The history of the development of the animal world of the Altai Territory has some common features with the formation of vegetation. During the glacial epoch of the Quaternary period, northern arctic animals advanced towards the Altai. Mammoths, woolly rhinos, arctic foxes, reindeer, tundra partridge lived on the territory of the region. Reindeer and tundra partridge still live in the Altai Mountains.
The fauna of the region is included in the Paleoarctic graphic region, in the European-Siberian and Central Asian subregions. The border between them runs along the Altai Mountains. The plains of the region and most of the mountains belong to the European-Siberian subregion; alpine steppes - Chui and Kurai, Ukok plateau are part of the Central Asian subregion. Brown bear, wolverine, elk - inhabitants of the West Siberian taiga; deer, musk deer, stone partridge, capercaillie - representatives of the forests of Eastern Siberia; marmot-tarbagan, Mongolian jerboa, mountain sheep-argali - animals of the Mongolian steppes.
In the southeastern regions of Gorny Altai, animals have similarities with the fauna of Mongolia, which completely distinguish these animals from other representatives of the Altai fauna. Such are the dzeren antelope, the Daurian and Mongolian haystacks, the Indian and mountain goose, the Mongolian hairy buzzard, the Mongolian bustard.
The diversity of the animal world of the Altai Territory is explained by the presence of steppes, forests, and high-altitude zones. Each zone is inhabited by animals adapted to certain environmental conditions. Some of them migrate from one zone to another. Animals move from steppes and forests to forest-steppes. In the mountains they roam from one altitudinal zone to another. The brown bear is an omnivorous predator that feeds on mice, birds, grass, berries, and in the spring it leaves the forests for sunny glades, where young grass appears, while it gradually rises up. In the middle of summer it reaches subalpine meadows, where it is attracted by the abundance of herbs and plants with tasty, healing roots. At the end of summer, the bear moves down to glades with tall grasses that have sweet bunches, juicy, soft leaves and stems. In autumn - back to the taiga, to berries, pine nuts. Maral and sable roam from taiga to subalpine meadows and back. Elk, roe deer, musk deer make transitions from one zone to another. Nomadic animals have adapted to life in several zones. Sable - a typical representative of the forest fauna - perfectly orients itself in the subalpine belt of mountains.
A distinctive feature of the animal world of Altai is the formation of endemic species. A typical endemic is the Altai mole, it is widespread and occurs both on the plain and in the mountains. Among the endemic birds are mountain turkey, Altai buzzard, tundra partridge.
In the taiga massifs, brown bear and elk are found everywhere. The bear is an omnivorous predator that feeds on mice, birds, fish, berries and mushrooms, during the summer it wanders from forests to subalpine meadows, where it is attracted by an abundance of herbs and plants with delicious healing roots. And by autumn it returns back to the taiga to berries and nuts.
Ungulate animals also make seasonal transitions from one zone to another. Elk, roe deer, deer, musk deer roam from taiga to meadows and back. Marals - deer, whose horns contain the valuable substance pantocrine in the spring, have been bred for many years on deer farms in the mountainous forest regions of the region. All attempts to breed deer in other mountainous regions of Russia have not yet yielded good results.
The Siberian goat (bun or teke), mountain sheep, snow leopard irbis are found in the high-mountain belt; occasionally a red wolf comes from Mongolia. A large golden eagle lives here - a predator of high mountains. The red-billed jackdaw settles on impregnable rocks. The mountain pipit lives in alpine and subalpine meadows. The white partridge is widespread; it is found everywhere in the rocky tundra at altitudes up to 3 thousand meters.
In the forests of Altai there are lynx, badger, wolverine, ermine, chipmunk, squirrel. The most valuable fur-bearing animal in the taiga is the sable. This small predator has chosen for itself the most deaf windbreak places, arranging nests in the hollows of old trees.
Another valuable fur animal is the fox. Lives in flat areas. Rodents are found everywhere here: hamsters, ground squirrels of various species, marmots, jerboas are found in arid areas of the steppe. Hares - hare and hare - live in the steppe and in the forest regions of the region. You can also meet a wolf there.
Almost all forest-steppe regions, where there are reservoirs, are the habitat of the muskrat. A rodent imported in the twenties from North America, which has commercial value, successfully acclimatized in the Altai lands. And in the upland rivers and reservoirs of Salair there are beavers, the range of which is increasing every year.
The birds most often found in the forest zone of the region are owl, eagle owl, hawk. Commercial species are black grouse, hazel grouse, partridge, capercaillie. Nutcrackers and jays, crossbills, and small songbirds are well adapted to life in the forests.
In the mountains, a large bird of prey, the golden eagle, flies around. Its prey are rodents - mice and ground squirrels, marmots. The white partridge is found everywhere, it lives at altitudes up to three thousand meters.
The steppe zone is a habitat for birds of prey: red-footed falcon, kestrel, buzzard, which prey on small field rodents. And on the lakes and swamps of the Altai plains live snipe, teal, gray cranes, mallard ducks, gray geese, cranes, gulls. During flights, swans and northern geese stop in these places.
The world of reptiles in Altai is small. Its main representatives are a poisonous snake - an ordinary muzzle, a viviparous lizard that is found throughout the Altai Territory. Near reservoirs there is an ordinary snake, in the steppes and forest-steppes there is a steppe and ordinary viper. Of the reptiles, the patterned snake is considered the largest in Altai. Its dimensions are over a meter in length.
The reservoirs of the plains and the mountainous zone of the Altai region are rich in fish. In the foothill rivers there are burbot and taimen, grayling and lenok, chebak, ruff, gudgeon, perch. Sterlet, bream, zander, etc. live in the main river of Altai, the Ob. The lakes of the plains are rich in crucian carp, tench; pike and perch are found in their waters.
Of the arachnids, ticks live in Altai, which are carriers of the most serious disease - encephalitis.
From insects, there are many pests of fields, gardens, forests: Swedish fly, grain scoop, Siberian filly. In gardens - cabbage flea, wireworms, in gardens - codling moth, hawthorn, in forests - Siberian and gypsy moth. Red ants are useful insects, they destroy small insects.
The Altai Territory is a hunting and fishing zone of Siberia: out of 90 species of animals, half are commercial. They hunt squirrel, marmot, sable, ermine and other fur-bearing animals.
Game birds include gray goose, several species of ducks, partridge, black grouse, hazel grouse.
The formation and development of animal resources in the region takes place under conditions of increased anthropogenic influence. A decrease in pasture bioproductivity due to overgrazing, water and wind erosion of soils, and deforestation lead to a change in animal habitats and a decrease in the number of squirrels, marmots, otters, musk deer, Siberian mountain goats, and others. From year to year, the number of waterfowl decreases, with the exception of the gray goose. The number of small mustelids, field and upland game is decreasing due to changes in the feeding and nesting conditions of their existence. Intensive exploitation of the resources of ungulates, and in the first place of the moose, requires a reduction in its prey, increased protection and control over prey, and in some areas a complete ban on hunting.
In 1997-1998, the catch was wild boar - 7, bear - 11.
The number in 1998 was: elk - 10930, wild boar - 430, roe deer - 11000, bear - 500.
The number of rare species: snow leopard - 39-49 pieces, manul - 250-350 pieces, gazelles - herds of 4-5 individuals, Altai mountain sheep - 370-470 pieces.
