Birds of the Kemerovo region. Red Book “Animals of Kuzbass”

The Kemerovo region is located in the southeastern part of Western Siberia in the sixth time zone and is the geographical center of Russia, occupying a middle position between the cities of Moscow and St. Petersburg. In terms of area, this is the smallest region in Western Siberia. Its main part is located in the Kuznetsk Basin, which stores huge reserves of coal. Therefore, the region has the second name “Kuzbass”

Flora of the Kemerovo region

About 65 percent of the area of ​​the Kemerovo region is occupied by forests and shrubs. The natural location of mountain ranges stretching from north to south had a significant influence on the distribution of vegetation. On the territory of the Kuznetsk basin, four zones of forest ecological systems can be conventionally distinguished: the Kuznetsk-Alataut mountain-taiga zone, the Shor mountain-taiga zone, the Salair taiga-forest zone and the Tomsk-Kiya taiga-forest-steppe zone.

On the slopes here and there areas of steppe communities are introduced; as you move to the south, the vegetation gradually turns into pure taiga massifs (such as the black forests of Mountain Shoria, cedar forests) that have preserved here and there relict linden islands. The Kemerovo region has the only island habitat of linden in Siberia, occupying eleven thousand hectares (the so-called “Linden Island”) and declared a natural monument of federal significance. This unique linden massif, preserved here since the pre-glacial period, confirms the scientists’ guess that lindens here are originally local. Only in these places grow such herbs that accompany linden and are completely unusual for Siberian forests, such as hoofed grass, circe, woodruff and a dozen more similar plants.

Birch grows throughout the Kemerovo region. Moreover, it not only forms the undergrowth of the black taiga, but is also often found in the forest-steppe zone of the Kuznetsk depression. Another common taiga representative is fir, whose resins, oil and needles are highly valued in Russia. Pine grows in the forest-steppe zones of the Kuznetsk basin. Small groups of pine forests cover the foothills and banks of the Tom River. An unusual number of them grow around cities.

There are few cedar forests in the Kemerovo region, no more than four percent of all forests in Kuzbass. Larch is also rare. Its most significant array grows in the Tisulsky district Kuznetsk Alatau.

Spruce forests are distributed almost everywhere. Most often they grow on the slopes of high ravines and occupy the upper ledges above rivers.

Among the shrubs there are rose hips, rowan and currants. Strawberries are found in the forest. A number of medicinal plants grow on the territory of the Kemerovo region: plantain, burnet, coltsfoot, common tansy. Many rare and endangered plants are included in the Red Book of Kuzbass. These are: lady's slipper, orchis, maral root, leopard, starodubka, rhubarb, five-leafed lily, elecampane, edelweiss, Rhodiola rosea and many other plants growing in clearings and light forests of Eastern Siberia.

Fauna of the Kemerovo region

The richness of the animal world of Kuzbass is determined by the diversity of its natural landscapes. Among the wild animals inhabiting both mountain and lowland taiga, forest-steppe, forests and river valleys, the most common are: brown bears, wolverines, lynxes, wild boars, badgers, otters, foxes, ermines, weasels, weasels, squirrels, chipmunks, flying squirrels At the same time, bears mainly live in dark coniferous taiga, wolverines choose flat and mountain taiga, as well as forest-steppe.

In all the forests of Kuzbass without exception, moose are found, among the mountain forests of the Salair Ridge and in the depths of the Mariinsky taiga, Asian deer live, and in the south you can find Siberian reindeer. Roe deer live in forest-steppe and light deciduous forests, and musk deer live on steep rocky slopes. Widely distributed: squirrels, foxes, hares, wolves, pikas, flying squirrels, sable, ermine, muskrats, moles. In total, almost two and a half thousand moose, five hundred and sixty deer, over four thousand roe deer, two thousand brown bears, about a hundred wolves, almost four thousand red foxes and three and a half thousand marmots. Occasionally a mink is seen. Beavers and otters live near ponds.

Wild reindeer are found in the Kuznetsky Alatau Nature Reserve. About one hundred and three species of birds nest here. Rare species found in the Kemerovo region include the golden eagle, black stork, osprey, and peregrine falcon. Balaban can be found on rocks in pine forests. White-tailed eagle can often be seen. The rivers and lakes of Kuzbass are inhabited by pike, perch, ide, tench, cape, and ruff. There are taimen, Siberian sterlet, lenok, Siberian sturgeon, sculpin, and nelma. From the world of insects living in Kuzbass, it is worth mentioning a rather rare and beautiful butterfly - the Apollo. Hawkmoths are found everywhere. Among the snakes there is a patterned snake, among amphibians - newts.

Climate in the Kemerovo region

The Kemerovo region is included in the temperate zone of the Northern Hemisphere. The region is located on the border of several climatic zones. Promotion air masses in a southerly direction contribute to the formation of clear anticyclonic weather, which is characterized by hot summers and severe winters with little snow. In terms of sunshine duration, Kuzbass is almost as good as Sochi.

The climate in the Kemerovo region is typically continental, with sudden changes temperatures by season. The hottest temperatures are recorded in summer and can reach + 38 degrees Celsius. The lowest in winter can reach - 55-57 degrees. The first snow usually falls in the second half of September, but does not last long. The snow depth is unevenly distributed and depends on many factors, such as the amount of precipitation, landscape and vegetation cover.

10:00 / June 15, 2017

We decided to continue the natural history research of our glorious city and, following the flora of Kemerovo, also study the fauna. The first May walks through shady thickets, river banks, and even through the most ordinary Kemerovo courtyards gave food for thought. Our young, growing Kemerovo, rich in greenery and woody vegetation, was also famous in different years for the presence of various forest animals. In the 1990s, squirrels and gophers lived in Vera Voloshina’s park, hedgehogs lived in the outskirts of the parks, and in the fields behind the just-under-construction Yuzhny microdistrict there were always full of rodents and, as a result, feathered predators... Now the picture has changed somewhat. New species of animals and birds came to the city, some became obviously more numerous, while others remained rather rare guests in our area. Who today lives in the city thickets, enchants with sonorous trills in the bird cherry bushes and builds huts at the mouth of Iskitimka?! Let's tell you in order.

For assistance in preparing this material and scientific advice, we thank the head of the Department of Biodiversity and Bioresources of Kemerovo State University Nikolai Skalon and the head of the biological department of the Kemerovo city station for young naturalists Nikolai Korpusov.

Our experts explained the migration of forest inhabitants to the city for three reasons. Firstly, climate change towards warming and, as a consequence, renewal of the food supply. Secondly, improving the environment. And thirdly, and this is important, the loyal and sensitive attitude of the townspeople themselves towards our smaller brothers. IN last years, as biologists note, Kemerovo residents have become kinder, help wounded animals and birds, and, in principle, treat the presence of forest inhabitants more calmly and no longer rudely invade their usual habitat. The animals do not feel threatened by humans and enjoy exploring urban spaces.

According to the observations of scientists, in recent decades, small mammals have been actively settling here - semi-aquatic rodents, representatives of mustelids and hares. Almost all songbird species and winged predators have colonized the urban environment: the black kite and several species of small falcons. There are also forest migrants who are quite unusual for urban areas. We invite you to get to know our feathered and furry neighbors better.

Muskrat

Where you can see: the banks of Iskitimka in the area of ​​Antoshka Park and next to the Karavella residential complex, Krasnoye Lake

The foreign muskrat fit in well with the local environment. Today, this inhabitant of the riverside corners in Kemerovo can be observed quite often. Muskrats have chosen the shores of the Iskitimka River and Lake Krasnoe, because in principle they prefer shallow freshwater and shores overgrown with lush grass. In recent years, our muskrats have become increasingly bolder, more often they catch the eye of city residents and are very willing to pose for photos. These comrades are especially active after sunset and early in the morning.

The muskrat, or musk rat, is the only species of its kind in the order of rodents. In terms of nutrition, she is an avid vegetarian - she eats mainly the stems and leaves of coastal bushes, reeds, reeds or horsetails, and in winter - roots. But if the environment is not rich in vegetation, it will not disdain river delicacies - frogs or fish fry.

And the muskrat is an excellent builder! Like her older brother the beaver, she builds above-water huts about a meter high, floating open nests - feeding platforms, digs multi-tiered and multi-roomed earthen burrows if the shore is high enough for this, and constructs many storerooms with an abundance of supplies for the winter. In short: this is a very practical and thrifty animal.

By the way, the muskrat feels at home in the water element. She is an excellent swimmer above and below water, and can go without air for more than 15 minutes! But on land, this semi-aquatic inhabitant is slow, relying mainly on its keen hearing.

Swift Coast

Where you can see: the bank of the Tom River between Lake Sukhovskoye in the Kuzbass Botanical Garden and the village of Sukhovo

Swifts today are the real regulars of our city. Not a single summer has gone by without their swift flight and cheerful chirping for twenty years now. Amateur ornithologists have noticed that these birds have been actively exploring the city limits of Kemerovo since the 1980s. White-rumped swifts were the first to build nests on buildings, followed by the arrival of black swifts, rare for cities.

Our birds like to settle in low two- or three-story buildings; they build nests under the roof or in window openings on the upper floors. Scientists also note that since 2005 there has been an active growth in the population of swifts in Kemerovo, and in recent years this trend has also continued.

