Arctic nature and wildlife. Message on the surrounding world on the topic: “Natural areas of Russia

Despite the very low temperatures, in the Arctic is quite diverse animal world. Many of the animals that live there are familiar to you, and some will seem quite exotic.

Wolverines

These predatory animals belong to the mustelidae family. They have long claws that they use to climb trees.
Polar bears. They are also called polar bears.
They mainly live in coastal areas because they primarily feed on seals.

Reindeer

Another name reindeer– caribou.
This is the only species of deer that has both females and males have horns.

Hare - Arctic hare

Hares - Arctic hare

Their fur turns white in winter and gray in summer.
Sometimes they dig holes in the snow and huddle together to keep warm.

Arctic foxes

They have small faces and bodies, as well as short legs and long, thick fur. This helps them keep warm. Thanks to the thick fur on their paws, they can walk on snow and ice.

Arctic wolves

Carnivores that live alone or in groups of 6. They are smaller than other wolves, they have long, thick white fur, very good vision, hearing and scent, which help them hunt.

Arctic - report for children
Animals of the Arctic report for children with photographs

Arctic includes the Arctic Ocean, the Alaska Peninsula, Northern Canada, Greenland, Northern Scandinavia and the coast of Siberia. During the polar night the sun is not visible at all. The ground freezes deeply, becomes covered with ice and snow, and sea ice lasts most of the year. Only a few animals that are most adapted to cold weather can withstand such a harsh climate. The Arctic summer lasts no more than two months, but as the days get longer, some unpretentious plants have time to grow and bloom.
Some arctic animals:

White Arctic fox

U white fox The fur is so thick that this animal does not freeze even at -50 degrees. In summer, the arctic fox's fur takes on a grayish tint. The Arctic fox hunts hares, but also catches lemmings - small rodents barely larger than a mouse.



Arctic terns

Arctic terns In winter they fly to warmer climes. These birds are great travelers: in a year they can fly up to 40,000 km!

White hare

White hare, depending on the habitat, in summer it acquires a brown or gray color. But in winter its coat turns white, and then it is almost indistinguishable in the snow.

Muskox

Muskox, thanks to its very thick fur, it looks much larger than it actually is. Under the long hair, which goes down almost to the ground, the musk ox has a thin and delicate undercoat, which falls out at the end of winter. In strong winds the animals are reliably protected, but in snowfall their fur quickly freezes.

Polar bear

Polar bear– a formidable predator; ruler of the icy expanses of the Arctic. Thanks to his keen sense of smell, he tracks seals under the ice, and can smell the corpse of a whale 30 km away. The polar bear is also an excellent swimmer and calmly dives into ice water. To get out, the bear grabs a passing ice floe with its powerful claws. Then the animal shakes itself off, and its fur again becomes dry and does not freeze.

Walruses

U walruses There are strong fangs, they help animals get out of the water, as well as punch holes and breathe when walruses swim under the ice. The longer a male’s fangs are, the more confident he feels among his fellows and the easier it is for him to find a mate.

wild ducks

wild ducks in the summer, during the thaw, they begin to build nests again and flood the shores of small lakes rich in food.

Seals

Arctic– this is the real kingdom of seals: bearded seal, hooded seal, marbled seal. The smallest of the seals, the marbled seal, has a body covered dark spots, the bearded man has a shaggy chin. The hooded seal inflates its neck like a ball, attracting the female. The body of the seal pups is covered with thick white fur; the female mother feeds them with nutritious mayonnaise-like milk. Seals swim like fish, but on land or on ice it is difficult for them to move, and they are completely clumsy.

Plan

1. Location
2. Natural conditions
3. Flora
4. Birds
5. Animal world
6. Power circuits
7. Population
8. Environmental issues

Zone Arctic deserts highlighted in blue-gray on the map
1. Location of the Arctic desert zone:

• Geographical position: Arctic Ocean, northern seas and islands. North Sea Arctic Ocean very cold. All year round they are almost completely covered with ice, floating ice floes.
• Islands: Franz Joseph Land, New Earth, Severnaya Zemlya, New Siberian Islands, Wrangel Island.
• Seas: Barents Sea, White Sea, Kara Sea, Laptev Sea, East Siberian Sea, Chukchi Sea

Rivers carrying water to the seas of the Arctic Ocean: Pechora, Ob, Yenisei, Lena, Indigirka, Kolyma.