About 100 species of mammals, more than 320 species of birds, 7 species of reptiles, 6 species of invertebrates live in the region. The Red Book includes 134 species of animals in need of protection. Most of the bird species are 82. Approximately half of them are listed in the Red Book of Russia (demon crane, saker falcon, ptarmigan, eagle owl, etc.), 10 species are included in the IUCN Red Book (International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources). These are extremely rare species, such as, for example, bustard, imperial eagle, peregrine falcon, as well as category zero (probably extinct) little bustard and slender-billed curlew.
In addition to birds nesting in Altai, the Red Data Book of the Altai Territory includes species that appear during spring and autumn migrations (small swan, white-fronted goose), as well as occasional vagrants (curly and pink pelicans, flamingos, black crane, griffon vulture, etc. .).
There are 17 species of mammals in the Red Book. These are mainly insectivores and rodents (eared hedgehog, jerboas) and bats (there are 9 species of them, including the pointed-eared bat included in the Red Book of Russia). 2 representatives of the mustelid family entered here - an otter and a bandage (also included in the Red Book of Russia).
The Red Book includes 26 species of insects. These are, among other things, relic butterflies - motley ascalaf, unpaired mother-of-pearl, as well as an endemic of the Western Altai, possibly extinct at the present time, Gebler's ground beetle, etc.
In addition to birds, mammals and insects, the book includes 3 species of reptiles (takyr roundhead, multi-colored lizard, steppe viper), 2 species of amphibians (Siberian salamander, common newt) and 4 species of fish - lenok, apparently disappeared from the rivers of the region, endemic species are Siberian sturgeon, nelma and taimen.
In addition to the main part, the Red Book of the Altai Territory includes 30 species that require special attention. These are, for example, musk deer, gray goose, little gull, quail, carpenter bee and other species.
The objects of hunting are several dozen species of animals, representatives of four orders of birds.
Fauna of the Altai Territory
– The fox is a medium-sized predatory animal with a graceful body on low paws, with a narrow elongated muzzle, sharp ears and a long fluffy tail. The winter fur is thick and lush, while the summer fur is sparse and short. The main food is rodents. Especially field mice. She even finds mice under the snow. He listens to their squeak and rakes the snow with his paws (mouse). More often he hunts small hares, catches birds, sometimes even domestic ones. It also feeds on fruits, berries, fruits. Lives in a hole that she digs herself. Little fox cubs look like cubs, only with a white tip on the tail. A fox
- The wolf is a carnivorous animal. It is related to the domestic dog. Pretty big animal. It poses a danger to humans and livestock. Legs are low and strong. Paws are larger than those of a dog. The head is broad-browed, the muzzle is broad. The tail is long, thick and carried down. The fur of the wolf is thick and rather long. They feed on deer, elk, wild boar, roe deer. Antelopes. Especially at night they are very active. They live in packs. The home of the wolf is the lair. The cubs are wolves. Wolves are good parents. Wolf
There are many rodents in the fields
Jerboa Gopher
Steppe rodents dig shelters (minks). Therefore, they have: A peculiar body shape; Powerful front claws; masking color; Many are nocturnal. Vole
Around the water live
Of all rodents, the squirrel is the most dexterous animal. Red-brown and black squirrels live in our forests. They have funny dark tassels on their ears. Squirrels move from branch to branch in large jumps and climb up and down the trunk. They have sharp claws and a bushy tail that helps them keep their balance while jumping and serves as a blanket when they sleep. Squirrels have big eyes that see everything around. In winter they feed on seeds and nuts, and in summer m mushrooms and berries. In winter they hibernate. They settle in hollows of trees, where they put dry grass and moss in their nest. Be sure to make stocks of nuts, mushrooms, cones and dry berries in the fall. Occasionally, on sunny winter days, they wake up and take out their supplies from the pantry. In the spring, squirrels appear at the squirrel. Squirrel
Diverse large and small predators Brown bear, lynx, wolverine, otter, badger, sable
- The brown bear is a predatory animal. The body is powerful, with high withers. The head is massive with small ears and eyes. The tail is very short, the paws are strong, powerful, the claws are not retracted. The coat is thick and evenly colored. It usually stays alone. Omnivorous, eats plant and animal food: berries, nuts, roots, tubers, stems, as well as worms, lizards, frogs, rodents, mice, ground squirrels, chipmunks. Rarely produces deer, roe deer, fallow deer. Sometimes it even attacks livestock. Most active in the morning and evening. By winter, it accumulates subcutaneous fat and lies in a den. His sleep is shallow, he can easily wake up, they are called (rods). Runs fast, swims well, climbs trees. From January to March, cubs are born. The brown bear is under state protection and is listed in the Red Book. Brown bear
Lynx is a big cat. The tail is, as it were, chopped off, the ears - with tassels of black hair at the ends. The main color of lynxes is from reddish to grayish-yellow. The lynx has a dense and strong body, it is very dexterous, climbs trees and rocks perfectly, runs fast, makes big jumps up to 4 meters, makes long transitions, and swims well. But the beast is so secretive and cautious that rarely anyone can see it in the wild. The lynx lives in the forests. He loves mountain forests with rocky places. Lives where there is a lot of food. It feeds on hares, roe deer, birds (grouse and black grouse), rodents, as well as young deer, wild boars, and elks. The animal has good hearing, smell and vision. In general, she is a very cautious forest animal. The lynx arranges a lair in a windbreak, in a dense forest thicket, in a low-lying hollow, under an eversion of the roots of a fallen tree, in the rocks. A lynx can live up to 20 years. lynx kitten
The giant of our forests
Elk is a large animal. The body of an adult male can reach up to 3 meters in length. This animal has very long legs and a massive hook-nosed head. Elk ears are large and mobile. Elk horns have a short trunk and a wide, slightly concave shovel. The body color of moose is black-brown and performs a protective function. Elk is a sedentary animal. Moose rise from the bed only for feeding, and after that they lay down again until the next meal. Elk
Representative of the deer family - MARAL
Marals roam from taiga to meadows and back. Marals are bred on deer farms in the mountain forest regions of the region. Maral cub
Non-ossified horns, antlers, contain a valuable medicinal substance - pantocrine.
In the forest-steppes live: Hares, foxes, roe deer, polecat, ermines, badgers
Hares are defenseless animals that are the prey of many predators. But thanks to their long ears and excellent sense of smell, they manage to smell the danger in time. Their hind legs are longer than their front ones, they make hares excellent runners. They move in long jumps. Large eyes see well at dusk and at night. They often warn each other of danger by drumming on the ground with their hind legs. With the onset of cold weather, their coat color changes to white, and in the spring they shed and the fur turns gray. They look for food at night: these are various herbs, buds, young shoots, thin twigs, seeds, berries. Hares are born in the spring. Hare
The badger lives in forests and lives in holes that are very deep, and he digs them along the slopes of hills and forest ravines. The badger is a nocturnal resident, but can sometimes be seen in the morning as well. The badger eats frogs, lizards, mouse-like rodents, as well as insects, earthworms, berries, mushrooms, nuts, and grass. When hunting, the badger goes around very large areas to find insects and worms under the bark of trees and in stumps. A badger can get more than 50 frogs, a huge number of insects and worms in one hunt. In October - November, the badger hibernates and sleeps until March-April. The badger benefits agriculture because it eats insect pests. Badger
Reptiles: lizard
steppe viper
There are many insects: Mosquitoes, midges, bark beetles, May beetles, ticks
Amphibious frogs live in the region
Reservoirs of the Altai Territory are rich in fish. In the foothill rivers there are burbot and taimen, grayling and lenok, chebak, ruff, gudgeon, perch. Sterlet, bream, pike perch, and others live in the main river of Altai, the Ob. The lakes of the plains are rich in crucian carp, tench, and perch and pike are found in their water.