By the way, new high-rise buildings - with smooth smooth walls and an iron-edged roof edge - are not suitable for swift nesting. Therefore, the most massive colonies are found where there are more “Khrushchev” buildings, houses built by Stalin and older. In young areas and microdistricts with an abundance of high-rise complexes, these birds are much smaller or not at all.

When preparing the material, correspondents of the AVOKADO magazine also found natural settlements of swifts in the city - the Swift Coast with real earthen burrows. A whole team of fast-winged flyers took a fancy to the cliff on the Tom River within the city limits near the village of Sukhovo. Just have time to watch how nimble swifts catch midges and carry them to their chicks in cozy earthen houses. The young are in a hurry to get on the wing and immediately in flight learn from their elders how to catch midges and how to dodge predatory hunters (the colony is watched over by the watchful eye of the black kite - also a city dweller, but we will talk about this later). Swifts are not afraid of either fishermen or residents of Kemerovo vacationing on the shore. They make excellent neighbors with wagtails - these spring birds run along the shore in search of insects. In general, harmony reigns on the Stryzhiny Coast.

In general, the swift is a unique bird, created for the elements of the air - they cannot walk on the ground, they only crawl. But in terms of flights, they are true masters of aerobatics, capable of reaching speeds of up to 160 km/h. The swift literally lives “only in flight” - it drinks, eats, mates and even sleeps. He also predicts the weather; swifts often follow warm fronts, which are favorable for their rapid flight. In bad, inclement weather they stay at home. And they even fall into a kind of short-term suspended animation with a decrease in body temperature, saving energy in this way.

Redstarts

Where you can see: courtyards in the center of Kemerovo, on Vesennyaya, Nogradskaya, Dzerzhinsky streets and others.

Small songbirds, slightly smaller than a sparrow and slimmer than a wagtail, mostly grey-brown, with fiery red plumage on the belly and tail, were previously considered quite rare for our region, and throughout the country the redstart can not be found in every city. And we have them in Kemerovo! Initially, these birds settled near gardens and vegetable gardens, and in dense park thickets, but this year they can be found almost everywhere here.

For example, a small colony of redstarts has chosen the thickets of lilac and bird cherry in the center of the city. Noble singers have been singing wonderful trills almost since April in the courtyards along Dzerzhinsky and Vesennaya streets. Redstarts are hardworking birds - they feed mainly on insects and clean trees and shrubs from harmful bugs. This year, the bravest ones also feasted on the feeders on the windows. And they even flew onto balconies in search of building materials for nests.

Redstarts will delight us with wondrous songs until July. Then the birds will begin to molt, and they will prepare to travel to warmer climes. And in early September they will go to Africa or South Arabia for the winter.

Black kite

Where you can see it: in all areas of Kemerovo

It is this feathered hunter who screams so long and loudly, with a bewitching, slightly sad trill, and creates in the urban brick jungle the feeling of a rocky North American canyon. The black kite, the largest bird of prey from the hawk order in Kuzbass, has been willingly settling in our city in recent years.

At first, feathered hunters took a fancy to the suburbs. Due to the emergence of the necessary food supply and living conditions. In the fields in the surrounding villages (for example, near Mazurovo), they stopped using herbicides, small rodents began to breed actively, and kites also flocked to the “game”. The birds settled in forests near villages and farmland, and in recent years they have also settled in the city.

Last summer, for example, a pair of kites occupied a crow's nest right behind school No. 62 on Vesennyaya Street, and even bred offspring. Today birds can be observed in the Leninsky and Zavodsky districts; young kites are actively hunting in the center of Kemerovo. As our experts note, feathered predators are attracted by the abundance of birds and mice. This species generally adapts quite easily to living conditions in cities.

...And often feathered predators get into trouble on city highways. Black kites are not averse to feasting on carrion; they sometimes fly to the remains of downed animals and birds on the roadway and try to drag the delicacy to a secluded place. But, alas, not everyone has enough agility and speed; they get hit by vehicles. Injured birds are treated and nursed by caring biologists from the Center for Assistance to Wild and Exotic Animals at KemSU. But, unfortunately, not all victims can be returned to their native environment...

Kestrel

Where you can see it: Rudnichny and Zavodsky districts.

The smallest representative of falcons can also be called a Kemerovo regular. This unpretentious feathered predator settles in our stone buildings and near industrial enterprises - a few years ago, for example, a kestrel nest was found right on the elevator tower. Both hollows and abandoned nests are suitable for it; the bravest individuals can settle on the eaves of a residential building or even build a nest on your balcony. In general, he likes to go extreme.

The kestrel's favorite treat is the common house sparrow. So this bird’s hunting grounds are any city park, square or mini-forest. She will not refuse other small birds, and mice, of course. For this reason, the kestrel is highly respected by farmers. For an experienced hunter is extremely useful in agriculture. The fields where the kestrel family has settled nearby are tightly protected from voles, mice, rats, gophers and other rodents.

And the kestrel simply cannot stand magpies and becomes very aggressive if it notices a white-sided one nearby.

Peregrine falcon

Where you can see: Rudnichny district, mothballed buildings of "AZOT" and "Khimprom"

The rare falcon, listed in the Red Book of Russia, has been observed in Kemerovo since the 1990s. Peregrine falcons are a rare species, and there are only no more than 50 pairs of them in the region. It is all the more pleasant that this bird continues to settle in our glorious city today.

Last year, for example, a family of peregrine falcons was found on the mothballed tower of one of the Azot workshops. For several years in a row, according to the observations of city residents, peregrine falcons have been settling in another abandoned production facility - on the territory of Khimprom. Peregrine falcons took a fancy to the factory territories back in 1991 and settled there until 2004, then they disappeared from the city altogether for several years, returning only in 2015.

Falcons also settle in residential areas. For example, in 1998, peregrine falcons built a nest and hatched chicks on the roof of a new high-rise building in the Rudnichny district near Sosnovy Bor. They can also build nests on other buildings with heights - on bell towers, bridges.

The local food supply is excellent for peregrine falcons. They feed exclusively on birds: sparrows, thrushes, starlings, pigeons or ducks - of which we have more than enough in Kemerovo. Occasionally they also hunt bats, squirrels, hares and amphibians, of which our city is also rich.

This falcon prefers to sort out its lunch in the air. The peregrine falcon is the fastest feathered hunter in the world: in a diving flight it reaches a speed of more than 322 km/h.

Nightingale bird

Where you can see: the shore of Iskitimka next to the Rodnye Berega residential complex, in the thickets at the intersection of Krasnoarmeyskaya and Karbolitovskaya streets, behind school No. 99 on FPK, in Sosnovy Bor, in the thickets in the courtyards on Vesennyaya Street.

You can now listen to the sonorous, complex singing of this skilled performer without leaving Kemerovo. Nightingales are increasingly settling in urban areas, although not yet in such large numbers as their vocal colleagues, redstarts. Kemerovo young people have been observing nightingales for three years in a row.

In the city, birds, as in their usual natural environment, prefer to settle closer to water bodies, in floodplain or lowland thickets of bushes - viburnum, bird cherry, buckthorn or willow. We heard nightingale trills, in particular, on the banks of the Iskitimka River near the residential complex "Rodnye Berega" on Michurina Street, in the thickets at the intersection of Krasnoarmeyskaya and Karbolitovskaya streets, in the bushes behind school No. 99 on FPK, in Sosnovy Bor, this May nightingales took a fancy to bird cherry thickets in the courtyards in the city center, on Vesennaya Street and lilac thickets in the courtyards on Sovetsky Avenue near the Continent RK.

By the way, seeing a nightingale is more difficult than hearing it. For he is small (smaller than a sparrow), gray and rather inconspicuous in appearance. But vocalises are not his only amazing ability. This singer is extremely voracious, eats all insects indiscriminately - flies, butterflies, dragonflies, grasshoppers, worms, caterpillars, ants, spiders. So the nightingale is one of the main pest fighters in the ecosystem.

Nightingales fly to us in early May (8th-10th), build nests and have offspring. By the way, these birds are sensitive to temperatures, do not like extreme heat and prefer a humid climate. Since we arrived in Kemerovo this spring, the summer should not be dry and hot. The migratory singer is also not friendly with the cold weather and flies to the tropics for the winter. East Africa. At winter resorts abroad, the nightingale does not sing. Only at home - in my native Siberian outback.

Weasel

Where you can see: Metal site, garage cooperatives on Sibiryakov-Gvardeytsev Street

This is not the first year that weasels have been observed in the city limits of Kemerovo. Although, as our biologist experts note, tracking these animals is not easy. Firstly, due to its size - the weasel is very small - the body length is at most 20-25 centimeters. Secondly, she is extremely agile, nimble and resourceful. Thirdly, the weasel is simply a genius of silent and almost invisible movement.

Nevertheless, in our country, agile animals were observed both in summer cottages and in garage cooperatives. In the latter, the small predator comes through mouse holes and passages, sneaks into the cellars and sometimes steals what is in bad shape from food supplies.

