You can talk about Gorny Altai endlessly, but it will be enough to see it once - and you will feel its charms for yourself! The Altai Mountains are called by many names - it is also a country of mountain ranges, a country of glaciers, a country of blue lakes, a country of mountain rivers and a country of discoverers. How many faces nature is Gorny Altai, so is its animal world with many faces. The rather insignificant territory of the Altai Mountains is represented by several natural zones - steppe, semi-desert, forest, alpine, subalpine zones, tundra.

The presence of steppes, forests, and highlands also explains the diversity of the animal world. Animals living in the Altai Mountains are adapted to nomadic lifestyle, environmental conditions contribute to this. Depending on the time of year, they change the difference in heights, or move from the steppe to the forest-steppe. For example, on sunny spring days, a brown bear leaves the taiga into open clearings with young, lush grass, and gradually changes height, climbing upward.

If in the summer the bear feasts on the lush grass and roots of subalpine meadows, then closer to autumn, it descends to the lowlands, to the tall grass. IN autumn period taiga supplies of berries and pine nuts will provide its winter rest. Deer and small game animals also change their habitat areas - from forest to subalpine meadows and back. The sable is known to be a typical taiga inhabitant, but mountain subalpine meadows are also native to it. Those living in the Altai Mountains also migrate from one belt zone to another roe deer, musk deer, elk.

The taiga northeastern zone of the Altai Mountains provides food for many species of animals, among them Wolves have also appeared recently, which have adapted well to forests and even deep snow is not a hindrance for them. Commercial fur animals: squirrel, ermine, marten and other true inhabitants Altai forests. Adapt well to the taiga large wolverines, badgers, otters.

In the steppe Mountain Altai, and now in the forest-steppe, you can find everywhere fox with valuable fur. Not uncommon in the forest steppe zone Boars have become their population and their habitat is constantly expanding.

On hot summer days, when everything seems to have died out, the Kulunda steppe will suddenly be revived by a running corsac ( steppe fox), the color of which is similar to the color of sun-bleached grass or a flashing jerboa, or maybe the head of a gopher that appears from nowhere above the withered grass. Hamsters, voles, and mice live in the steppe- These are local rodents that cause a lot of problems in agriculture.

The Gorno-Altai mountains are a corner untouched nature , where wild deer, handsome deer and mountain goats and rams (argali) feel free. In the southeast of Altai you can meet the gazelle, or large-toothed antelope, coming from the territory of Mongolia. It is quite rare to see a manula cat in nature, even the local residents cannot boast of it. Wild cat chooses places among hard-to-reach stone placers, in gorges with dense thickets of bushes. High in the Altai mountains you can find snow leopard included in the Red Book. Another name for it is the snow leopard - a very rare predator, and in the Altai Mountains it lives only in a small area.

Mountain Altai is a little-studied region of Russia. Data on bird habitat in the region continues to be updated; many species have not been sufficiently studied. In 2012, an ornithological expedition was carried out, where 200 species of birds were recorded, including those that had never been recorded in the Altai Mountains before. 18 species of birds from the duck family alone have been recorded. There are ducks and a whooper swan here.

Rarely seen black stork, their population numbers only about a dozen birds. Of greatest interest to hunting enthusiasts are the families of grouse (ptarmigan, capercaillie) and pheasant (hazel grouse, bearded partridge, common quail).

The object of sport hunting among them is undoubtedly the handsome one. The mountain turkey (sular) lives in the highlands; it can be found at the boundary of mountain glaciers.

To complete the already mentioned diversity of the Altai Mountains, I would like to call it - country of sport hunting! And this country is waiting for its fans.