The Altai Mountains are located in the very center of Asia on the territory of four states at once: Russia, Kazakhstan, China and Mongolia. Altai is usually called the Russian part of the mountain system.
Altai is a unique place. At the junction of natural zones, in the very center of the mainland, at an equal distance from the Pacific, Indian and Arctic oceans, nature has created an amazing land of blue lakes, high cliffs, impenetrable taiga, dry steppes and vast and rich meadows. Here the Russian Old Believers have long been mixed with the culture of Asia, Genghis Khan's cavalry galloped here, and the pioneers were looking for a way to the mysterious Shambhala. Altai is a kind of mix of Asian flavor and the Slavic world, archaic and modern "in one bottle".
The nature of Altai is just as unique. Most of the territory is occupied by mountains, completely cut by river valleys and intermountain pits. There are over 200 thousand rivers and lakes in Altai, and most of them are mountain rivers - with the purest water, strong currents, steep rapids and strong drops.
The entire territory of the Altai Territory occupies a little more than 167 thousand square meters. km. And in such a relatively small space, 6 natural zones are represented at once: tundra, forest, steppe, semi-desert, subalpine and alpine zones.
In 2002, 5 natural sites in Altai were immediately included in the UNESCO World Natural Heritage List.
Flora of Altai
The originality of the plant world of Altai is due to the originality of the relief, special climatic conditions and features of historical development. Almost all plants characteristic of northern and central Asia and the European part of Russia are represented here.
One of the most famous wonders of Altai is ribbon pine forests. There is no such natural formation anywhere else in the world. Five years of pine forests stretch parallel to each other from the Ob to the Irtysh. Biologists explain the amazing arrangement of plants by the fact that in the prehistoric era, most of the Altai was occupied by the sea. Over time, the waters of the sea flowed towards the Aral Basin. And along the way, at the place where the hollows formed, pines began to grow.
The second miracle of Altai is the black taiga. Here, pines grow next to firs, and mighty Siberian cedars are surrounded by curly birches. Deciduous forests are very common. Altai larch is highly valued in construction.
And a huge number of shrubs: raspberries and viburnum, blueberries and currants, mountain ash and bird cherry. In spring, the slopes of the mountains look very picturesque. Here and there thickets of honeysuckle and blueberries stretch like a solid carpet, evergreen maral spreads in raspberry-purple paths. Dunarian rhododendrons and Siberian wild rosemary, cinquefoil and juicy sea buckthorn grow here.
The flat part of Altai is replete with tall grasses. Often there are pegs - small groves where aspens, birches, poplars and maples grow. And how many flowers are here! Sky blue bells and sapphire tulips, orange lights and white daisies, sunny yellow buttercups and colorful carnations. Not surprisingly, Altai honey is considered the most delicious in Russia.
In total, there are over two thousand plant species in the Altai Republic, of which 144 are listed in the Red Book.
Animal world of Altai
The richness of the Altai fauna is also explained by the diversity of the landscape. High in the mountains, golden eagles live, for which mice, ground squirrels and marmots serve as prey.
Terrible wolverines and brown bears, huge elks and predatory lynxes, fluffy ermines and funny chipmunks are found in the taiga Altai regions. Squirrels fly from tree to tree, moles and hares dig holes under the trees. And in the most windbreak places, the most valuable Altai animal, the sable, is hidden.
There are foxes on the plains. Often there are wolves. But most of all jerboas, hamsters and several types of ground squirrels.
Altai reservoirs are favorite habitats for muskrats and beavers. A huge number of birds also live here: ducks and snipes, teals and gray geese, cranes and gulls. During flights, swans and northern geese stop in the swamps and lakes of Altai.
But there are few reptiles in Altai. The muzzle is considered the most poisonous, and the largest is the patterned snake, reaching a length of 1 meter. There are unusual viviparous lizards, a lot of vipers - steppe and common.
Lakes and rivers are famous for their abundance of fish. Perch, minnow and ruff are caught in the rivers. The most important river of Altai is the Ob, where pike perch, sterlet and bream are found. And on the Altai lakes they get a good catch of pike and perch.
Climate in Altai
The climate of Altai is distinguished by its diversity and contrast. So, in the northern regions, summers are warm and dry, and winters are mild and with little snow. But in the mountains, summers are hotter, and winters are more severe.
The coldest point of Altai is the Chuya steppe. The average winter temperature is minus 32ºC. The absolute minimum - 62 degrees below zero - was also recorded here. Cold regions also include the Ukok plateau and the Kurai basin.
Winter frosts set in late November. And the snow lies until mid-April. Then a short and stormy spring gives way to a warm summer. Moreover, in the flat part, summer is hotter and drier. Already at the end of August, it is time for leaf fall and cool winds. Autumn by the beginning of September fully comes into its own.
But Chemal, Kyzyl-ozek, Bele and Yailu are considered warm regions of Altai. In winter, the temperature rarely drops below minus 10ºC. This is explained by the fact that these areas are located near Lake Teletskoye and dry and warm winds often blow here.
Here are the types of birds that can be confused while hunting! Well, just very beautiful birds and photos!
Red Book of the Altai Territory.
Black-throated Loon – Gavia arctica
Order Gaviiformes– Loons
Family Gaviidae– Loons
Appearance. A large bird with a rolled body. When swimming calmly, it sits quite high on the water, but, when disturbed, it deeply immerses the body in the water, so that a narrow strip of the back and neck with the head are visible. The back is brilliant black with white spots arranged in a checkerboard pattern. The head and back of the neck are ash grey. The throat with the front of the neck is black with a metallic sheen, the sides of the neck are light with a longitudinal black line pattern. The beak is long, straight, lead-gray.
Red-necked Grebe - Podiceps auritus
Order Podicipediformes– Toadstools
Family Podicipedidae– Toadstools
Appearance. The size of a small duck. Male and female are colored the same. The top of the body is black, the bottom is white. In spring and early summer, the front and sides of the neck, the upper chest and sides are rusty-red. The head with a crest and collar is black, on the sides of the head above and behind the eyes there are bunches of buffy-red feathers “horns”. From the second half of summer, the neck is almost all white, the “horns”, collar and rusty tones in color disappear. IN
in nature, it is difficult to distinguish from the black-necked grebe, from which in breeding plumage it differs from a close distance by the rusty-red color of the neck, and after molting by a straight (not upturned) beak and a lesser presence of white on the wing.
gray-cheeked toadstool – Podiceps grisegena
Order Podicipediformes– Toadstools
Family Podicipedidae– Toadstools
Appearance. Somewhat smaller than P. cristatus. Male and female are similar. The top is dark, brownish-gray, the bottom is light. In spring, the black top of the head with a small black crest contrasts with the light throat and cheeks. The border of the dark and light zones passes through the incision of the mouth and eye, which distinguishes this species from the great grebe, in which the light zone continues above the eye. The chest, front and sides of the neck are red.
After molting, the neck becomes white in front and on the sides.