The weasel usually appears in areas where the population of mouse-like rodents is particularly increasing. In Kemerovo, by the way, there are a lot of them, about five to seven different species. Little huntress - Chief Specialist for mice, shrews, voles, rats, moles and hamsters. It also readily eats pigeons, lizards, frogs and small snakes like grass snakes or even vipers.

Correcting the number of harmful rodents brings unconditional benefits, but sometimes it can get carried away. In a fit of hunting curiosity and excitement, climb, for example, into an enclosure with young rabbits or into a chicken coop... And residents of suburban towns and villages of the Kemerovo region have been convinced of this more than once. One day, summer residents even mistook an experienced hunter for a Chupacabra, having discovered the bloodless carcasses of hens and chicks. The year before last, a weasel got into trouble at the Metal site.

The animal usually settles under stones, in hollows, holes, and can settle in the ruins of a residential building or near a warehouse. By the way, he landscapes his home - lining it with dry grass, moss, large leaves and ferns.

Sable family

Where: Pine forest on the right bank in the Rudnichny district near the store warehouses, thickets near the Siberian Polytechnic College on 40 Let Oktyabrya Street

An inhabitant of the Siberian taiga is generally extremely atypical for the city. In Kuzbass, sable mostly lives within the boundaries of the Kuznetsky Alatau nature reserve and adjacent areas. Quite rare in the suburbs of Kemerovo. But a few years ago a whole sable family settled in the city.

A couple of animals made their home in Sosnovy Bor in the Rudnichny district, not far from the warehouses of a large retail chain. This is where the emboldened taiga guests began to often visit later, which the store owners did not really like.

In 2015, a sable was seen in the Kirov region. The animal climbed a tree near the building of the Siberian Polytechnic College on 40 Let Oktyabrya Street and was unable to come down. Students and a whole brigade of firefighters came to the aid of the forest dweller: they cut down a branch and caught the sable on a blanket. But the nimble predator did not need help near the ground; it jumped off and ran away into the nearest thicket of bushes.

Thickets and stone placers are the usual habitat for the sable. The animal makes its home in the hollows of trees, sometimes in fallen trees, sometimes under roots. Builds nesting shelters. Hunts on the ground, rarely climbs into the crowns. The sable is a threat to voles and pikas, and also very often prefers squirrels, chipmunks and hares for lunch.

In the city today you can also find other representatives of mustelids - ermine, forest ferret, weasel and solong.

Field Thrushes

Where you can see: Sosnovy Bor, a square near the Miner's Memory monument, a forest in the village of Zhuravlevo near the Kovcheg cafe, on the banks at the mouth of Iskitimka

Until recently, fieldfare thrushes were also rare guests in the city. They flew in only before winter and did not stay for permanent residence. In recent years, they appear in Kemerovo more and more often and settle in public gardens and wooded parks and forests. Like nightingales, they prefer damp places near ponds and thickets of their favorite rowan trees. That's why they are called that.

Researchers note that this thrush began to colonize cities just after parks, squares and streets began to be planted with mountain ash. At first, small flocks flew to us in mid-autumn, after the first frost, to feast on sweet, bright scarlet fruits, then they began to nest in suburban forests and groves, on the outskirts of the forest and, finally, among residential areas.

Fieldfare is a sweet-toothed thrush. And these birds begin their fruitful years not with rowan, but with other berries. With the appearance of the first forest harvests, blackbirds begin to migrate in summer flocks. First for wild strawberries, then for garden ones, then back to forest lands for blueberries. Closer to autumn, they can return back to the gardens - to ripen shadberry, currants and raspberries. In general, a thunderstorm for country berry plantations.

And the fieldfare is the bravest feathered parent. In case of danger (the bird and its offspring are hunted by representatives of hawks), the thrush begins to crackle or emit a high, thin whistle - special alarm signals. The hunter will not allow the hunter to fly up to the nest under any circumstances and generally prefers to be the first to attack the predator.

Killer whale swallow

Where you can see: Kuzbasskaya street, Vesennyaya street, Sukhovo village

Swallows are actively exploring the open spaces of Kemerovo. And if the city swallow or the funnel is already quite common in our environment, then its close relative the barn swallow, the same killer whale swallow, is a rare guest in megacities - it loves villages and the private sector more.

Since about the mid-2000s, it has been observed in Kemerovo. Our barn swallows like to build nests, for example, under the bridge across the Tom on support platforms and in unfinished buildings, under the eaves of houses, on boat docks. This year, killer whales were observed both in their usual environment in the village of Sukhovo, and in the city center - on Kuzbasskaya and Vesennaya streets.

Like their close relatives, swifts, killer whales love flying insects, hunt in flight, drink while flying, and feed their chicks. He also doesn’t like to sit on the ground, but still sometimes does it, for example, to swim in a puddle on a hot morning. Killer whales love water treatments.

Barn swallows are migratory birds. Usually they come to us in the second half of May, build nests and hatch offspring, and already at the end of June the chicks fly out. They fly to warmer climes in September.

Owls

Where you can see: forests near Kemerovo airport, city districts

Long eared owl

polar owl

Owls have long chosen groves and forests near the villages of the Kemerovo region, but not everyone dares to settle in the city. Most of us still fly in, more often in winter, and fly in to hunt and eat. However, the bravest ones still decided to begin developing the city limits.

For two years in a row (2014-2015), a family of polar white owls lived near the Kemerovo airport. The indigenous inhabitants of the tundra, according to scientific sources, are partially nomadic birds, and can sometimes nest during the wintering period and in settlements. But they still prefer open spaces to the bustle of the city, and some individuals may linger in nesting areas for the winter. Just like this couple. Apparently our diet suited the travelers. Snowy owls feed mainly on rodents, hares, and birds - ducks and partridges. We loved to hunt on the airport runway.

As a result, the female was injured and had to be transferred to a rehabilitation center in Novosibirsk, and the male was observed for about another year in the same area.

Our experts also note that the long-eared owl happily settles in the city, occupies abandoned crow’s nests in public gardens or parks, and breeds offspring. He tolerates being around people very calmly.

Fox

Where: Iskitimka floodplain, thickets near the Karavella residential complex

Foxes in general are frequent guests of cities and Kemerovo in particular. But more often they still visit us in winter time. They come to get some food. And, as a rule, red predators are found mainly in Sosnovy Bor, or in the forests near the surrounding villages. This winter we observed a fox in our forest.

Beavers have a long history with our region. Today, as it turns out, this is generally the least studied species of animal in our area. The fact is that in the 19th century in Kuzbass beavers were completely exterminated; the game animal was valued for its fur, meat and the so-called beaver stream.

Beavers were reintroduced to our region only in the 1960s. Brought from the Voronezh Nature Reserve. Since then, beavers have been actively spreading throughout the region; previously they were found on reservoirs in suburban areas; this year a couple of young beavers reached Kemerovo!

A beaver dam that had been started this spring in the Kirovsky district was discovered by local residents. Hardworking builders settled on a pond near the Progress plant. The townspeople managed to film the beaver construction site. In the photo there are fallen trees with even squares - traces of beaver teeth.

The appearance of these forest inhabitants in urban landscapes, according to both townspeople and experts, is a good sign: the environmental situation is gradually improving.

White hares

Where: Sosnovy Bor, floodplain of the Iskitimka River

An extremely typical inhabitant of the Kuzbass taiga in Lately also began to move closer to the city. This spring, young people observed traces of hares and their offspring in Sosnovy Bor. The food supply here is excellent for them. Long-eared animals are not averse to “grabbing food” from bird feeders.

And in the spring, white hare settles in the thickets on the deserted banks of Iskitimka - just below the pension fund building towards the university bridge. Food - hares eat grass, shoots, mushrooms, twigs and bark - there is enough for them here. In addition, these forest inhabitants easily adapt to the presence of people.

Marina Rovina
Red Book “Animals of Kuzbass”

Red Book of Kuzbass / animals

Slide 1 Beaver.

The beaver is a rather large rodent, its weight can reach up to 32 kilograms. The average body length is one meter, the tail is 15 cm wide, covered

horny scutes. The height of the beaver is 30 cm. The body is thick with a wide flat

head and short hind legs with a swimming membrane.

The mouth contains incisors for gnawing trees.

The beaver has beautiful fur, which consists of coarse guard hairs and

very thick silky underfur. Coloring fur from light chestnut to

dark brown, sometimes black. The tail and limbs are black. Molt once every

year, at the end of spring, but continues almost until winter.

Beavers – animals, long known to people. For many centuries, people hunted beavers, and it was very convenient for them. Animals settled in groups in certain places, and it was easy to find their settlements.

Why is the beaver so attractive? He has everything valuable: skin, meat, fat. Also, when people recognized healing properties "beaver stream"- secretions of the musk gland, the value of the beaver has increased several times.

Beavers are hard workers. Their favorite activity is construction. As soon as they like the area somewhere, they immediately begin to build. The beaver swims and dives well. The eyes, ears, and nose are positioned so that he sees and hears, and does not raise his head when swimming. And definitely near water. The point is that in the water animals feel calm and safer than on land.

Build these water-loving animals know how to make holes and huts. In both design options, the exit from the home is under water.

The beaver liked the steep bank - he digs a hole. And if the coast is flat, then the animal builds a hut from branches, sticks, twigs, as a cement mortar for the structure animal uses clay and silt.

