the rocky steppe. During a snowy winter (for example, 1984/85), young animals and some males die from lack of food, and pregnant females eat dead animals. As a result, almost all of last year's offspring dies, but the females come to farrowing well-fed, and the total number of the herd is restored. With such natural regulation of the number of wild boars in the conditions of the natural complex of Samarskaya Luka, for which this species is an alien component, several mild winters create a danger of excessive growth in its number. This can lead to serious destruction of the relict vegetation of the reserve and to the mass death of animals. It was decided to carry out a set of works to manage the wild boar population on Samarskaya Luka: feed the wild boars outside the reserve in order to eliminate their winter concentration in the reserve, and shoot most of the young animals to a number that does not pose a threat to the protected vegetation.

Large predators are not limited to the protected area either. In the 18th century there were significantly more of them on Samarskaya Luka than now. At that time, not only the wolf and lynx, which are found today, lived here, but the brown bear was also numerous. But about 100 years ago the last animal was killed here, and from then until now this predator has not appeared. The number of wolves and lynxes also changed, which in certain periods were completely exterminated on Luka, but came again, while the lynx disappeared for a long time, and when returning it was extremely small in number.

The number of wolves at times increased to alarming proportions. In the first decade after the organization of the current reserve (1966-1975), only rare, isolated visits of wolves were noted, but since 1976 they have appeared in the reserve regularly, and their total number has reached 30 animals. We had to resume the fight against the “gray robbers”. In the winter of 1984/85, 7 wolves were caught in traps. It is important to note that, as in previous years, all wolves were killed outside the protected area. The entire experience of the Zhiguli reserve shows that the wolf population should not get out of control; As soon as more than one pack of wolves appears in the reserve (as a rule, this is a brood with parents, numbering no more than 7 animals), the fight against them should immediately begin. Moreover, there is no need to do this in a protected area.

Lynx appeared in the reserve later and began to visit regularly since 1981. Given the current exceptionally low lynx population, there is no need to reduce it. However, this does not mean that the lynx does not affect the animals of the reserve. In particular, after the return of the lynx to Zhiguli, the number of white hares here has noticeably decreased. This coincidence is probably not accidental, since hares dominate the lynx’s diet.

Of the small predators in the reserve, the most numerous are two species from the mustelidae family - common badger And pine marten. In the 1920s, the badger was a rare inhabitant of the reserve, but has now become a common species. The three other species of this family - the wood polecat, the ermine and the weasel - are very small in number. Most mustelids feed on rodents, mainly mouse-like ones, among which the bank vole invariably remains the most numerous (about 80%). Fluctuations in the number of this particular species determine the state of the food supply of the marten and smaller mustelids, as well as the fox.

In turn, the number of mice depends on the harvest of acorns, nuts, pine, linden, maple seeds and on weather conditions. A clear relationship can be seen between the number of squirrels and the fruiting of oak and hazel. The “Chronicle of Nature” of the reserve describes cases when, after two productive years of oak trees, the number of squirrels increased to several thousand and their mass migration was observed, during which the animals tried to swim across the Volga. Currently, the growth in the number of squirrels is limited by the large number of martens and great owls, which eat up all the squirrels in the central part of the reserve. Squirrels are found mainly near villages, where martens and owls, as a rule, do not appear.

Among lagomorphs, only the white hare is numerous. After 1966, its numbers have consistently remained at a high level, although in previous years there were periods of complete absence of hares, probably due to an epizootic. The brown hare is usually found only along the southern border of the reserve and is an order of magnitude less numerous than the hare.

In the last century, upland game - wood grouse, black grouse and hazel grouse - was incomparably more numerous than now. Despite the organization of nature reserves, these birds are becoming less and less numerous. In addition to the obvious general reason - human development of the territory, the role of individual factors determining this sad process has not yet been sufficiently identified.

There are many hunting and commercial waterfowl in the reserve during autumn migration. In September - October, flocks of ducks of up to a thousand birds were often observed in the bay between the islands. The largest flocks are formed by mallards, which are often joined by other ducks.

There are negligible numbers of nesting waterfowl (mallards, goldeneyes), as well as other game birds (gray partridges, quails, woodcocks, etc.).