2. Natural conditions

Sun in the Arctic never rises high above the horizon. Its rays glide over the surface of the earth, giving it very little heat. That's why here kingdom of ice and snow . Long frosty winter of 10-11 months, short cool summer. The surface of the ocean is covered with ice 3-5 meters thick or more. Snowstorms are raging over the ocean, frosts are raging. The cold air in this zone can spread far to the south. The icy breath of the Arctic is felt throughout Russia. Therefore, the ice zone is often called the “refrigerator” of our country. In winter it's as cold as freezer. The air temperature drops to -40–50 degrees below zero. In the summer ice zone the temperature rises to +4 degrees above zero. This is also the temperature in the refrigerator, but in the fruit compartment.

Sometimes amazingly beautiful polar lights appear. The whole sky sparkles. And the reflection of light plays everywhere on the ice. The masses of light are divided into brilliant multi-colored stripes and intertwined in the most bizarre way, sparkling with unusually pure and bright colors of the rainbow.

3. Flora

TO harsh conditions arctic deserts few species of living organisms have adapted . Lichens are found on the rocks of the islands; they are very small. Mosses and polar poppies have also adapted to life on the rocks. In the water column, not covered with ice, a large number of planktonic and algae, which enrich the water with oxygen and cleanse it of bacteria. During the Arctic summer, they quickly grow in the water and serve as food for millions of animals, which in turn feed on fish, squid and even giant whales.

4. Birds

Of the animals in these parts most birds . In summer, seagulls, guillemots, and auks gather on the rocky shores. Noisy Congestions seabirds on steep rocky shores they are called “bird colonies”. Living in such a concentration, on inaccessible rocks, has its advantages: the birds are well protected from many predators. Here the birds hatch their chicks. Interestingly, guillemots do not build nests, but lay their eggs on bare rock ledges. Why don't eggs roll off cliffs? Because they are pear-shaped. But in the bird market, guillemots, puffins and kittiwakes have enemies. Large gulls, glaucous gulls and long-tailed skuas, nest near the bazaar. These birds have learned to take advantage of other people's labor. A skua will take fish away from any bird. He chases and pounces until the bird throws the fish, and he catches it on the fly! For this, the skua was nicknamed Fomka the Robber.

5. Animal world

Except for warm-blooded birds in the ice zone large mammals live .

Feels great here polar bear . White fur helps it camouflage itself and sneak up on its future victim unnoticed. The thick, long coat is lubricated with a fatty substance secreted by the skin glands, does not get wet in water, and does not freeze in cold weather. Polar bears travel on Arctic ice, but they are also excellent swimmers. Polar bears hunt seals near ice holes, waiting for them to come up for air. A thick layer of fat, evenly distributed under the skin, protects against cold weather. In the most severe frosts, polar bears bask in water whose temperature is +2°C. When winter comes, bears dig a den in the snow, where they shelter from adverse weather conditions (females).

They wander in search of food wolves, arctic foxes. The arctic fox is also called the arctic fox. In winter, its fur becomes white and extremely thick. White color allows the arctic fox to camouflage itself in the snow and hunt with greater ease. It is an omnivore and feeds on birds, crabs or fruits.

Seals and walruses They spend most of their lives in water, and come to land to give birth and moult. They are clumsy on hard surfaces due to their sheet-like limbs. Walruses are larger than seals; walruses have tusks. The walrus uses bottom mollusks for food, the seal feeds on fish. A walrus can rest right in the water, but a seal needs to climb out onto ice floes to rest, where a polar bear can lie in wait for it.

Numerous aquatic animals that live in the ice zone include fish feeding on small crustaceans and algae. I live in the seas of the Arctic zone narwhal, bowhead whale, polar dolphin or beluga whale, killer whale .

6. Food chains that have developed in the Arctic.

1. Algae——>crustaceans——>fish——>birds

2. Algae crustaceans fish birds

seals

//////
White bears

7. Population

Live hereEskimos, Chukchi, Yakuts . Man is not a native inhabitant of the Arctic, but it has always attracted people with its mystery. The Northern Sea Route has been laid. They work on the islands and in the ice of the Arctic Ocean scientific stations. Brave polar explorers live and work here. They monitor the weather around the clock, day after day, and report it on the radio. mainland. People are engaged in fishing and hunting. But this is not always done wisely.