PINK PELICAN– Pelecanus onocrotalus
Order Pelecaniformes– Pelicans
Family Pelecanidae– Pelicans
Appearance. A bird the size of a swan. A small head on a rather long neck with a long beak and a large throat pouch. In adults, the plumage is pale pink. The feathers on the head and neck are not curly, which is characteristic of the curly pelican. The throat pouch is yellow. In flight, it differs from the curly pelican in that the flight feathers are all black, and not just the primary ones. The legs and bare skin on the “face” are pink (in curly hair they are grey). If it is possible to directly examine it, one should pay attention to the fact that the plumage of the forehead comes on the upper beak with two toes (for a curly-haired one - with one). Young birds are brownish gray.
CURLY PELICAN– Pelecanus crispus
Order Pelecaniformes– Pelicans
Family Pelecanidae– Pelicans
Appearance. Similar to the previous view. In contrast, the plumage of the curly pelican is grayish-white, without a pink tint. On the head is a loose crest of long pointed feathers. The throat sac is orange in mating season, and pinkish in autumn. The legs and non-feathered areas of the skin on the “face” are gray. It differs in flight from the pink pelican in that the flight feathers are not all black, but only paramount. Upon direct examination, one should pay attention to the fact that the plumage of the forehead comes to the upper beak with one toe, and not two, like in pink. Young birds are brownish gray. When swimming, it raises its neck almost vertically, while lowering its beak.
LITTLE BITTER, or TOP - Ixobrychus minutus
Order Ciconiiformes– storks
Family Ardeidae– Herons
Appearance. The top in appearance is a typical heron the size of a dove. The male has a black “cap” and back with a metallic sheen. Flight and tail feathers are also black, but without shine. A sitting bird has large yellow spots on its sides. The plumage of the female is less contrasting, ocher-brown tones predominate.
GREAT WHITE HERON - Egretta alba
Order Ciconiiformes– storks
Family Ardeidae– Herons
Appearance. A typical heron, slightly smaller than the gray one, is distinguished by its snow-white plumage. In breeding attire, the nape feathers form a small crest, the feathers of the lower part of the neck are elongated in the front in the form of a mane, and a “train” of feathers that hide the tail hangs from the lower back. Chicks, unlike other large herons, have a pure white downy outfit, and on their heads there is a crest of elongated down.
CARAVAIKA - Plegadis falcinellus
Order Ciconiiformes– storks
Family Threskiornithidae– Ibis
Appearance. Duck size. There are no similar species in our fauna. Breeding plumage is reddish-brown with a metallic greenish-purple sheen on the back. Flywheels and helmsmen with a blue-green tint. The skin around the eyes and between the eyes is not feathered. The beak is long, brown, curved down.
THE BLACK STORK– Ciconia nigra
Order Ciconiiformes– storks
Family Ciconiidae– Stork
Appearance. A large bird on long legs, black in color with a white belly, clearly visible in flight. Beak, skin around eyes and legs are red.
ORDINARY FLAMINGO– Phoenicopterus roseus
Order Phoenicopteriformes– Flamingos
Family Phoenicopteridae– Flamingos
Appearance. In terms of body size, the flamingo is comparable to a goose, but differs in disproportionately long legs and neck. The plumage is almost white with a distinct pinkish tint. The wing coverts and inner flight feathers are bright pink, contrasting in flight with the black wingtips. The head is small with a massive beak, knee-shaped curved at a right angle. The bridle, eye ring and chin are not feathered.
Red-throated Goose – Rufibrenta ruficollis
Order Anseriformes– Anseriformes
Family Anatidae– Duck
Appearance. The red-throated goose is one of the smallest geese with bright plumage. The forehead, top of the head, neck and back, belly, wings and tail are black. On the sides of the head there is a large rusty spot surrounded by a white border. The goiter and neck are rufous in front. The legs and beak, which is miniature for a goose, are black.
Lesser Lesser White-fronted Lesser Goat - Anser erythropus
Order Anseriformes– Anseriformes
Family Anatidae - Anatidae
Appearance. Upperparts generally brownish gray. At the base of the beak there is a white spot 20-30 mm wide, extending like a wedge between the eyes. Crow, chest and sides are brownish-black, irregular black spots on the chest. Belly and undertail are white. The beak is pinkish or milky flesh. In nature, it is difficult to distinguish from other geese. It differs from the gray goose A. anser in its smaller size and darker coloration. Compared to the white-fronted A. albifrons, it is slightly smaller, the white spot on the forehead is slightly larger.
The most reliable sign is an unfeathered lemon-yellow ring around the eyes, but this "works" only at close range. The voice of the lesser white-fronted geese is higher than that of other geese, “squeaky”.
SMALL SWAN - Cygnus bewickii
Order Anseriformes– Anseriformes
Family Anatidae– Duck
Appearance. They are hardly distinguished from the whooper by their smaller size, which is obvious only when the birds keep close by. The details of the coloration of the beak differ: in the lesser swan, there is less yellow on the beak, and it reaches only the posterior edge of the nostrils at a right or almost right angle.
Ogar - Tadorna ferruginea
Order Anseriformes– Anseriformes
Family Anatidae– Duck
Appearance. A large red duck with a light head, black beak, tail and flight feathers. The male in breeding plumage has a narrow black collar around his neck. The female is somewhat lighter and does not have such a collar. In flight, white spots are clearly visible on the wings.
RED-NOSED DIVER – Netta rufina
Order Anseriformes– Anseriformes
Family Anatidae– Duck
Appearance. Big duck. A male with a bright red large head due to the feathers of its upper part, forming a golden crest. The back is light brown. In flight, a longitudinal black stripe on the belly is clearly visible, distinguishing it from other ducks. Flanks, axillae and underwing coverts are white. The beak is bright red. The female is brownish gray with a characteristic light gray coloration of the cheeks, the beak is gray with an orange tip. In flight, both sexes show a wide white mirror covering the entire length of the wing. Both legs are bright red.
WHITE-EYED DARK - Aythya nyroca
Order Anseriformes– Anseriformes
Family Anatidae– Duck
Appearance. Small reddish-brown duck. The hindquarters are whitish, the undertail, wing speculum and chin patch are white. The male has a white or bluish iris. In nuptial plumage, part of the neck, craw and forechest are reddish chestnut with a slight purple tint, and there is a dark ring at the base of the neck. The female is duller, brown, dark eyes. There is a white mirror along the entire length of the wing.
COMMON TURPAN - Melanitta fusca
Order Anseriformes– Anseriformes
Family Anatidae– Duck
Appearance. Large duck with rather short neck. The male is black, the female is brown, both have a large white mirror on the wing, clearly visible in flight and distinguishing the scoter from other black ducks. There are white spots on the sides of the head, the male has one small one, near the eye, the female has two larger ones - at the base of the beak and near the ear. The male in breeding plumage has a bright orange mandible from the top of the beak to the nostrils and a bluish-white iris.
SAVKA - Oxyura leucocephala
Order Anseriformes– Anseriformes
Family Anatidae– Duck
Appearance. Small conspicuous duck. The breeding attire of the male is mainly in brown-rusty colors with a small pattern. The head is white with a black cap and a blue beak swollen at the base, there is a wide black collar. The female's head is generally dark brown with white streaks on the cheeks. The long wedge-shaped tail is held vertically. When frightened, it often dives so that only the head and tail are visible above the water.
LUTOK - Mergus albellus
Order Anseriformes– Anseriformes
Family Anatidae– Duck
distribution.