The zoocenosis of the protected islands is dominated by species associated with the shores: water vole, the housekeeper vole, as well as the fox, whose diet on the islands is dominated by fish. Moose and roe deer accidentally enter the islands. In some years, the density of elk on the islands reached 10-15 animals per 1000 hectares. In winter, moose feed mainly in talnik thickets. On the lake Kolchuzhny has repeatedly encountered minks and muskrats. Before the regulation of the Volga, muskrats were rarely seen here. The island lake is home to tench and crucian carp, while the bay is dominated by perch, ruffe and roach. Among amphibians and reptiles, only the lake frog and the common viper are occasionally found on the islands. Mallards, goldeneyes, teals, waders and whistlers, common terns, and white-tailed eagle nest here. During spring and especially autumn migrations, flocks of waterfowl stay in the shallow bay for a long time, among which mallards are common, gray ducks, shovelers, ducks, goldeneyes, mergansers, etc. are less common. open water, especially in the post-breeding period, black-headed gulls and common terns stay in large concentrations on the shallows around the islands. Gray herons often fly in to feed.

In some years, colonies of sand martins nested in coastal cliffs. Warblers and nightingales nest in the bushes and meadows of the island, and tree sparrows and great and lesser spotted woodpeckers nest in the forests. The abundance of fish killed or injured in the turbines of the hydroelectric power station attracts black kites to the islands, as well as jackdaws, which nest in small colonies in the floodplain sedge, and hooded crows.

In the 20-30s, the white hare lived on the islands, and the black stork and black grouse, which are not here now, nested.

The proximity of the river largely determines the uniqueness of the inhabitants of the northern slopes of the Zhiguli. Many black kites nest here, in whose diet a significant role is played by fish, white-tailed eagle and water birds - gulls, waders, mallards, gray herons, shore swallows, warblers. Almost all the background species of the mainland area are found: starling, chaffinch, tits, flycatchers, woodpeckers, cuckoos, blackbirds, etc. Until the mid-30s, the firebuck nested in the rocks of Malaya Bakhilovaya Mountain, but in 1933 it was forced out of the nesting areas by jackdaws . Currently, neither sardines nor jackdaws nest in the rocks. The jackdaws moved to the island, and the return of the jackdaw is prevented by human settlement of the coast. Deep ravines leading to the Volga are the favorite habitats of hazel grouse.

Before the creation of the Volzhskaya hydroelectric power station, the white-tailed eagle was a typical nesting site. After the construction of a hydroelectric power station, the river does not freeze over a significant length throughout the winter. This made it possible for the eagle to stay here and feed on fish in winter. In winter, eagles sometimes form flocks of several dozen birds. The osprey does not winter near the hydroelectric power station yet. In summer it can often be seen flying over a reservoir, but the osprey does not nest in the coastal mountains, making nests in the depths of the massif, more than 10 km from the coast.

It is characteristic that large animals - elk, roe deer, wild boar, wolf, lynx - now, as a rule, do not go to the shore. This is most likely explained by the population of most of the coast and heavy traffic on the road separating the main body of the reserve from the Volga bank. Only in very deep snowy winters are there cases of moose and roe deer going to the coastal part, to the Volga. The villages along the northern border of the reserve are characterized by ordinary synanthropic biocenoses, which include house mouse, gray rat, house sparrow, hooded crow, magpie and rock pigeon. The common starling is numerous here, big tit, nuthatch, redstart, goldfinch and others are also common small birds. Synanthropic biocenoses are depleted as a result of extensive treatment of the territory adjacent to the villages with pesticides. This leads to the death of hedgehogs, squirrels, and small birds.

Animal world forest area Zhiguli and the Samarskaya Luka plateau are almost homogeneous and can be considered as a single biocenosis of the mountain forest. The forest area is inhabited by game animals and forest birds, but they constitute an insignificant part of the species diversity of the forest biocenosis. Rodents play a very significant role in them - from the numerous bank vole and the widespread yellow-throated and wood mice to such rare species as the forest dormouse and the common shelf mouse. Owls can be considered a unique symbol of the forest, among which the gray and long-tailed owls are common, the long-eared and short-eared owls and the eagle owl are more rare.

Invertebrates play a huge role in the forest ecosystem, especially dendrophilous insects, including pests - gypsy moth, lacewing, green oak leaf roller, euonymus moth and many others.