Beavers – animals are smart, they are called "keepers of the rivers". In water

They build dams in the basin and thereby prevent the reservoir from drying out.

A beaver dam is an absolutely necessary building. Thanks to her

The water level rises, and the beaver's life becomes more comfortable. Beavers live up to 25 years. Beaver cubs are born in April-May. There can be from 1 to 5 cubs. After a few days, they already swim, and after 3 weeks, in addition to milk, they gradually begin to feed on plants. I live with my parents until I am 2-3 years old.

Slide2 Moose

One of the largest reigns in our forests animals – moose. He is easily recognizable. Elk is the largest game species. Height at shoulders 240cm, weight 570kg (record 655kg). By autumn, the baby elk, born in the summer, reaches a weight of one hundredweight. Large, powerful legs, hook-nosed muzzle, high withers. Adult males boast large, spade-like horns. The male bears horns of more than one and a half meters in span and weighing up to 20 kg. But sometimes the elk get tired of the antlers. And he sheds them in November-December and walks without them until May. The body dimensions, size and shape of elk antlers vary depending on geographic latitude. The average weight of the bulls of these moose is more than 200 kg, and the maximum is 400 kg. The elk is a sponger; its upper lip is very large. The neck is short, the ears are long and pointed. Shubeika (wool)- brown, with various shades of ash. In summer, the color of the moose's fur is darker.

What is a moose's diet? Branches of trees and shrubs, marigold, sedge, as well as marsh vegetation. Moose are big fans of such a plant as fireweed.

In winter, elk feed during the day and sleep at night. In summer, it's the other way around. Hiding from the heat and midges, he rests during the summer day and looks for food at night.

In the last days of May - early June, a moose cow gives birth to one, rarely two moose calves. Newborns weigh on average 12-14 kilograms.

Slide3 Musk deer

Musk deer - small animal, a relative of deer. Body length up to 1 m, tail 4-6 cm, height at withers up to 70 cm; weight 11-18 kg. The hind legs are not proportionally long, so the sacrum of a standing musk deer is 5-10 cm higher than the withers. The tail is short. The musk deer would look more slender and graceful if it were not for the developed hind limbs (the hind legs of the musk deer are one and a half times longer than the front ones, which is why the musk deer looks as if hunched over. Rib cage in musk deer it is short and narrow, indicating an inability to run for long periods of time. She silently and easily jumps over steep rocky ledges and stones. The mountainous areas of the dark coniferous taiga serve as its refuge. There you can hide from wolves and foxes. She does not have horns, but males have long saber-prominent upper fangs. Males have long curved fangs protruding from under the upper lip. These fangs grow throughout their lives, reaching 7–10 centimeters in adult males, and they have a sharp cutting rear edge, serving as a tournament weapon. In females, the upper canines are short and do not protrude beyond the lip. In the life of male musk deer, ini have the same important, like the antlers of other representatives of deer. They also have an abdominal gland that produces musk. The musk deer's fur is thick and long, but brittle. Coloring brown or brown. In young people animals fuzzy light gray spots are scattered on the sides and back. Their lifespan in nature is only 4–5 years, but up to 10–14 years in captivity. The musk deer is cautious and timid, any rustle alarms it, especially when the female has small cubs; the musk deer usually has two of them, entirely covered with light spots. The mother hides them in the grass, among stones and selflessly protects them if they are in the slightest danger. Calves have been feeding on her milk since autumn. And adults eat grass, mosses, mushrooms, and lichens. In winter, their main food is lichens hanging from tree trunks and needles and branches of bushes. There are a lot of musk deer in the taiga enemies: lynx, wolverine, wolf, fox.

Interesting Facts

Musk deer, escaping from pursuit, can confuse their tracks, like a hare.

Already in the jump, animal capable of turning 90 degrees and changing the direction of movement or stopping completely silently while running.

The water deer lives in China. These animals very similar to musk deer.

Slide 4 Boar

The boar has a powerful body. The length of the boar's body reaches 2 m. The height at the withers is 1 m. An adult boar weighs about 300 kg. The long, disproportionately large head, occupying up to a third of the length of the entire body, without a sharp neck interception, passes into the body, which is covered with thick, stiff bristles. The male's muzzle is decorated with large sharp fangs; the lower ones sometimes reach 12-15 cm, the upper ones are shorter. In females, the fangs are poorly developed. Even wolves and tigers are afraid of the blow of boar tusks. Ears are long (10-20cm) and wide. The eyes are small and deep-set. The tail is thin, short (14-35 cm, with a tuft of hair at the end, not reaching the hock joint. The legs are short; the toes on the limbs can move apart greatly, which is important when walking through a swampy pound. In the latter case, the boar also uses the side toes for support, and the mass load of 1-2 cm is reduced by approximately 1.5 times - from 500 to 320-390. Wild pigs have a well-developed sense of smell, good hearing, but poor vision. Coloring The hairline is dark gray to reddish-brown or black. The front of the head is darker than the body. Generally coloring patronizing type "agouti", with a characteristic dark stripe along the ridge and lighter on the sides, with black anterior surfaces of the limbs. In young people, for the first time after birth, they have light brown or reddish-fawn stripes. The boar's adult plumage appears at the age of about 4 months.

A strong and formidable boar is the ancestor of domestic pigs. This happened a very, very long time ago. It is believed that the first home the dog became an animal, and the second is a wild pig, which over time turned into the well-known “sow sow”.

It was not easy to domesticate a boar. Calm in appearance, even lazy, in a moment of danger he becomes a ferocious and dangerous beast.

Swims great. Even wide rivers It’s not a barrier for him. A boar can run fast. His hooves are designed in such a way that, without falling through or getting bogged down, he calmly crosses swampy areas.

The boar loves to swim in a hole filled with water and liquid mud. Just like a domestic pig. But he's not dirty. He simply escapes the heat and the insects that have settled in his stiff stubble.

Closer to winter, the boar develops a warm and thick undercoat. And fat accumulates under the skin. And in winter it doesn’t freeze. But when there is a lot of snow, it is difficult for him. It is not easy to walk through deep snow, and even dig out food from under it.

The boar eats almost everything that can be found in forest: acorns, nuts, seeds, roots and tubers of plants, berries, mushrooms, fruits of wild apple and pear trees.

Often wild boars visit fields and vegetable gardens, where they dig up potatoes, turnips, and beets. Of course, people don't like it when crops go to waste.

Wild boars live in small groups. Piglets are born in a secluded place, in a den. It is drowned in grass, moss, and branches.

The kids lie, huddled closely together, warming themselves. Their backs are decorated with light stripes. Such coloring makes piglets, small boars, invisible among dense thickets, spots of bright light and shadow.

Grown-up piglets follow their mother, learn to dig the ground, and get food on their own.

Slide 5 Wolf

Is the wolf big? “Big” is not a very suitable description for a wolf. The entire appearance of this predator testifies to its power and excellent adaptability to tireless running, pursuit and attack on its victims. In size, a seasoned wolf is larger than a large shepherd dog. Typically, a male wolf weighs about 50 kilograms, a female wolf weighs 5 kilograms less. Their height at the withers is about 75 centimeters, and the length from the nose to the tip of the tail reaches 1.5 - 2 meters. The literature mentions wolves that supposedly weighed more than 90 kg, but among the many hundreds of accurately weighed wolves from different parts of the world, there was not a single one heavier than 79 kg. Coloring and the size of wolves is subject to strong individual and geographic variability. In Russia alone there are almost 8-9 subspecies of wolves, and there are even more of them in North America. The largest animals live in the Far North, small ones - in the south. The first ones are painted in very light colors, and in winter they turn almost completely white. The forest zone is characterized by wolves of the most intensely colored subspecies, while in the south, in the deserts, they are replaced by dull-sandy animals coloring. The wolf is quite widespread. Wolves are social animals: They live in families. Any flock has its own “table of ranks,” and in it everyone has their own place. The wolf's weapon is its teeth. There are as many as 42 of them in his mouth. Four sharp, crooked 5-centimeter fangs stick out in front - two on top and two on bottom. A hunter needs keen hearing, and wolves are lucky in this regard. When they hear a noise, they move their ears and determine where the sound comes from. The sound source may be several kilometers away. Wolves hunt almost silently, because they run on the very tips of their fingers. Just like horses and cats, a wolf's heel does not touch the ground. He has strong, muscular legs and a long gait, and can trot for long periods at a speed of 9 km/h. Thick fur up to 8 centimeters long protects the wolf from frost. The layer of fur closest to the body is the undercoat, and the outer layer is formed by hard, long, black-tipped guard hairs. They repel water and the undercoat does not get wet. In such a fur-lined cloak, the wolf is not afraid of the weather. Wolves are carnivores (or predatory) animals. They hunt in groups. A hungry wolf sometimes needs just a little to get his fill. animal - beaver, rabbit, mouse or bird. But this is not enough for the whole pack; it needs large prey - deer, elk or ram. It’s not for nothing that they are called orderlies - after all, as a rule, their victims are old, sick or inexperienced animals. With a sick person animals the focus of the disease disappears; if an old animal is killed, the young and strong get more food. This biological regulation of numbers promotes the survival of strong, healthy animals, both among hunters and among their possible victims. Although wolves are considered merciless, only every tenth of their hunts with fen and elk reach speeds of 60 km/h are successful.