Appearance. Small duck. The male in breeding plumage is mostly white, only the back, the stripes from the beak to the eye, on the sides of a small crest and two narrow transverse stripes on the sides of the chest are black. The sides of the body are ash-gray with a thin transverse pattern. In a flying bird, black primaries and large coverts give predominance on the black wing. The rainbow is white. In the female, the top of the head and crest are brown, the sides of the body are gray, and the lower surface of the body is white, like the spot in place of the wing mirror.
WHITE PARTRIDGE - Lagopus lagopus
Order Galliformes– Chicken
Family Tetraonidae– Grouse
Appearance. Two forms live in the Altai Territory: a large, or forest-steppe, white partridge and a short-beaked partridge. In winter, both the female and the male are white, except for a few tail feathers. In the forest-steppe partridge, they are brown, unlike other subspecies, in which the central pair of tail feathers is black. In spring, the male's brick-brown head, neck, chest and fore-back contrast with the white color of the rest of the plumage. In summer, its color is generally ocher-
brown with small black transverse stripes and spots, while in autumn it becomes more brown. In the summer, the female has a motley upper body, the bottom is lighter.
Tundra partridge - Lagopus mutus
Order Galliformes– Chicken
Family Tetraonidae– Grouse
Appearance. Outwardly, the tundra partridge is very similar to the previous species. There are several seasonal outfits. In winter, both males and females are white, only the tails, the bridle and the spot behind the eye are black (the main distinguishing feature from the white partridge). In summer, its upper body is dark brown with a few whitish-ocher and whitish mottles and an admixture of white feathers. Belly, legs and most of the wing remain white. In the second half of summer, the dark feather is replaced by a lighter gray or yellowish-gray with a thin streamy pattern (autumn plumage). The female is similar to the male, but has a more reddish coloration. Absolutely reliable species can distinguish between these two species only by holding it in your hands.
KEKLIK – Alectoris chukar
Order Galliformes– Chicken
Family Phasianidae– Pheasant
Appearance. It resembles a gray partridge, but larger. The upperparts are smoky gray with burgundy tint on the fore-back and parts of the wing coverts. A black stripe runs from the forehead through the eye to the ear, bordering the yellowish cheeks, throat and part of the neck. The belly is ochre-yellow. Sides with distinct black and brown transverse stripes. Paws, beak and ring around the eyes are red.
STERKH - Grus leucogeranus
Order Gruiformes– Cranes
Family Gruidae– Cranes
Appearance. A large crane with snow-white plumage, except for black primaries. The unfeathered “facial” part of the head is red. Young birds in the first autumn of life are brownish-red with a feathered “face”.
BLACK CRANE – Grus monacha
Order Gruiformes– Cranes
Family Gruidae– Cranes
Appearance. The coloration is dominated by a dark brown-slate color. The head and neck are white almost to the back and partly in front. The spot on the forehead and crown is red.
BEAM - Anthropoides virgo
Order Gruiformes– Cranes
Family Gruidae– Cranes
Appearance. Crane with light gray plumage, noticeably smaller than the gray crane.
The head is black with a narrow gray cap. The front sides of the neck with hanging elongated feathers are black. A narrow white stripe runs from the eyes through the ear area, which continues into a bunch of white thread-like feathers, the so-called braids.
Spreading. At the beginning of the twentieth century.
SMALL CARRIER – Porzana parva
Order Gruiformes– Cranes
Family Rallidae– Shepherd's
Appearance. The size of a starling. The back is olive-brown with wide black longitudinal streaks. There are infrequent white strokes on the loin and rump. The lower surface of the body is slate gray. The back of the belly and undertail are in dark and white transverse stripes. The beak is green with a red base, which is the most reliable difference from the crumb chauffeur, but is noticeable only at close range.
OESTER-MARKET – Haematopus ostralegus
Order Charadriiformes– Charadriiformes
Family Haematopodidae– Oystercatchers
Appearance. A crow-sized stocky oystercatcher with black and white plumage. The head, neck, crop, fore-back and most of the wings are black, the rest of the plumage and the stripe on the wing are white. The beak is large orange. The legs are low, pink, three-toed. There is an orange-red featherless ring around the eyes.
FIFI - Tringa glareola
Order Charadriiformes– Charadriiformes
Family Scolopacidae– snipes
Appearance. Sandpiper from a starling, uniformly colored in a combination of variegated gray and white. There are small longitudinal streaks on the head and neck, and larger rounded spots on the back. The bottom is white with blackish longitudinal streaks on the neck, goiter and sides of the chest. The wings are blackish-brown with a white underside. Uppertail white, tail with transverse blackish stripes.
MORODUNKA - Xenus cinereus
Order Charadriiformes– Charadriiformes
Family Scolopacidae– snipes
Appearance. Sandpiper from a starling with a uniform grayish-brown plumage, two longitudinal dark stripes on the back. The beak is slightly curved upwards.
MOUNTAIN SPIN - Gallinago solitaria
Order Charadriiformes– Charadriiformes
Family Scolopacidae– snipes
Appearance. A sandpiper of a characteristic “snipe” appearance with a long beak and a low body position on relatively short legs. The color of the upperparts is generally variegated gray-brown. It differs from related species by white (not buffy) borders on the feathers of the back, forming longitudinal stripes. The chest is brown-brown with white streaks. It is difficult to distinguish in nature from the forest snipe and Asian snipe. The nature of the habitats - high mountains - sometimes makes it possible to more reliably identify the species.
Thin-billed Curlew - Numenius tennuirostris
Order Charadriiformes– Charadriiformes
Family Scolopacidae– snipes
Appearance. The sandpiper is the size of a crow with a long, downward-curved beak. Difficult to distinguish from large and medium curlews. First of all, it differs from both
the absence of redness in color and the nature of spotting: clear teardrop-shaped, pear-shaped and heart-shaped streaks stand out on the goiter, chest and sides. The beak at the top is shorter and thinner than that of other curlews, and the color tone is the lightest. With a medium curlew, the slender beak is of the same size, but it does not have a light “parting” and dark stripes on the crown. It differs from the large one in size and light color.
ASIAN SPINK WIRL–Limnodromus semipalmatus
Order Charadriiformes– Charadriiformes
Family Scolopacidae– snipes
Appearance. A medium sized sandpiper with a very long, straight beak and long legs. The main tone of the plumage is reddish. The back is blackish-rusty brown with darker anterior part and head. Hindquarters and rump, light with dark streaks. The belly is rusty-red.
P.S.
Kunak
Kunak
- City: Barnaul
Free information ( animals )
on proposals received by the Commission for the maintenance of the Red Book
The proposed changes were the result of discussion among a representative professional community.
1. Species proposed for inclusion in the 3rd edition of the Red Book of the Altai Territory.
but) requiring inclusion (consensus):
Eiseniy MalevichEisenia malevici Perel, 1962
Included in the CCRF with category 1 as an endangered species. Recently discovered in the region on the Salair Ridge by E.V. Golovanova. Endemic of Salair and Northern Altai. It is proposed to include in the KKAK with the same category as in the RF CC - 1.
Conservation measures: conservation as part of natural systems within protected areas.
Siberian lampreyLethenteron kessleri ( Anikin, 1905)
All species and populations of lampreys Zap. and Vost. Europe are included in the IUCN Red List and the Red Book of the Russian Federation. It is known that it does not tolerate water pollution, lives together with grayling and can serve as an indicator of water quality.
In the reservoirs of the Altai Territory, the status of the species is defined as declining, small. Proposed category - rare III.