Within the vast forest area of ​​the reserve, smaller biocenoses can be distinguished. Thus, the biocenoses of rocky steppes and mountain forests are characterized by a unique soil fauna, which differs significantly from the soil fauna of European broad-leaved forests and approaches the soil fauna of similar ecotopes Southern Urals. These biocenoses are rich in reptiles, which are attracted here by good warming and the abundance of voids between stones, in rock crevices, i.e., excellent shelters for wintering. This is the main habitat of the patterned snake - a representative of the semi-desert fauna on Samarskaya Luka. Among the terrestrial insects, the typical ones are the steppe racket, the praying mantis, the trumpet cricket, etc. There are many relict species associated with the relict vegetation of forests and rocky steppes.

The biocenoses of small continental reservoirs are also unique, with which the sharp-faced, grass and pond frogs are associated, and the latter is very numerous in the largest reservoirs. Teal occasionally nest on mainland lakes. Along the southern border of the forest, in the meadow areas there are birds of the open landscape - meadow harrier, kestrel, gray partridge, quail, skylark, meadow mint, etc. Among the mammals typical of these places, the common mole rat is a representative of the steppe fauna, living here in isolation from the main habitat.

Initial information about the national park was kindly provided by the administration of the resource www.biodiversity.ru

Zhigulevsky Nature Reserve named after I.I. Sprygina was organized in 1966, on a peninsula on the Volga River.

Over the entire period of its existence, the name of the reserve has changed more than once, the area has gradually increased and today the total area is 23,157 hectares. Since 2007, the Zhigulevsky Nature Reserve has been part of the Middle Volga Biosphere Reserve. The famous Zhiguli Mountains occupy approximately 20% of the territory.

Due to its geographical location, plants characteristic of different geographical zones grow on the territory of the state reserve. Among the species diversity there are endemic plants that are not found anywhere except Zhiguli. Some plant species are relict, growing in the protected area for many centuries. Some of the growing plants are listed in the Red Book of the Russian Federation.

The largest territory is occupied by mixed and pine forests, only on the slopes of the mountains are rocky steppes found. The Zhigulevsky Nature Reserve is distinguished by the presence of a large number of ravines.

The reserve is inhabited by different kinds birds, including rare ones. Among the birds one can note the wood grouse, hazel grouse, white-tailed eagle, eagle owl, and green woodpecker. The forests of the Zhigulevsky Nature Reserve are home to elk, deer, roe deer, wild boars, hares, squirrels, foxes, ermines, martens, badgers and even wolves. Once upon a time, bears were the owners of the forests, but over time they were completely exterminated.

Zhigulevsky State Natural Biosphere Reserve named after. I.I. Sprygina is open to visitors all year round. There are several excursions by bus or car, on foot or by bike along different routes. The duration of the excursions is 1-4 hours. A sightseeing tour of the reserve museum lasts no more than half an hour. The price of excursions varies between 125-3000 rubles and depends on the type of excursion, the transport used, and the number of people in the group.

Usually a visit to the Zhigulevsky Nature Reserve is part of a planned vacation in nearby cities. 40 km. from Zhigulevsk, at the foot of the Zhigulevskaya Strelnaya Mountain, there is a recreation center “Volzhskie Zori”, where you can stay. You can rent housing in Zhigulevsk or Samara.

It is worth noting that the Zhigulevsky Nature Reserve is not suitable for a long visit, the time spent on its territory is limited, strict rules apply (you cannot leave the trails, you must be accompanied by a guide, filming only within the trails, you cannot pick plants, etc.). This is due to the fact that the Zhigulevsky Nature Reserve was created for the purpose of preserving and studying its natural elements; rare species of plants grow on its territory, and endangered species of animals and insects live. If you allow visitors to behave freely, then pristine nature gradually there would be nothing left.

Location

Russia, Samara region, city. Zhigulevsk, s. Bakhilova Polyana, st. Zhigulevskaya, 1 (reserve administration, entrance to the protected area)
Website: www.zhreserve.ru

The reserve is located in the continental climate zone of temperate latitudes. The frost-free period in the reserve area lasts on average 159 days.

The reserve was first organized on August 19, 1927. Then it was just the Zhigulevsky section of the Middle Volga Nature Reserve with an area of ​​2.5 thousand hectares. In 1932, the Volga islands of Shalyga and Seredysh were included in the territory of the site.