The wolf is a forest dweller, a large animal that looks like a dog. Belongs to the canine family. A wolf's muzzle is wider than a dog's, its forehead is more convex, and its tail is usually lowered.

Depending on the latitude in which the wolf lives, the color of the coat animal varies. Grey "robber" lives in the forest, tundra is almost white color, and the steppe is reddish in color.

In winter, wolves gather in a pack. The leader of the pack is an unquestioned authority; he is the strongest and most experienced wolf. It is he who brings out "our own" to hunt. Under the cover of night, wolves silently creep up to the village. If they come across a herd of sheep, they will kill them all. In the forest area, the prey of wolves is elk, roe deer, wild boar, and deer. They can sweep away everything and everyone in their path - eat a hare, a bird, a bird's egg. It is believed that in the forest the cunning and intelligent animal is the fox, and the wolf is so-so. But, in fact, the wolf is also quite smart - he always deftly avoids danger, and is skilled in hunting.

In the summer, when cubs appear in the she-wolf's den, the wolves try not to hunt close to their home, so that people do not inadvertently discover the wolf cubs. Well, why not a manifestation of the mind?

There are many proverbs and saying: "Feet feed the wolf", “To live with wolves is to howl like a wolf”, “If you’re afraid of wolves, don’t go into the forest”, “No matter how you feed the wolf, he always looks into the forest”.

Like the bear, the wolf is mostly silent animal. But autumn and in winter wolves howl often.

The wolf cubs born to wolves are not even similar: big-headed, with crooked legs. They frolic near their native hole, chase butterflies, fuss, and when they hear a branch crunch, they immediately hide in the hole.

In order to be taken hunting, they must first grow up.

Slide 6 Roe deer

Externally, Capreolus pygargus is a graceful small deer with a long neck, without a mane, a light and graceful build with a relatively short body, big ears pointed (12–14 cm). The tail is in its infancy (2–3 cm) and cannot grow longer. The hooves of the middle toes are narrow and sharp, the side hooves are very small and set high. in winter coloring varies from grayish brown to dark brown, in summer - from reddish to red-brown. Males have fairly dense skin on the head, neck and front of the body. The caudal patch is absent or poorly expressed. In winter it is more noticeable. The top of the head is gray or brown, dark brown in places. Roe deer molt twice a year, in spring and autumn. Children of this species look spotted. Antlers are present, and roe deer shed them annually in October-November. New ones grow almost immediately. Boys have them slightly larger than girls. In addition, they have a tuberculate shape.

Lightweight, fleet-footed. To escape from predators, it can run at speeds of up to 60 kilometers per hour, and jump 10 meters in length! The male's head is crowned with strong horns with small shoots. Roe deer use them in fierce fights for the female. The horns are so sharp, and the males are so powerful when enraged, that duels sometimes end with one of the duelists being wounded. Babies born in the spring are weak and helpless, lying hidden in the grass. But after a week they begin to follow their mother everywhere and happily chew juicy greens.

Adult roe deer feed in winter on twigs and bark of aspen, willow, birch, and shrubs, and in summer they prefer succulent herbs, berries, and mushrooms. When the snow is deep, it is difficult for roe deer to move, and they often die of hunger or become victims of wolves and stray dogs.

Small animal mole, living underground, has an elongated body up to 20 cm long, covered with soft velvety fur of a dark gray or black shade. Due to the fact that the pile does not have any specific direction, the mole can easily move underground in any direction. This is a special adaptation to the mole's habitat. The mole has well-developed front paws, spade-shaped with long claws. With them he rake the ground, making underground passages up to several tens of meters long per day. At a depth of about a meter, the mole makes a nest, usually under the roots of trees, lining it with moss and leaves. Moles are common on the Eurasian continent in the European part of Russia, in the Urals and even in Western Siberia. The border of their habitat in the east is the confluence of the Ob and Irtysh rivers. They like soft, pliable soil that can be easily dug, and avoid dry and swampy areas.

Slide 7 Bear

The brown bear is the largest land predator in Russia; the largest are the Kamchatka predators, which weigh up to 600 kilograms, and by the way, they are three times larger than Central Asian bears. And the weight of bears in central Russia rarely exceeds 120 kilograms. His habitat is untouched by man forested areas, overgrown with dense bushes, it can also be found in high mountain forests and in the tundra. The brown bear is a wanderer, so in search of a den hibernation very far away from your summer parking: The bear eats almost everything that is suitable for food, even though its diet consists of plant foods.

Bears usually stay solitary. Both males and females, the average range of a common bear is from 73 to 414 km? Bears mark the boundaries of their territories with scent and by scratching tracks on trees; at the same time, they can make seasonal migrations.

mountain forests, the bear spends up to six months hibernating, choosing a place for a den in the very thick of the forest among the roots of large trees, in rocks or under the steep banks of taiga rivers. The period of hibernation depends on the availability of food and temperature, but in any case not earlier than September and no later than December. In dry, lean years, the bear cannot build up enough fat, so it does not hibernate, but wanders in search of food; such bears can even attack humans.

Slide 8 Deer

The red deer is the oldest inhabitant of forests. Horns adorn the male's head, and the decoration changes each time year: by the beginning of spring, the old antlers fall off and new ones begin to grow in their place. Young horns are called antlers. They are soft to the touch, covered with velvety skin, grow quickly and become hard by the end of summer. At this time, the deer scratch their antlers on the trees until they remove the skin that is no longer needed. The older and stronger animal, the horns he has more beautiful, heavier, more branched. Young deer have unbranched antlers, sharp and straight, like matchsticks, which is why they call young deer "matches". Deer - large, graceful animal with a thin long neck and slender legs.

– How do you understand the word "graceful"? The deer's body is covered with thick, coarse hair. Fawns are painted motley: They have white round spots on their backs.

The ancient Crimeans have been hunting deer since time immemorial. This is evidenced by necklaces made of deer teeth found in ancient burials. In those days there were a great number of deer in the forests and fields. A person gets meat, antlers, and skin from a deer. And people became so carried away with deer hunting that they destroyed almost everyone. But if there are very, very many deer, it will be bad for the forest. Feeding on leaves, branches, and bark of trees and shrubs, deer can eat most of the young shoots of trees and shrubs. In summer animals They prefer to eat herbs, and they eat them at any time of the day. But in winter they usually feed at night. Deer Wonderful understand the properties of a wide variety of plants. When two groups red deer- sick and healthy were given the same herbs, then the healthy ate everything indiscriminately, but the sick chose only those herbs that could help them. At the end of summer, reindeer weddings begin. The males challenge anyone who wants to take their brides away to a duel. Deer fight with their horns. Having knocked their antlers enough, the weaker deer leaves, and the winner takes his brides, who stood on the sidelines and watched the fight, into the forest. During weddings, deer roar, that's why they call them - "howler monkeys". Deer roar most often in the morning, at dawn. Sound Beautiful like blowing a trumpet. Deer roar for about two weeks, and during this time they do not eat, which is why they lose a lot of weight.

In a remote corner of the forest, fawns are born to females. One or two. During the first days, sika fawns are completely helpless: lying motionless in the thick grass. Mom stays nearby, grazes and guards, always ready to protect the babies from enemies. On the 4th-5th day the fawn gets on its feet and follows its mother. At first it feeds only on its mother's milk, then they try grass. Fawns become completely independent when they are one year old.

Slide 9 Muskrat

The muskrat is a mammal of the subfamily of voles of the order of rodents; the only species of the muskrat genus. Body length 23-36 cm, tail 18-30 cm. The ears barely protrude from the fur, the tail is almost bare, strongly flattened on the sides. On hind legs swimming membranes. Coloring from light red to almost black. The animal is not large, it belongs to rodents, it is called in its homeland Canada: « younger brother beaver", was previously a commercial fur-bearing animal, but due to the fall of millet on the skins, it ceased to be a commercial animal. Habitat: low-flowing and stagnant water bodies. Streams with strong currents are only migration routes for the growing brood to search for swampy reservoirs. In harsh conditions it produces up to 3 broods per summer (depending on "friendly" spring and mild autumn). Lives in burrows with an underwater entrance. The entrance to the hole is usually round, with a diameter of 12-15 cm (less often up to 30). Two or three corridors rise from the entrance to the nesting chambers located on different depths(the uppermost one is usually just below the surface of the earth, and the lowest one is just above the water’s edge). Depending on the level of the reservoir, the animal occupies one or another chamber. The burrows have ventilation holes. Where there are no solid banks, the muskrat builds huts from grass and reeds. The hut also has an underwater entrance and can be up to a meter high. During high water, young muskrats disperse, and at this time they can be seen in swamps, water meadows, along water-filled road ruts and simply in the forest.

Slide 10 Lynx

The lynx is one of the most graceful and dangerous predators cat family. It's graceful animal has luxurious fur, tufted ears, a short stump-like tail, and deadly claws. The average individual reaches up to one meter in length, and the weight of the animal ranges from 8 to 15 kilograms. The paws of lynxes are wide and well-furred. This allows them to move quickly and silently through the snow.