Protection measures: environmental and sanitary control of the state of reservoirs; fishing ban.
Kumaigyps himalayansis Hume, 1869
A rare vagrant species on the territory of the Altai Territory, a twin species of the griffon vulture. He was in the KK of the USSR, where he was rarely noted only in the Pamirs. Only recently entered the bird fauna of Russia and the Altai Territory. Few data do not allow one to correctly judge the factors limiting its abundance. A measure for the protection of the species is a ban on shooting. Taking into account the conservation status of kumai in the IUCN Red List: close to the threat of extinction, we consider it necessary to include kumai in the new edition of the Red Book of the Altai Territory. Offered III category(a rare non-breeding species on the periphery of the range).
Kobchikfalco vespertinus L., 1766
Conservation status of the Falcon on the IUCN Red List: Near Threatened, population trend on the same list: declining. In the 1960s–1980s Falcon in the Altai Territory was sporadically distributed, in some places it is common for nesting. For the period from 2004 to 2015. in this territory it was possible to meet red-footed falcons only 4 times. The reasons for the collapse of the nesting group of Falcons are not entirely clear. Probably, this is a mass death of birds on migration routes or wintering grounds. We propose to add the falcon to the new edition of the Red Book of the Altai Territory with statusI.
Great snipeGallinago media Lath., 1787
Until the middle of the XX century. was widely distributed in the region, in some places it was a massive hunting species. A decrease in the number throughout the range has been noted since the end of the first half of the 20th century. In the second half of the XX and the beginning of the XXI century. Great snipe depopulation has intensified: it has disappeared in Kazakhstan, rare in the Krasnoyarsk Territory, questionable in the steppe Trans-Urals.
The species is included in the IUCN Red List (close to threatened), Appendix II of the Bonn and Berne Conventions, bilateral agreements of the Russian Federation and a number of countries on the protection of migratory birds and their habitats. Hunting is prohibited in all countries of the breeding range, excluding Russia; the species is listed in more than 20 regional Red Data Books, incl. Krasnoyarsk Territory, the Republic of Khakassia and the Republic of Altai.
In the Altai Territory, there is practically no information about the great snipe over the past 50 years. In recent years, solitary birds have been recorded; small leks and broods have been found three times. The current of 3-5 males are in the areas of annual flooding, and given the high degree of nesting conservatism, the success of their nesting is doubtful. Limiting factors: embankment of rivers and reclamation works that destroy nesting and forage biotopes; reduction of haymaking and grazing in meadows, which leads to their overgrowth. Proposed categoryIII is a regionally rare species.
CurlewNumenius arquata L., 1758
In the new edition of the Red Book of the Russian Federation, in addition to the nominative subspecies, it is planned to introduce populations of the curlew of the zonal steppes from the Lower Don to Altai. This species is listed in the Red Books of the Kemerovo, Novosibirsk, Omsk regions and the Altai Republic; The species has been classified as NT Near Threatened by the IUCN.
In the Altai Territory, there is a decrease in the number of curlew. In the first quarter of the twentieth century. it was common on nesting and migration in the Barnaul region. In the late 80s - early 90s. In the 20th century, up to 50 nesting birds were counted in the Blagoveshchensky reserve. Over the past decade, meetings in the region during nesting time are rare. The main limiting factors: agricultural activity, chemicalization, land reclamation, poaching. Offered III category- rare view.
DubrovnikOcyris aureolus Pall . , 1773.
A species with a sharply reduced population. It is included in the IUCN Red List (Endangered), in Appendix II of the Bern Convention for the Protection of Wildlife and Natural Habitats, in bilateral agreements between Russia and a number of countries on the protection of migratory birds and their habitats, has a conservation status in Europe.
Until the end of the XX century. dubrovnik in the Altai Territory was common, in places numerous. Since the end of the twentieth century. began a sharp decline in the number of the species throughout the range, for many places - the complete disappearance of the species. It is planned to include the species in the Red Book of the Russian Federation with category I.
Dubrovnik is currently in the Altai Territory stopped meeting in Tigirek reserve; continues to decline in the Ob floodplain. In 2012, unsuccessful attempts were made to find a dubrovnik near from. Altai, where it was previously numerous, lake Kolyvansky; in the vicinity of Zmeinogorsk - single occurrences.
The main reason for the catastrophic decline in the world population in the professional community is seen in the destruction of the species in wintering areas (Southeast Asia). The species requires special measures protection of nesting stations in those places where it is still preserved for nesting. It is necessary to include the species in the Red Book with I category .
gray marmotMarmotabaibacina Kast., 1899
The southern part of the Altai Territory is the northern limit of the distribution of the gray marmot, the range of which does not overlap with the range of the forest-steppe marmot ( M.kastschenkoi). Settlements of the gray marmot in the Altai Territory are concentrated mainly in the upper reaches of the Alei and Charysh, sporadic and few in number. According to official data of 2014, the number of marmots in its habitats is about 3000 individuals. Taking into account the common practice of overestimating the readings of counts of hunting and commercial species, as well as the results of counts with the participation of specialists from specialized scientific organizations in the mid-1980s, it seems that the available data are significantly overestimated, perhaps even by several times. And the total number of gray marmot in the region is unlikely to exceed 1-2 thousand individuals.
Main Threats. Poaching, and it is in the Altai Territory that illegal hunting of this species has a maximum scope compared to neighboring regions. They are hunted by stray and shepherd dogs. The threat to the settlements is mining. For the gray marmot, steppe fires are also dangerous in the period from May to July.
Red-cheeked ground squirrelSpermophilus erythrogenys(Br., 1841)
On the territory of the former In the USSR, this ground squirrel inhabited the steppes and forest-steppes of Western Siberia and Kazakhstan. As they were developed, it began to settle on pastures, pastures, along roadsides and fields, damaging crops, and therefore for decades it was fought with the help of highly toxic substances. The chemical method of exterminating rodents is still used today: these are poisons of acute action, for example, zinc phosphide.
Gophers survived the development of the virgin steppes of Eurasia and grandiose measures for their extermination. The decline in their numbers began in the late 1980s and early 1990s.
The red-cheeked ground squirrel is included in the Red Books of the Krasnoyarsk Territory, the Kemerovo Region and Khakassia. In the 1980s-2000s, the populations of the red-cheeked ground squirrel in the Altai Territory and Kuzbass experienced a real disaster. On the Bie-Chumysh Upland in the 1960s–1970s the population of this ground squirrel had a high density, and in the early 1980s reduced the number to a critical level. On the right bank of the Ob within the Altai Territory, he apparently disappeared, where since 2000 his meetings are unknown. On the left bank of the Ob in the 1960s–1980s in the south of the Kulunda plain and the Ob plateau, this animal was a mass species, and now it has also practically disappeared here. The red-cheeked ground squirrel was last noted here in 2011 in the remains of the food of birds of prey in the Uglovsky district. Disappearing colonies were observed in the early 2000s. in Kamensky and Novichikhinsky districts. In the Uglovsky district in the 1980s. mined up to 90 thousand ground squirrels. Now it is hardly possible to get a thousand.
2. Types offered for exclusion from the Red Book of the Altai Territory.
KeklikAlectoris chukar ( J.E. Gr., 1830)
Information about the occurrences of the keklik, based on survey data and descriptions of non-specialists, presented in the Red Book of the Altai Territory (2006), is probably erroneous.