8. Environmental issues

Main environmental problems of this region are

• — climate change and melting arctic ice;
• — water pollution northern seas oil and chemical compounds, as well as by sea transport;
• — reduction in the population of Arctic animals and changes in their habitat.

In general, according to research, temperatures in the Arctic are rising faster than in the rest of the world. According to 2004 data, over the past 30 years, the thickness of Arctic ice has decreased by half on average. In the 21st century, most of the Arctic waters will be completely ice-free. And by 2070, the Earth may completely lose its northern ice cap

The main sources of pollution are the mining and transport industries, military facilities, and processing industries. One more important issue is a reduction in the population of Arctic animals. Every year at the beginning of March, seal pups are born. At the age of 3-4 weeks, when small seals cannot hide from danger even in the water, people catch them on the ice in the thousands and kill them for their skins. The main enemy of the arctic fox is man. The Arctic fox attracts him with its luxurious fur. Thousands and thousands of these animals are destroyed for the sake of luxurious fur coats. The walrus and pink gull have become rare; they are included in the Red Book of Russia.

The dramatic increase in industrial fishing and the increasing exploitation of oil and gas deposits since the second half of the 20th century have seriously threatened resources once considered inexhaustible. People thought about their behavior, protected rare animals, limited fishing, and created nature reserves.

9. Reserve “Wrangel Island”

Reserve "Wrangel Island" located on two islands: o. Wrangel and Fr. Herald, it was organized in 1976. Three chains of mountains, separated by valleys, run across the entire island from west to east. Mother bears come to Wrangel Island from different corners Arctic. Every spring, scientists count up to two hundred dens on the island in which babies are born. That's why the island is called " maternity hospital” polar bears. The island is home to the largest ungulate animal in the Arctic - the musk ox, brought to the reserve from America. The reserve has the largest concentration of walruses. A large number of birds fly to the island to nest. In spring you can meet rare bird- the pink gull, it is called the firebird of the north. Wrangel Island is the only place where white geese nest.

According to experts from the Wrangel Island Nature Reserve, poachers kill 200-300 polar bears in the Russian Arctic every year.

Views: 48,020

You might be interested

Animals that live in the Arctic.

Animals that live in the Arctic are adapted to extreme conditions. Almost all of these animals have white skins. They not only help them hide in the snowdrifts white snow, but also give them incredible beauty and unusualness, unlike their counterparts who live in more warm regions.

polar Wolf(Canis lupus tundrorum) - subspecies of wolf. Lives throughout the Arctic, with the exception of ice floes and large territories, covered with ice.
The polar wolf lives in vast areas of the polar regions, which are immersed in darkness for 5 months. To survive, the wolf has adapted to eat any food that comes across. It is well adapted to life in the Arctic: it can live for years at sub-zero temperatures without seeing for months sunlight and remain without food for weeks.
For centuries, people have mercilessly exterminated wolves of all varieties. However polar Wolf- this is the only subspecies that still lives throughout the entire territory that was accessible to its ancestors. This happened because people rarely get here.

Arctic fox, polar fox(lat. Alopex lagopus or lat. Vulpes lagopus) is a predatory mammal of the canine family, the only representative of the genus of arctic foxes (Alopex). The arctic fox lives in some of the coldest places on the planet. The Arctic fox is an incredibly hardy animal that can survive cold arctic temperatures down to -58°F (-50°c). It has fluffy fur and short ears to survive in such low temperatures. Arctic foxes live in burrows, and in a snowstorm they can dig a tunnel in the snow to create a shelter. Arctic foxes have beautiful white (sometimes blue-gray) coats that act as very effective winter camouflage. Natural shades allow the animal to blend into the ubiquitous snow of the tundra.

White Owl - the largest bird from the order of owls in the tundra. The head is round, the iris of the eyes is bright yellow. Females are larger than males. The body length of a male can reach 55-65 cm, weight - 2-2.5 kg, females, respectively, 70 cm and 3 kg. The wingspan averages 142-166 cm. The coloring is protective: adult birds are characterized by white plumage with dark transverse streaks. Females and young birds have more streaks than males. Chicks Brown. The beak is black, almost completely covered with bristle feathers. The plumage of the legs is similar to wool and forms “braids.” Snowy owls play one of the key roles in the tundra biota, being one of the main exterminators of rodents, as well as a factor in the successful nesting of some tundra birds. Using the extreme aggressiveness of snowy owls to protect the nesting territory, ducks, geese, geese, and waders nest on it. Owls do not touch birds, but they successfully drive away arctic foxes that destroy nests from their territory. It is listed in the Red Book.