The diet of lynxes is quite varied: They hunt hares, hazel grouse, foxes, moose, deer, beavers and partridges. A special spotted animal helps the lynx track its prey without being noticed. coloring, which Wonderful camouflages it among the trees. Camouflage is especially good at night. The lynx chooses massive boulders and fallen trunks for cover, and sometimes climbs a tree and watches the prey from above. The predator suddenly attacks its prey, which has lost its vigilance, with huge leaps. The lynx does not eat all the meat at once, but hides some "in reserve".

Typically these big cats don't attack people for no reason. Even when faced with a hunter, the lynx prefers to hide rather than defend itself. But if the predator does dig in with its claws, the wounds are most often fatal. Summer lynx fur is coarser, shorter, and has a brighter coloring book than winter.

Body length in males is 76 - 106 cm and in females it is several (3 - 6) less centimeters. The tail is from 10 to 20 centimeters. The weight of adult animals is most often 16 - 20 kilograms. The paws are large and well furred in winter. No other cat is as well adapted to snow and cold as the lynx. The lynx has a dense and strong body. Moreover, she is very dexterity: Not only Wonderful climbs trees and rocks, but also runs fast, makes big jumps up to 3.5 - 4 meters, makes long transitions, swims well. But the animal is so secretive and cautious that rarely anyone manages to see it in the wild. The lynx sheds twice a year - in spring and autumn, the spring molt is in April - May, the autumn molt - in November.

When they meet, lynxes perform a greeting ritual - after sniffing each other’s noses, they stand opposite and begin to butt their foreheads so hard that a bone sound is heard. Friendly affection is expressed in mutual licking of fur.

Animals

Beaver

The beaver has beautiful fur, which consists of coarse guard hairs and very thick silky underfur. The fur color ranges from light chestnut to dark brown, sometimes black. The tail and limbs are black. Shedding occurs once a year, at the end of spring, but continues almost until winter. In the anal area there are paired glands that secrete a strong-smelling secretion - beaver stream. The beaver uses this secretion to mark its territory and lubricate its fur, protecting it from getting wet.

Elk

Elk is the largest game species. Height at shoulders 240 cm, weight 570 kg (record 655 kg). The male bears horns of more than one and a half meters in span and weighing up to 20 kg. By autumn, the little moose, born in the summer, reaches a weight of a hundredweight.

The largest animals inhabit Eastern Siberia. Medium-sized moose live in the European part of Russia; the south of the Far East is inhabited by even smaller ones, although the average weight of bulls of these moose is more than 200 kg, and the maximum is 400 kg. Far Eastern moose are distinguished by the absence of a “shovel” of flat expansion on the horns. The span of their horns is no more than a meter, and their weight is only 5 - 6 kg. The history of the distribution of the moose is amazing: the habitat area seems to be “breathing”, then the boundaries rapidly (of course, on the scale of history) move away - southern to north, northern to south, and the range of the animal sharply narrows; then just as quickly the boundaries of the species’ habitat expand, and there are many moose again.

Musk deer

Musk deer (Moschus moschiferus Linn) is one of the smallest and most unique representatives of deer in the northern hemisphere. This small deer (some researchers classify the musk deer as a separate family), no more than half a meter high at the withers, has a number of specific features. Thus, the musk deer does not have horns, but the males have highly developed upper fangs, which protrude down from the mouth, and their ends fall below the chin. These fangs grow throughout life, reaching 7-10 centimeters in adult males, and they have a sharp cutting rear edge. In females, the upper canines are short and do not protrude beyond the lip. In the life of male musk deer, they are as important as the antlers of other deer.

The musk deer would look more slender and graceful if it were not for the developed hind limbs (the hind legs of the musk deer are one and a half times longer than the front ones), which makes the musk deer look as if hunched over. The chest of musk deer is short and narrow, indicating an inability to run for long periods of time. However, in the process of evolution, the musk deer acquired other advantages that allowed it to survive and thrive in the harsh conditions of the mountains for hundreds and hundreds of thousands of years. Thus, the soft horny rim on the hoof cover keeps it from slipping on rocks and helps it deftly overcome ice. The musk deer has developed an amazing ability to maintain body balance. Even when running rapidly, she is able to change the direction of movement by 90 degrees. Easily turn around and run back on your trail, or instantly stop dead in your tracks and hold on to a small stone. Strong hind legs allow the musk deer to make magnificent acrobatic jumps, both high and long.

Otter

The otter is a highly specialized predator well adapted to life in the water. The river otter belongs to the mustelidae family. The otter has a highly elongated, streamlined body with long tail. The entire body is covered with short, close-fitting dark gray fur. The otter's head is small with short ears; the external auditory canal is closed by a special valve. The toes of the paws are connected by membranes, which contributes to the dexterous movement of the animal under water. Particularly large individuals can reach a length of 1 meter, not counting the half-meter tail, and weight up to 10 kg. But usually the size of the otter is much smaller.

Mink

This predatory animal is approximately the size of a sable. Its body is long, flexible, its legs have membranes, and its tail is large. Summer fur is short, rough and loose, but by winter it becomes lush, thick and shiny. The color is dark brown, even, with small snow-white spots scattered only on the lower lip (occasionally throughout the abdomen and neck). Males are larger than females, they weigh from 600 to 1500 grams with an average body length of about 40 centimeters. The weight of the female is from 400 to 750 grams, and the body length is 31-37 centimeters. Mink in normal condition is very fat, especially in autumn and early winter.

Mink is very agile both in water and on land. This is an extremely active animal, it is rarely possible to see it resting or even slow, it is all in energetic movement, in constant search. She sees and hears well, she has a keen sense of smell. It is very interesting to watch how remarkably deftly a mink swims in deep pools and fast streams. In the water she is as agile as an otter, but unlike an otter she is also at home on land.

Boar

Wild boar (wild pig, boar) is a non-ruminant animal. The boar's body length reaches 2 m. Height at withers - 1 m. An adult boar weighs about 300 kg. The wild boar prefers pine-oak, oak-hornbeam forests, alder forests and thickets of mixed plantings. Wild boars fatten at night, lie down during the day, and live in herds. Hunting for wild boar under licenses, usually in a collective way - in a pen or with huskies. When hunting a wild boar, you must remember that this is a serious and dangerous animal. A wounded and persecuted animal is especially dangerous. Boars are watched either in their feeding areas or on the paths between their daytime and feeding areas. Wild boars often visit crops of rice, corn, potatoes, melons and other crops and, where the number of this animal is large, can cause damage to crops, therefore in some areas special permissions are given to shoot them in the summer.

Wolf

The entire appearance of this predator testifies to its power and excellent adaptability to tireless running, pursuit and attack on its victims. In size, a seasoned wolf is larger than a large shepherd dog. Body length is on average 105-160 cm, tail - 35-50 cm, shoulder height 80-85 cm and up to 100 cm. Weight is usually 32-50 kg. The literature mentions wolves that supposedly weighed more than 90 kg, but among the many hundreds of accurately weighed wolves from different parts of the world, there was not a single one heavier than 79 kg. The color and size of wolves are subject to strong individual and geographic variability. In Russia alone there are almost 8-9 subspecies of wolves, and there are even more of them in North America. The largest animals live in the Far North, the small ones in the south. The first ones are painted in very light colors, and in winter they turn almost completely white. The forest zone is characterized by wolves of the most intensely colored subspecies, while in the south, in the deserts, they are replaced by animals of a dull sandy color. The wolf is quite widespread.

Roe

Roe deer is a small deer of light and graceful build with a relatively short body. The ears are long, pointed, the tail is short and does not protrude from the fur. The hooves of the middle toes are narrow and sharp, the side hooves are very small and set high. The color is one-color, bright red in summer, dull and grayish in winter. The mirror is yellowish-white and does not extend above the root of the tail. The horns of males are relatively small; even the largest horns of Asian roe deer are no more than 1.5-2 times the length of the head; more often their length is equal to the length of the head or slightly longer. The horns are set almost vertically; they usually have 3 (in Asian animals up to 5) processes at the end part. The trunk of the horn has an uneven surface, especially on the inside of the lower half of the horn, where tubercles, protrusions, and bone curls are formed. There are 5 known subspecies. Roe deer belonging to the European nominal subspecies are small: body length 100-135 cm, height - 75-90 cm and weight - 20-37 kg.

Mole

The mole differs from the European mole in having slightly larger males, a shorter tail and small teeth. He lives in Western and Central Siberia. Its lifestyle is similar to the European mole, but it reproduces with a latent phase in the development of embryos. Mating occurs from June to early August; the embryos are not discovered until April of the following year, and the cubs are born in May. There are about 5 cubs in one litter. In June they are no longer much different from adults. In the Altai and Sayan Mountains, moles are of great commercial importance.

Brown bear

The appearance of this huge beast is so well known that there is no need to describe it. Despite intensive hunting, bears weighing up to 750 kg and a body length of 2.5 m are still found; rearing up, such giants reach 3 m. Largest sizes bears from the Far East, Kamchatka and especially from Alaska and Kodiak Island are different. where they are called grizzlies. In the central zone of the European part of Russia, animals weighing 80-120 kg are most often encountered. There is surprisingly great variability in the color of brown bears, not only in different parts of the range, but also in limited areas. Along with the typical dark brown ones, there are almost black and light fawn animals.