WrenTroglodytes troglodytes L., 1758
During the period of validity of the regional Red Book, additional information on this species has not appeared. In general, the wren is not characteristic of the fauna of the region, whose territory falls on a vast gap between the western and eastern fragments of the range. Rare finds concerning not only the territory of the region, but also other regions of Western Siberia indicate the possibility of finding a species on the territory of the region, and even rare cases of nesting in the future. It is safe to say that anthropogenic factors do not affect this species and its rarity. Wren should be excluded from the regional Red Book.
3. Species for which it is proposed rarity category change(consensus or close to it).
Views for which it is proposed to change IV category forIII:
Over the past 20 years, it has become obvious that the state of their populations in the region fully corresponds to category III - rare or narrow-range species.
small swan Cygnus bewickii(Yarr.)
Smew Mergellus albellus(L.)
crested honey buzzard Pernis ptilorhynchus Temm.
small sparrowhawk accipiter virgatus Temm.
dwarf eagle Hieraaetus pennatus(J.F.Gm.)
Morodunka Xenus cinereus(Guld.)
Great Gray Owl Strix nebulosa J.F. Fors.
needle-tailed swift Hirundapus caudacutus(Lath.)
Siberian finch Leucosticte arctoa Pall.
gall oatmeal Emberiza bruniceps Br.
Species for which it is proposed to change the category due to population changes.
steppeEagle Aquila nipalensis Hodgs, 1833
The global population of the Steppe Eagle has declined by at least 58.6% over the past 20 years. Such indicators allow it to qualify as a "species in danger of extinction." These data were taken into account in the next revision of the IUCN Red List. Thus, the steppe eagle is now endangered on a global scale.
Category III in the Red Book of the Russian Federation at the moment no longer reflects the actual state of the Steppe Eagle populations. In the new edition of the Red Book of the Russian Federation, the steppe eagle is proposed as an endangered species (category I).
On the territory of the Altai Territory in 2015, 28 nesting sites of the Steppe Eagle were checked. Residential (with chicks) were only on 5 of them (17.9% of the number of checked). In 21 sites (75%), the nests were old (at different stages of destruction) or empty (the birds did not breed). Two nesting sites (7.1%) out of 28 tested have ceased to exist. There are doubts whether those areas where we observed only old nests and did not meet eagles or traces of their presence ceased to exist. Of course, some of them no longer exist.
Thus, it can be argued that the population of the Steppe Eagle in the Altai Territory is experiencing a clear negative trend, which has already manifested itself and we can state a decrease in the number of at least 7% compared to 2011.
Based on the foregoing, we consider it necessary raise status steppe eagle in the new edition of the Red Book of the Altai Territory to I.
Golden eagleAquila chrysaetos( L., 1758)
It is currently impossible to call a consistently low number of golden eagles in the Altai Territory. However, it is declining, as evidenced by studies conducted in 2012–2015. The situation is most dramatic in tape burs. Until 2005, golden eagles were regularly encountered in all large swamp complexes of forest massifs, there were 6 nesting sites, and the total number was estimated at 50–60 pairs. By 2008, 3 more nesting sites were found in the forests, but 4 previously known ones ceased to exist. The last nesting attempt of the golden eagle in the tape forests was noted in 2013. Such a rapid disappearance of the golden eagle from the forests can only be explained by “progressive” forest management. Here the golden eagle, unlike the burial ground, nestled in the depths of the forest away from the edges, in places rarely visited by humans. The rapid growth in the areas of selective felling, which began around 2005, and the associated anxiety of the birds, just as rapidly led them to collapse.
The population of the golden eagle in the foothills of Altai is still in a relatively prosperous state, which can be explained by the almost complete absence of such a powerful factor of disturbance as industrial logging, which constantly operates in the belt forests. Taking into account the rapid disappearance of the golden eagle nesting group in ribbon forests, we can state a decrease in the number of this eagle and a negative trend throughout the Altai Territory. Therefore, we consider it necessary raise status rarities of the golden eagle in the new edition of the Red Book of the Altai Territory fromIII(rare species with consistently low numbers) on theII(reducing the number and range).
saker falconF a lco cherrug Gr. , 1843
In the flat part of the Altai Territory (in ribbon forests), until 2005, a nesting group of Saker Falcons with more than 60 pairs remained, in which 32 nesting sites were localized only in 2003. In 2014, out of 21 breeding sites tested, only 1 turned out to be occupied. Thus, we can state the fact of a catastrophic reduction in the number of the plains Saker Falcon population in the Altai Territory by more than 90%. The current abundance of this predator in the ribbon forests is estimated at 3–5 pairs, preserved mainly on the Russian-Kazakh border.
The reasons for the decrease in the number of Saker Falcons are: illegal catching, cutting down of nesting trees, disturbance of birds associated with selective logging on forest edges, deterioration of the food supply due to a decrease in the number and range of the red-cheeked ground squirrel. Of decisive importance is obviously the poaching of the saker falcon, which is popular as a hunting bird among foreign falconers and is of great commercial interest.
Now the number of nesting groups of this falcon in the Altai Territory is no more than 15 pairs. It has probably already disappeared from the ribbon forests, although it can be assumed that no more than 5 pairs can nest there. In the foothill and mountainous parts of the region, about 5 nesting sites are known, which are probably still active, and the number is not more than 10 pairs. It also decreased here compared to the beginning of the 2000s, but not as catastrophically as in the forests due to the difficulty of catching birds in very rugged terrain.
In addition, birds die on power lines, trees with nests in pine forests continue to be cut down, nesting rocks in the foothills are blown up during the development of polymetals and other minerals (just where active nesting sites of Saker Falcons still remain).
In the light of the above, it is necessary to revise the status of the Saker Falcon in the Red Book of the Altai Territory and boost it fromII toI.
little bustardTetrax tetrax ( L., 1758)
Need to change category from 0 toI due to the fact that recently, after more than a 50-year break, information has appeared about the presence of this species in the region (Kotlov, 2015, etc.).
Black-fronted ShrikeLanius minor J.F. Gm., 1788
This species was included in the regional Red Book with category I as extremely rare. Recent years have shown that it is rare, but not catastrophic. It is difficult to agree with the proposal of the employees of the Siberian Ecological Center (Novosibirsk) to exclude this shrike from the Red Book. We consider it appropriate to downgrade the species category from I toIII.
forest-steppe marmotMarmotakastschenkoi Stroganov and Yudin, 1956
It lives on the territory of Novosibirsk, Tomsk, Kemerovo regions and Altai Territory. Its range is limited to the Salair region, therefore, it is not just an endemic of Russia, but the only narrowly endemic species of mammals in the Altai Territory. According to official data (2014), the number of marmots (without specifying the species) in the habitats of the forest-steppe marmot in the Altai Territory is about 19.5 thousand individuals; in the Novosibirsk region - about 10.5 thousand individuals (2012); in the Kemerovo region - about 4.3 thousand individuals (2015); in the Tomsk region - no more than 0.1 thousand individuals. The total number of the forest-steppe marmot, therefore, does not exceed 35 thousand individuals, which makes it possible to classify it as a small species, moreover, more than half of its world population is concentrated in the Altai Territory.
Taking into account the common practice of overestimating the readings of counts of hunting and commercial species, as well as the results of counts with the participation of specialists from specialized scientific organizations in the mid-1980s, apparently, the counts are significantly overestimated, possibly by several times.