In 1935, the Middle Volga Nature Reserve was renamed Kuibyshevsky, Buzuluksky Bor was also added to it as a protected area, and the management of the reserve from Penza was transferred to the village of Bakhilova Polyana. The total area of ​​the reserve was about 10 thousand hectares. Less than a year later, the Buzuluksky forest was allocated as a separate reserve. In 1937, the area of ​​the main section of the reserve - Zhigulevsky - increased to 22.5 thousand hectares.

In 1938, the first forest inventory was carried out on the territory of the reserve, as a result of which a forest plan and taxation description were drawn up, and the first inventories of the flora of vascular plants, amphibians, reptiles, birds and mammals were also carried out. Work was carried out to determine the species composition of insects and study soils and vegetation cover.

Due to the prevailing view in the 1930s that reserves should not be examples of pristine nature, but examples of areas with the richest nature, work was carried out on the territory of the reserve to introduce exotic plants and animals. Thus, sika deer were introduced, and a nursery of Amur velvet, Manchurian walnut and some other shrubs was founded.

In the spring of 1941, the accumulated research material on the reserve was prepared for publication and transferred to Moscow. The Great Beginning Patriotic War had a noticeable impact on the history of the Zhigulevsky Nature Reserve. Many of the reserve's employees went to the front, and they were replaced by scientists evacuated from Moscow and Leningrad. The procurement of medicinal plants for the needs of the front was organized. In 1943, the results of the inventory of the reserve’s forests, carried out in 1938, were finally processed, and forest management documents were drawn up. The state of the sika deer population and its impact on the vegetation of the reserve was studied. The result of the research was the conclusion about negative impact deer to the unique vegetation of the reserve, as well as the impossibility of deer’s existence without human support: feeding in winter with deep snow and protection from wolves.

Meanwhile, coastal lands were withdrawn from the reserve. Search work was first carried out there, and since 1942 industrial production oil. Wells were drilled, the village of Zolnoye was built, asphalt roads, power lines, pipelines, and associated gas flaring appeared on the territory of the reserve. Reserved forests were cut down for the needs of oil workers and for fire-fighting purposes; low technological standards led to soil contamination with petroleum products.

In 1947, the compilation of the Chronicle of Nature of the Kuibyshev State Reserve began using archival documents. Books were published for 1928-1930, 1931-1935, 1936-1940, 1941-1945 and 1946-1950, and in 1951, along with dozens of other reserves in the country, the reserve was liquidated.

93.7% of the reserve's territory is covered with forests; on the mainland the forests are dominated by small-leaved linden (10,851 hectares) and aspen forests (5,368 hectares). There are pine (1811 ha), oak (1664 ha), birch forests (1071 ha) and forests dominated by Norway maple (481 ha). In the floodplain part, the forests mainly consist of sedge (113 ha), with a predominance of smooth elm (36 ha), black alder (13 ha) and white willow (12 ha). In general, the vegetation of the reserve is very diverse. The most studied is the flora of vascular plants. By 1984, 832 species from 90 families and 370 plant genera were reliably recorded in the reserve. To date, 58 of them have disappeared.

The largest of those represented are the families Compositae (42 genera, 105 species) and Poaceae (31 genera, 67 species), Legumes, Rosaceae, Cruciferae are widely represented, and half of the families are represented by 1-2 species.

The most valuable and interesting for science are endemic plants, relict specimens, as well as those that were first described from collections made on the territory of the reserve. Also valuable are species that are generally rare for the flora of the region and country. In total, on the territory of the Zhiguli Nature Reserve there are about a hundred plant species that are of particular interest to science.

Narrow endemics of Zhiguli and the Zhigulevsky Nature Reserve are milkweed Zhigulevsky, kachim Zhigulevsky, kachim Yuzepchuk and sunflower Zhigulevsky. Another 22 species of plants are recognized as endemic to larger regions: Zinger's astragalus, Volga bellflower, Ukrainian flax, tansy, rigid-leaved tansy, thin-legged stiff-leaved, Volga hawthorn.