Deer

Deer (under this name it is now customary to unite many subspecies, which were previously regarded as independent species, differing from each other in size, structure of horns and color details (European deer, Caucasian deer, deer, wapiti, wapiti, Bukhara, or tugai, deer, etc.). However, despite the differences, all these deer undoubtedly belong to the same species, which is characterized by the fact that the summer fur of adult animals is spotless; the “mirror” is large and rises to the rump above the base of the tail. The antlers of adult males with at least 5 processes, and in many a crown is formed at the top of the horn. The sizes of deer belonging to different subspecies are sharply different. In the red deer and wapiti, the body length reaches 250-265 cm, the height at the withers is 135-155 cm and the weight is 300 -340 kg, while the Bukhara deer has a body length of only 78-86 cm, a height at the withers of 56-60 cm and a weight of 75-100 kg. The antlers are also variable. In European deer, the number of shoots is large due to the branching of the end horns, where the so-called crown is formed.

Muskrat

The muskrat leads a semi-aquatic lifestyle and swims well on the surface and under water. Active at dusk and in darkness, as well as early in the morning. Spends the day in a shelter. Constructs burrows in the banks with an underwater entrance. On low, swampy shores or islands, it constructs huts up to a meter high from the stems of aquatic plants (reed, sedge, cattail). The exit from the hut also leads directly into the water and is not visible from the outside.

Birds

Black stork

The black stork has long been considered a mysterious, mysterious bird. Apparently, because the habitats of this bird were dense old forests and shifting swamps, which have always been associated with evil spirits and scared people away. Perhaps the appearance of the black stork also aroused in people a certain fear of these birds: a beautiful, graceful bird, dark and silent. The color of the plumage is black with a greenish and copper-red tint, only the ventral part of the body is white, the beak and legs are bright red.

The black stork is a large bird, weighing about three kilograms, with a long neck and a long straight beak. Adult birds, unlike chicks, vocalize extremely rarely and reluctantly, and chicks have a very unpleasant and rough voice. Black storks settle far from each other. They feed mainly on frogs and fish caught in swamps and shallow waters, and in wintering grounds they do not disdain small rodents, large insects, sometimes lizards and even snakes.

This bird still remains poorly studied due to the remoteness of its habitat. Usually it can only be seen slowly floating in the sky...

Osprey

Despite its menacing appearance and impressive size (its wingspan can reach 170 cm), the osprey is a rather finicky and delicate bird. She likes to nest near bodies of water with clean water, slow flow and vast reaches, and so that there would be a lot of fish there, and tall trees would grow along the banks. Therefore, in Russia now it is rarely seen. Osprey can be found almost anywhere globe. This species is represented by several races, differing in body size and color of the plumage on the chest. Males and females often differ in the degree of development of dark color on the chest and crown. Like most birds of prey, female ospreys are slightly larger than males. Osprey can often be found on sea coasts, but these predators are just as common in inland bodies of water - rivers and lakes.

Peregrine Falcon

The peregrine falcon may rightfully be considered the most typical representative of the group of falcons called true falcons. A real falcon has a powerful build, a wide chest with hard and convex muscles, rigid plumage that fits tightly to the body, long and sharp wings, a relatively short tail, short tarsus and very long toes with sharp and steeply curved claws. The peregrine falcon is a large falcon, second in size among true falcons only to species belonging to the group of gyrfalcons. The wing length of real falcons is 30-39 cm, wingspan 85-120 cm, total length 40-50 cm, weight 700-1300 g. Females of real falcons are noticeably, about one-third, larger than males. Adult birds of a true falcon are grayish-brown in different shades on the dorsal side with a bluish transverse pattern, lighter on the lower back and rump; the primary flight feathers are blackish-brown with a light buffy or reddish transverse pattern on the inner webs; a dark spot under the eyes, turning into blackish stripes (whiskers) on the sides of the throat; the tail ones are blackish-brown or grayish-brown with bluish transverse stripes; the ventral side is whitish with a more or less developed buffy or reddish tint, often with a bluish bloom on the sides, with a brown or blackish transverse pattern on the sides, underwings, and often on the feathers of the shin and undertail; on the crop and chest there are blackish streaks or heart-shaped spots, sometimes very rare or absent at all.

White-tailed eagle

White-tailed eagle big bird: total length 77–100 cm, wing length 57.5–69 cm, weight 3–6.5 kg. Female white-tailed eagles are significantly larger than males. The color of adult birds (four years old and older) is brown in different shades, the head is brownish-buff or whitish, the flight feathers are dark brown, the tail (of 12 tail feathers) is white. In the first annual plumage, young birds are brown with a blackish head, the main parts of the feathers are whitish, the ventral side is whitish with brown markings. The iris of adult white-tailed eagles is whitish-yellow, and that of juveniles is brown; the beak is yellowish, blackish in young ones; the wax and legs are yellow, the claws are black. Adult attire is associated with the first annual gradual transitions. The whitetail is a widespread bird.

Saker Falcon

External signs. Large falcon. The wingspan is from 100 to 130 cm. The female is larger than the male. The color of the dorsal side is brownish with a gray honey fungus, the ends of the feathers have reddish edges, which sharply differs from the peregrine falcon and gyrfalcon. The ventral side is light with a dark pattern (in juveniles there are longitudinal spots, and in adults there are rounded spots on the tops of the feathers). The “whiskers” are weakly defined, the tarsus is half feathered.

Spreading. Inhabits steppe and forest-steppe regions of Eurasia. Breeds in southern Europe, Kazakhstan, Central Asia, Altai, in the southern regions of Western and Eastern Siberia to Transbaikalia.

In the Kemerovo region, the saker falcon in the 1920-30s of this century was common in the foothills of the Salair Ridge and in the Kuznetsk forest-steppe. Marked at dd. Zavyalova, Zhuravleva, Vaganova, Bachata and Tom. The Kemerovo Regional Museum of Local Lore has a specimen from the Promyshlennovsky district, obtained in September 1972. On August 25, 1989, in the Tarsma valley near the village of Okunevo, a female saker falcon unsuccessfully hunted teal. In July 1990, the saker falcon constantly stayed in the flooded birch forest near the lake. Ata-Anai. The behavior indicated it was nesting in a nearby pine forest.

The northernmost location of the nest is in the vicinity of the village. Starye Chervi on Tom, where in mid-May 1985 the birds were at the nest, while at the same time another pair of saker falcons was noted in the vicinity of Kemerovo. In the Kuznetsky Alatau Nature Reserve, it regularly appears in the mountain tundra in summer and autumn. Some individuals fly in from the direction of Khakassia. In 1999, 2 nests were found on the territory of the reserve: near Sargai on a rock and on a cedar at the source of the Belaya Usa.

Habitats. It nests along the border of the forest-steppe, in pine forests, less often on rocks.

Fish

Taimen

Taimen is one of the large fish of the salmon family. There are specimens reaching one and a half meters in length and 60 kg in weight. His tail is powerful, colored pink color, the head is covered with small dark spots. The scales are either dark gray or brown with a scattering of reddish and yellow stars. The tight, high dorsal fin also shimmers with a variety of colors. The side fins are like arrows. The body is elastic, well adapted to life in a seething stream.

In many respects, taimen represents a transitional form from salmon to trout. This fish is similar to the first in its size and way of life, and to the second in its general body structure. This fish lives in rivers of both Western and Eastern Siberia.

In terms of strength, speed of movement and intelligence, the taimen has no equal in Siberian rivers. During the day, it stays at the bottom, hides under sunken trees, behind rocks, under steep ridges, and in the early morning and evening it often “melts” on the rifts, hunting for small fish. Large specimens, if the opportunity arises, can even grab a duck or goose.

Siberian sterlet

The fish is large in size, with a typical sturgeon appearance. It differs from the sturgeon in its elongated snout and fringed antennae. There are more than 50 lateral bugs on the body; the sturgeon usually has 42-47. In the past, sterlets were known to reach 125 cm in length and 16 kg of weight, today they are usually 35-55 cm and up to 1 kg of weight.

Spreading. Inhabits the rivers of the Black, Azov, Caspian, Baltic seas, the Northern Dvina, Ob and Yenisei basins. Acclimatized in the Pechora, Amur and some other rivers. In the Ob basin, sterlet forms 3 separate herds: the Middle Ob, which lives from the mouth of the Irtysh to the mouth of the Tom and enters the Tom, Chulym, Ket, Vasyugan, Parabel, Tym, Vakh and other rivers; Verkhneobskoye, which lives from the mouth of the Tom to the confluence of the Biya and Katun rivers; Irtysh herd, living from the mouth of the Irtysh to the Black Irtysh. Sterlets of the Irtysh herd enter the Ishim, Tobol, Tara, Tavda, Demyanka and other rivers. The Kemerovo region is home to sterlet from the Central Ob herd. Fish regularly enters Kiya, Tom and Chulym. In the past, in Tom it rose to Novokuznetsk, now it rarely rises to Elykaev. In Kiya - slightly higher than Mariinsk.