Main Threats: poaching; they are hunted by stray and shepherd dogs; marmot settlements may be threatened by a radical improvement of forage lands, as well as plowing of fallows and crops of perennial grasses; the use of pesticides, especially rodenticides, in fields near marmot habitats; steppe fires.
Western cottonmouthGloydiushalys Pall., 1776
It has a wide range, from the Lower Volga and Transcaucasia to Northeast China and the river. Zeya. In the Altai Territory, it is known from the steppe foothills and low mountains of the Western Altai, where it inhabits rocky, petrophytic-steppe and rubble-shrub biotopes. Over the entire history of the study, finds have been documented in only 7 points of the region, and in one of them the species has apparently disappeared by now.
According to expert estimates, the number of muzzle in the Altai Territory has decreased over the past decades, which is probably due to the loss of habitats, the use of insecticides and rodenticides in the 1960-80s, and in recent years, with an increase in the frequency and area of steppe fires in spring. summer period. Taking into account the point distribution of the species in the region, mining developments pose a potential threat to it.
Recommended security measures: prohibition of removal from nature and destruction of snakes; prohibition of the use of rodenticides and insecticides in the habitats of the species; restriction of mining development of species habitats; fight against untimely (spring-summer) steppe fires.
The form of implementation of part of the measures can be the creation of protected areas in the habitats of cottonmouth muzzle, the regime of which should provide for the listed measures (the inclusion of appropriate measures in the regime of already existing protected areas).
Brownieowl Athene noctua ( Scop., 1769)
The species is distributed mainly in deserts, semi-deserts, in the mountains with xerophytic vegetation of North Africa, Arabia, Asia Minor, Western and Central Asia. In Altai, the owl nests in the South-Eastern province. In Western Siberia, this is a rare bird of the steppe south of the region.
The northernmost point of registration of the little owl in Asia was Lake. Tengiz in Kazakhstan. In recent years, new data have appeared on the distribution of this species much further north. Nesting of the little owl in the Altai Territory was observed in 2005 in the village. Novoyarki Kamensky district. These birds are well known to the locals, according to whom they have been staying there constantly in the summer for at least the last ten years (i.e., at least from 1995 to 2005). According to survey data, the little owl was noted in the summer of 2003 in the village. Storyteller. Recently, brown owls have been brought to the Altai-Falcon Rare Bird Breeding Center near Barnaul twice.
Thus, the nesting of the little owl in the Altai Territory is beyond doubt. There is also no doubt that in the region it is a rare species that nests in rural settlements. That is why it suffers greatly from threatening anthropogenic factors.
Main Threats: anxiety and illegal shooting; poisoning from the use of pest control chemicals on farms; death at line disconnectors and transformer substations. The database of the Russian Raptor Research and Conservation Network contains information on four registrations of the little owl in the Altai Territory over the past 5 years, and in three cases these are birds that died on line disconnectors and taps to transformers.
Recommended measures: equipping transformer substations with effective bird protection devices, prohibiting the use of pesticides to control rodents on farms where owls live, installing artificial nests.
PastorSturnus roseus L., 1758
In the Altai Territory, the pink starling is an irregularly nesting species in the western regions of the region on the periphery of the range with a pulsating distribution boundary and pronounced bursts and drops in numbers that are not related to the anthropogenic factor, which is typical for the species as a whole. It should be noted that neither in the last 100 years nor in the last 10 years has the situation changed. View also, as before, does not nest regularly, but if it nests, then often in large numbers, as, for example, in the village. Pavlovka, Uglovsky district in 2012. This pulsation is probably based on fluctuations in the number locust- the main food object of this species.
common newt Lissotriton vulgaris( L., 1758)
The triton is quite widespread in the region, many places where it was noted are known (Red Book of AK, 1998; 2006). At the same time, there is almost no new information about its distribution and abundance. However, this fact does not indicate a change in its distribution or a deterioration in the state of the population in the region, but rather indicates a lack of attention to this species.
Plants are brought in:
The nest is real- view known from a single locality with extremely low abundance. It grows in unique old-growth closed pine forests with the participation of larch on manes among swamps.
Bow of Pallas– vulnerable species, endemic to Altai and Dzungaria;
Onion dwarf- a species listed in the Red Book of the Russian Federation and found in the Altai Territory in recent years;
Petroragia alpine– the only locality of the species is known in the region of the lake. Kolyvanskoe.
Mushrooms are brought in:
earth star blackhead- a rare species with low numbers throughout its range. The only locality in Western Siberia is in the Barnaul Ribbon Forest;
Polyporus cellular- There is one find in the region. Single localities in the south of the West. Siberia. Probably a tertiary relic.
Polyporus umbrella- included in the Red Book of the Russian Federation. One locality is known in the region.
Vesyolka yellow-ribbed- a rare species, in Russia it is known only in the mountainous regions of Southern Siberia in fir forests and relic black taiga.
The regional center of the Siberian region is Barnaul. However, all the favorite places of rest for tourists are located outside the city. The sun shines almost all year round.
The winter is cold, long and there is a lot of snow. On average, the temperature during these months drops to -25 degrees Celsius during the daytime. And summer, although short, is not deprived of hot days. For example, in July the weather pleases with indicators of +28.
Features of the Altai Territory
Anyone who has visited the Altai Territory at least once will not forget its clean air and clear mountain rivers. There are more than 20 thousand reservoirs in this region. And thanks to the mountainous terrain, there are many high waterfalls.
The region is famous for its healing springs and mud. Local spring mineral water is not inferior in its properties to that produced in the famous springs of Essentuki and Borjomi.
During a trip to Altai, you will plunge into the world of pristine nature. A quarter of the area of the region is occupied by dense forests. Siberian linden, giant fescue and feathery feather grass are included in the Red Book of Russia. Immediately 5 natural sites in Altai were included in the UNESCO World Heritage List.
Animals of the Altai Territory
very rich fauna of the Altai Territory. A wide variety of vegetation in Altai creates good conditions for the life of a huge number of animals. There are 51 natural monuments on the territory of the region.
Steppes, forests, high-altitude zones. Each zone is inhabited by animals adapted to certain environmental conditions. 35 reserves have been formed in the region.
The most common wild animals of the Altai Territory
The territory of the Altai Territory was inhabited by more than four hundred species of animals and birds. A quarter of them are mammals. There are even more birds in the region, 320 species. In addition, 7 species of reptiles, 6 species of invertebrates and 7 species of amphibians. And in numerous rivers and lakes, as many as 35 species of fish are found.
hedgehog
One of the most common animals in the Altai Territory can be attributed. These insectivores have become more and more numerous in recent years. After all, the winters in the region have become warmer, which only plays into the hands of these small animals.
They are not afraid of people and technology, so they can easily be found in the city. Altai hedgehogs have one interesting feature - their breasts are white. You don't find these anywhere. Hedgehogs feed on beetles, do not disdain small rodents and lizards.
Badger
Another small predator that lives in the mountainous region is the badger. Its dimensions reach a meter in length, and weight can be more than 20 kilograms. The badger is easily recognizable by the strip of black fur in the middle of the white head.
The coat of the animal is grayish-brown. Moreover, in summer its color is darker than in winter. On the front paws of the animal are powerful claws. With them, the badger digs holes and defends itself from enemies. This animal of the marten family settles in the crevices of high mountains.
If the winter turned out to be very cold, the animal can hibernate, like a bear. By the way, we will tell about them further.
Brown bear