30 plant species are recognized as relics of various geological eras. These are Pliocene steppe (carnation needle-leaved, Siberian istod, Clausia sun-loving, Cossack juniper, desert sheep, Zhigulevsky and coinifolia sunflowers, mottled globewort) and forest relicts (Altai anemone, golden capillary, Tatarian bark, three-lobed azure, lungwort Gkaya), representatives of the Ice Age : two-leaved mayweed and common bearberry, and from other eras: Robertov's holocaria, Siberian diplasia, hairy ossicle, Alpine knotweed, Austrian goat, Razumovsky's kopek, gray teresken, ephedra two-spikelet.

For the first time described in the Zhigulevsky Nature Reserve, in addition to endemic species, Lessing's feather grass, Zhigulevsky common grass, and Volga fescue.

According to information from 1984, 213 species of terrestrial vertebrates were noted that permanently inhabit the territory of the reserve and its environs or regularly visit it. Of these, 101 species are numerous and permanently inhabited, 112 are rare. These are 40 species of mammals (25 numerous), 158 species of birds (70), 7 species of reptiles (3), 8 species of amphibians (3).

Mammals are represented by 6 orders: 5 species of insectivores, 6 species of chiropterans, 15 species of rodents, 2 representatives of lagomorphs, 3 species of artiodactyls and 9 species of predators. Among the birds there are 14 orders, among which the most common are passerines - 79 species, diurnal predators - 15 species, Anseriformes - 14 species, woodpeckers - 7 species. The remaining orders are represented by 1-6 species. According to the constancy of their stay, 29 species of birds are sedentary, 77 are nesting, 41 are migratory, 4 are wintering and 8 are migratory. The rarest protected birds are the white-tailed eagle, osprey and golden eagle.

The reptile fauna is represented by 3 species of lizards and 4 species of snakes. Amphibians are mainly representatives of tailless species - 7 species.

Also in the water area of ​​the reserve there are about 40 species of fish, but the protected area of ​​the Saratov reservoir is very small, and it is impossible to talk about the ichthyofauna of the reserve itself.

The reserve is also home to several thousand insects, but they have been studied much less than vertebrates.

The only native ungulate species in the protected area is moose. By the time the reserve was created, there were only 7 of them left throughout the entire territory of Samarskaya Luka. The protective regime contributed to their conservation and by the early 1940s there were 20-30 heads of them in the reserve territory alone, by the 1960s - 40 heads, and by the mid-1970s it reached its maximum in the entire history of observations - 300 heads in the reserve and about 1 thousand in the territory of Luka. Subsequently, there was some decline in numbers caused by both climate change and bans on logging in the adjacent territories, which were a favorite food source for moose.

In 1938, about 30 sika deer were brought and released into the reserve. Human support allowed them to increase their numbers to one hundred animals by the time the reserve was closed in 1951. However, the deer could not survive without human help: the winter of 1955-1956 with deep snow, from under which the deer could not get food, an increase in the number of wolves, and poaching led to the fact that the deer died by the early 1960s.

Since 1960, roe deer have been found on the territory of the reserve, whose numbers are variable and small, and since 1973 - wild boars, whose numbers, on the contrary, are too large for the limited territory of the reserve. Boars, in search of food, disturb the relict vegetation of the reserve, it is necessary to resort to regulating their numbers by organization of feeding outside the reserve and their shooting outside the protected areas.

Back in the 19th century, the last brown bear on the territory of Samarskaya Luka was destroyed. Since then, the largest predators have been wolves and lynxes. Their numbers are not historically constant; in certain periods they were completely exterminated on the territory of Samarskaya Luka.

At times the number of wolves reached alarming proportions. So in 1976 there were about 30 animals. Practice shows that constant monitoring of the number of wolves and their regulation when more than one pack appears - no more than 7 individuals. In this case, regulation can be carried out outside the protected area.

There are owls, mainly gray and long-tailed owls, less often the little owl, and a very rare eagle owl. Upland game: wood grouse, black grouse and hazel grouse are very rare.

After the creation of hydroelectric power stations and the appearance of non-freezing channels, white-tailed eagles are able to fish all year round and stopped flying away for the winter.

Among migratory birds There are both those found only on the territory of the reserve: osprey, and widely and ubiquitously distributed. The territory of the reserve plays a large role in the migrations of mute swans, greylag goose, greater merganser and various ducks.

Not always on the territory of the reserve, but there are