Lenok

External signs. Large fish up to 70 cm in length and 5 kg in weight. The body color is dark brown with a golden tint on the sides. The belly is light. There are small round dark spots on the sides, dorsal and adipose fins. During spawning, large copper-red spots appear on the sides. A characteristic difference from the taimen, which lives in the same reservoirs and is similar in appearance, is that the lenok’s mouth is small, the upper jaw does not extend beyond the vertical of the posterior edge of the eye.

Spreading. Inhabits the rivers of Siberia from the Ob to the Kolyma, as well as the Amur basin and rivers flowing into the Sea of ​​Okhotsk and the Sea of ​​Japan. In the Kemerovo region it inhabits small mountain rivers of the Kuznetsk Alatau and Mountain Shoria. In the past, it was probably widespread in the Tom and Kii basins, but already in the first half of the 20th century. in the lower and middle reaches of the Tom, it was not recorded and was found only near Novokuznetsk and higher. Currently preserved in the upper reaches of the Kiya, found in Taidon, Lower, Middle and Upper Tersyakh. In Gornaya Shoria it is clearly an endangered species. In the 1980-1990s. very rarely found in the tributaries of the Mras-Su, where it was previously common. Almost disappeared in the Condom and its tributaries. In Tom, within the Kemerovo region, it is not found in the warm season, but lenoks living in the tributaries of the Tom, flowing from the Kuznetsk Alatau, probably winter in the Tom near the mouths of these rivers.

Habitats. Lenok lives in fast mountain rivers. In summer it prefers small tributaries, rises to the upper reaches to spawn, and in the fall rolls down to the mouth and enters the beds of larger rivers, such as Mras-Su, Kiya and Tom, where it winters in pits.

Siberian sturgeon

External signs. A very large fish with a characteristic sturgeon appearance. There are rows of bugs along the back, sides and belly. The body between them is covered with stellate plates. Already in the middle of our century, Siberian sturgeons reaching a weight of 100 kg were extremely rare. In the past, sturgeon up to 3 m long and 200 kg in weight were caught. Females are larger than males.

Spreading. Rivers of Siberia from the Ob to the Kolyma, Lake Baikal and Zaisan. Acclimatized in the Western Dvina, Pechora, Volga, Pskov, Peipus, and Ladoga lakes. In the Kemerovo region, sturgeon occasionally enters the Tom and rises to its middle reaches. Individual visits are noted to the village of Krapivinsky and the village. Saltymakovo. It spawns regularly in Chulym, and, migrating along this river, passes through the territory of the Kemerovo region.

Habitats. In the Ob-Irtysh basin, before the construction of reservoirs, the main spawning grounds were located in the upper reaches of the Ob and Irtysh. Migrating, sturgeons ascended to Chumysh, Charysh, Katun, Biya, and Lake Teletskoye. Sturgeon feeding grounds are located in Ob Bay, in the lower and middle reaches of the Ob and Irtysh, as well as in the lower reaches of Chulym, Tobol, and Tom. The wintering grounds of the most numerous semi-anadromous migratory form, which forms the Lower Ob herd, are located in the Ob Bay. Sturgeon from the Central Ob stock spend the winter in the Ob in wintering pits from Narym to the upper reaches of the Ob. The Irtysh herd wintered in the upper and lower reaches of the Irtysh. After the construction of reservoirs near Novosibirsk and Ust-Kamenogorsk, part of the spawning and wintering grounds was cut off, and hopes for the formation of herds there were not justified. Due to water pollution, sturgeon feeding in the lower reaches of the Tom River has practically ceased, and wintering grounds below its mouth have disappeared.

Siberian sculpin

External signs. A small fish up to 17 cm long, the characteristic appearance of a broad-headed goby is with a large head, flattened on top and a flattened belly. It differs from the common spotted sculpin in having a wider and flattened head, a marbled pattern on the sides descending to the belly, and pectoral fins with blurred dark spots. The spotted sculpin has a convex forehead, a uniform yellowish belly, and fins with clear transverse stripes.

Spreading. Inhabits the rivers of the Northern basin Arctic Ocean from Ob to Yana. In the Kemerovo region it was common in Tom, Mras-Su and Kondoma. Currently found only in the upper and middle reaches of the river. Mras-Su. Not found in the middle reaches of the Tom, Taidon, Middle and Upper Tersyakh, Kondoma, middle and upper reaches of the Kiya.

Habitats. Keeps up in fast, cold and clean rivers. On Mras-Su it prefers areas with a rocky, pebble bottom in the riverbed and is very rarely found in tributaries. Always stays at the bottom, often hiding under stones.

Nelma

External signs. A very large fish. Reaches 130 cm in length and 50 kg in weight. The coloring on the sides is dark silver, without spots.

Spreading. Inhabits the desalinated parts of the Arctic Ocean, from where it enters European, Siberian and American rivers from the Ponoy River on the Kola Peninsula and Onega in the west to the Mackenzie River (Canada) in the east. Under certain conditions, it forms local herds that do not go to sea. In the Kemerovo region in the 20s of the 20th century, it entered Tom from the Ob and ascended to Mras-Su and Kondoma, where then, in the summer, its juveniles were encountered. Came to spawn in Kiya. In the last 30-40 years, it has practically never been seen in Tom. Since the early 1990s. single salmon again began to fall into the nets of poachers in the middle reaches near the village of Sheveli and the village of Krapivinsky. In September 1995, a female salmon weighing more than 7 kg was caught in the area of ​​the Tom-Usinskaya State District Power Plant. Nelma is found regularly in Kiev. Here from the mouth of the river. Tyazhin, before the confluence of the Kiya and Chulym, its spawning grounds are located on pebbles. Found in the river. Chulym on the eastern border of the Kemerovo region.

Features of biology. In the conditions of the Kemerovo region, newts live in water in the spring and most of the summer. They rush to reservoirs after wintering in the first half of May. At the end of May - June you can observe their mating games and spawning. Typically, the female lays from 50 to 150 eggs, which she glues individually to aquatic plants. Metamorphosis ends after 2.5 months, and in August - early September, young newts come ashore. Adults leave reservoirs at the end of July - August. On the shore, common newts lead a secretive, less active nocturnal lifestyle, hiding in empty holes, under dead wood, and in rotten stumps. They feed on a variety of small invertebrates. In the water, 90% of the food consists of mosquito larvae. They leave for the winter in September - early October.

Security measures. The habitats of newts in the middle reaches of the Tom River were destroyed during the construction of the Krapivinsky reservoir and are now gradually being restored. One of the most numerous populations of newts in Kuzbass lived on the territory of the Bungarapsko-Azhendarovsky beaver reserve, but was not protected in any way. It is necessary to give the reserve the status of a complex and include the rare animals living here among those subject to special protection. To preserve newts in the Kemerovo region, it is likely that not only passive, but also active conservation measures - captive breeding - will be required.

The fauna of Kuzbass is very diverse. The Kemerovo region is home to about 450 species of vertebrates, including 68 species of mammals, more than 300 species of birds, 6 reptiles, 5 amphibians and 42 species of fish. Most of them have lived here since ancient times.

However, recently the number of species introduced and acclimatized by humans has been growing. For example, mink, muskrat and brown hare. Or settling independently - such as gray rat, hedgehog and wild boar. In addition, from neighboring regions occasionally wanders Snow Leopard and Solonga, various rodents and birds migrate.

Among the permanent residents, the largest are bear and elk. They live mainly in taiga areas. In the mountainous areas you can find Siberian reindeer, Asian deer and musk deer. Their relative, the roe deer, prefers deciduous forests and forest-steppes.

The predators lynx and wolverine, although they live almost everywhere, are quite rare animals: only a few hundred individuals. But their smaller counterparts - fox, weasel, ermine, weasel - are much more common. As well as other natives of the region, rodents and herbivores: white hare, squirrel, chipmunk, shrews, moles.

In the steppe and forest-steppe zones There are wolves, ferrets, gophers, hamsters, marmots, voles and other living creatures live freely.

There are fewer songbirds in the taiga zone than in deciduous forests, but commercial species are found: hazel grouse, wood grouse, and black grouse. The nutcracker plays a major role in the spread of cedar. The forests are protected by woodpeckers, nuthatches, tits, nightjars, orioles, jays, magpies and crossbills. Partridge and quail are common in birch forests and forest-steppes. Geese, ducks, cranes, and waders nest along the banks of reservoirs. Huge help in pest control Agriculture provide predator birds: kestrel, owls, harrier, pipit, falcon.

The eagle owl, the largest owl, is rare and needs protection. As well as sable, otter, reindeer, long-eared bat and about 80 other species of animals. To protect and systematize them in the region, the Red Book of Kuzbass was created.

Until recently, the vast expanses of water in our region were famous for their fish wealth. And now in the pure taiga and mountain rivers taimen, lenok, whitefish, dace, burbot, pike, chebak, ide and about 30 other species of fish are found. However, human industrial activity, pollution of the Tom River, and the construction of hydraulic structures negatively affect the aquatic fauna of Kuzbass.

The world of invertebrates and insects living in the Kemerovo region has thousands of species and has not yet been sufficiently studied. Moreover, every year it is replenished with new species for the fauna of the region and even species completely unknown to science. But that’s why the unique nature of the Kuznetsk region is interesting.