Behind the windows harsh winter, however, not all animals took refuge from her in cozy holes, falling into hibernation. In addition to the classic, well-known wolf, fox and hare fairy tales from childhood, in winter forests Representatives of the mustelid family are awake. The smallest mustelid is an animal called weasel. The weasel received such an apt description as “a thunderstorm of mice.” This animal is the only mustelid that has no commercial significance due to its small size. With a length of 20 centimeters, 4.5 cm is accounted for by a short tail. Like a ferret, the weasel is a rather smelly animal. First you smell it, then you see it. In winter, the weasel is completely white, the color of snow, and in summer it is white and brown. And the edges remain white upper lip, the entire lower side of the body and the inner sides of the legs. Weasel - mostly nocturnal animal, but where he sees no danger for himself, he can hunt during the day. Among the mammals, the animal's prey consists of house, field and forest mice. Of the birds, the weasel feasts on larks and other birds living on the ground, as well as pigeons and chickens, if it gets into the chicken coop. She does not disdain lizards, frogs, fish and snakes. It can attack a viper, although the bite of this weasel snake is fatal. All kinds of insects are a delicacy for her, and she can even cope with the hard shell of a crayfish when she comes across one on occasion. The weasel runs, jumps, swims and climbs trees well. Its ability to crawl through the narrowest cracks and holes is its main strength. Thus, the weasel easily chases mice into their own burrows. The weasel grabs small animals by the back of the head or head, and tries to grab onto the neck of large ones. She skillfully makes one or several holes in bird eggs and sucks out their contents without losing a single drop.

Arctic hare(lat. Lepus arcticus) - a hare, mainly adapted to living in polar and mountainous areas. Previously it was considered a subspecies of the mountain hare, but is now recognized as a separate species.

Snow monkeys.

Snow leopard.

Polar bear, oshkuy (lat. Ursus maritimus) is a predatory mammal of the bear family. Sometimes this species is classified as a separate genus Thalarctos. The Latin name Ursus maritimus translates as “sea bear.” The polar bear is the largest terrestrial representative of mammals of the order of carnivores. Its length reaches 3 m, weight up to 800 kg. Males usually weigh 400-450 kg; body length 200-250 cm, height at the withers up to 130-150 cm. Females are noticeably smaller (200-300 kg). The smallest bears are found in Spitsbergen, the largest in the Bering Sea. The polar bear is distinguished from other bears Long neck and a flat head. His skin is black. The color of the fur coat varies from white to yellowish; In summer, the fur may turn yellow due to constant exposure to sunlight. The polar bear's fur is devoid of pigment color, and the hairs are hollow. There is a hypothesis that they act as light guides, absorbing ultra-violet rays; in any case, in ultraviolet photography the polar bear appears dark. Due to the structure of the hairs, a polar bear can sometimes turn green. This happens in hot climates (in zoos), when microscopic algae grow inside the hairs.

harp seal, or coot (lat. Phoca groenlandica, lat. Pagophilus groenlandicus) is a common species of true seals (Phocidae) in the Arctic. A pronounced inhabitant of cold waters, but avoids the Arctic pack, preferring drifting ice. Makes holes in the ice. Makes wide seasonal migrations. During the periods of breeding and molting, it rests on ice. Not a strict monogamist. Harp seals live in herds, the age and sex composition of which varies throughout the year. There are fights between males during the mating period. Pupping occurs in strictly localized areas (<детных>ice). In communication, acoustic and visual signals are of primary importance. It feeds on pelagic invertebrates and fish. Mating occurs in March. Pupping was noted at the end of February - beginning of March. Pregnancy is 11.5 months; there is a long latent stage in the development of the embryo. Usually 1 cub is born, covered with thick, long white fur (squirrel) with a greenish tint (the tint disappears a few days after birth). The weight of the newborn is 7-8 kg. After a week, the squirrel begins to molt (Khokhlushi stage); a completely moulted baby is called a serok. Left maturity reaches 4.5 years.

Reindeer - Rangifer tarandus. The reindeer has an elongated, squat body (length 180-220 cm, height at the withers 100-140 cm). There is a short, not always noticeable mane on the neck, and an elongated muzzle. The color is brown in summer, gray in winter, lighter in tundra deer. The mane is white in winter. Small fawns are single-colored, only in Southern Siberia they have white spots along the back. Both males and females have horns. They are very long, thin, crescent-shaped; the lateral processes are located on the outer (back) side of the trunk, and not on the inner (front), as in real deer.
At the ends of the antlers, and often in front of their base, there are small triangular shovels with processes. Domestic deer are difficult to distinguish from wild ones, but in their herds there are much more white and spotted animals. In addition, they have almost no fear of humans, while wild deer (sokjoi) are usually very cautious. The eyes of a reindeer glow with a dim yellowish light at night. When reindeer move, a peculiar clicking sound is heard, by which you can recognize the approach of a herd at night from hundreds of meters away.

The northernmost natural zone of the planet is the Arctic desert, which is located in the latitudes of the Arctic. The territory here is almost completely covered with glaciers and snow, sometimes there are fragments of stones. It is winter here most of the time with frosts of -50 degrees Celsius and below. There is no change in seasons, although during the polar day there is a short summer, and the temperature during this period reaches zero degrees, without rising above this value. In summer it can rain and snow, and there are thick fogs. There is also very poor flora here.

In connection with such weather conditions animals of arctic latitudes have high level adaptation to this environment, so they are able to survive in harsh climates.

What birds live in Arctic deserts?

Birds are the most numerous representatives of the fauna that live in the Arctic desert zone. Here there are large populations of pink gulls and guillemots, which feel comfortable in Arctic conditions. There is also a northern duck – the common eider – found here. The largest bird is the northern owl, which hunts not only other birds, but small animals and the young of large animals.

Pink seagull

Common eider

What animals can be found in the Arctic?

Among the cetaceans in the Arctic desert zone there is a narwhal, which has long horn, and its relative – the bowhead whale. There are also populations of polar dolphins - beluga whales, large animals that feed on fish. Killer whales are also found in the Arctic deserts, hunting various northern animals.

There are numerous populations of seals in the Arctic desert, including harp seals, mobile, large sea ​​hares– seals, 2.5 meters tall. Even in the vastness of the Arctic you can meet walruses - predators that hunt animals of smaller dimensions.

Among the land animals in the Arctic desert zone, polar bears live. In this area, they are excellent hunters both on land and in water, as they dive and swim well, which allows them to feed on marine animals.

White bears

Another severe predator is the Arctic wolf, which in this area is not found alone, but lives in a pack.

Here lives such a small animal as the arctic fox, which has to move around a lot. Among the rodents you can find lemmings. And, of course, there are large populations of reindeer.

Arctic fox

Adaptation of animals to the Arctic climate

All of the above species of animals and birds have adapted to life in arctic climate. They have developed special adaptive capabilities. The main problem here is maintaining heat, so in order to survive animals must regulate their temperature regime. Bears and arctic foxes have thick fur for this purpose. This protects animals from severe frost. Polar birds have loose plumage that fits tightly to the body. Seals and some marine animals develop a fatty layer inside their bodies that protects them from the cold. Particularly active defense mechanisms in animals they appear with the approach of winter, when frosts reach an absolute minimum. To protect themselves from predators, some representatives of the fauna change the color of their fur. This allows some species of the animal world to hide from enemies, while others can successfully hunt to feed their offspring.

The most amazing inhabitants of the Arctic

According to many people, the most amazing animal of the Arctic is the narwhal. This is a huge mammal that weighs 1.5 tons. Its length reaches up to 5 meters. This animal has a long horn in its mouth, but essentially it is a tooth that does not play any role in its life.

The polar dolphin, the beluga, lives in Arctic waters. He eats only fish. Here you can also meet a killer whale, which is dangerous predator, not neglecting either fish or larger sea ​​creatures. The Arctic desert zone is home to seals. Their limbs are flippers. If on land they look clumsy, then in water flippers help animals maneuverably swim with high speed, hiding from enemies. Relatives of seals are walruses. They also live on land and in water.

The nature of the Arctic is amazing, but due to the harsh climatic conditions Not all people want to join this world.