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sable The sable is a fur-bearing animal of the mustelid family, whose homeland is the forests and mountains of Eastern Siberia. The body length of the sable is up to 56 cm, and the tail is up to 20 cm. Weight is about 1.5 kg. The sable is a predatory animal. It attacks all animals it can handle, especially squirrels and hares. By character he is brave, cunning, cruel and wild. Good at climbing trees. It is very difficult to tame a sable. Among other countries, sable is found only in Mongolia, northeast China, Korea and the northernmost island of Japan - Hokkaido. Previously, sable was found throughout the Siberian taiga and Kamchatka. Hunters paid taxes with sable skins, and in exchange for them they purchased all the necessary goods from traders. Sable fur is thick, soft, and fluffy. In winter it is very lush, lighter than in summer, covering the pads and claws on the paws. The sable has a very valuable fur, so it was exterminated everywhere, but now it is protected. Sables are bred in the Pushkin State Animal Farm, but in captivity the birth rate and survival rate of sables drops sharply.

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weasel Weasel is a mammal, Characteristic Features Weasels have a thin, elongated, surprisingly flexible body with a fairly short tail (the tail is no more than 9 cm) without a black tip (the black tip of the tail is in the ermine). In summer, the back of the weasel is light brown, the belly is white or yellowish; in winter, in the north of its range, the animal is covered with snow-white fur. The male is larger than the female. The length of its body without a tail sometimes reaches 28 cm, weight 115 g. The length of the female without a tail is about 20 cm, and weight 69 g. It is found where mouse-like rodents are especially numerous - in fields, among weeds, bushes, in overgrown clearings, along the edges, on the outskirts of villages, in stacks of straw, haystacks, but only in the absence of its competitor - the ermine. The weasel often runs in tall grass among bushes or over rocks. She moves in short leaps, periodically standing on her hind legs to carefully examine the surroundings. The weasel is not shy and does not avoid meeting people. If you are lucky enough to meet her in the forest, you need to behave quietly and not make sudden movements. Having noticed a person, the animal releases the victim and hides. But it is enough to stand motionless for a few minutes, and the weasel will return for its prey. Sometimes it is possible to attract a small predator by imitating the voice of a baby rabbit, which is like a quiet squeak. The weasel is a brave and curious predator. It is solitary and hunts mainly at night. It feeds mainly on voles and mice, which it catches with amazing ease and energy, chasing them even in holes and shelters and, on occasion, killing more than it can eat. In this way, caress brings invaluable benefits to humans. She also hunts water voles and can climb trees, where she looks for chicks or bird eggs in nests. However, it can also catch a larger animal, such as a rabbit.

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snow leopard Rare, small in number, endangered species. The dimensions are quite large - body length 103-130 cm, tail - 80-105 cm, weight - 22-39 kg. In terms of body size, the snow leopard is slightly inferior to the leopard, but in general appearance it is similar to it. This is a large, strong animal with a typical cat appearance. He has a thin, long, flexible body, short legs, a small head and a very a long tail. Among other large cats, the snow leopard stands out for its long, thick and soft fur, but despite the lushness of its fur it looks like a slender, graceful animal. It is not as massive as a leopard, it has a less muscular body. Adult snow leopards are from 100 to 130 cm long and weigh up to 40 kg. The tail reaches 105 cm.

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deer These are large and strong animals: the height of an adult deer reaches 160 cm, weight - 300 - 350 kg. The fur of the deer is brownish-gray; in spring, after molting, it turns reddish-red. Little deer, like fawns, are spotted. Deer usually live in small groups, a deer and 3-5 deer, the so-called “harem”. Young deer rarely play; More often than not, real boxing fights are observed among them. Two deer rise on their hind legs and beat each other with their front legs until the weaker one gives up. By the way, despite the impressive size of the horns (in an adult deer they reach a length of up to 120 cm, with 5-6 shoots of 25-30 cm each, and weigh up to 10-12 kg), deer are not capable of seriously injuring the enemy or each other. The ends of all the long and sharp processes are bent steeply upward, and a blow can only be delivered by bending the horn. So the front hooves are a more terrible weapon. An angry deer is quite capable of driving a wolverine, lynx or wolf away from its cub. Quite large predators prefer not to mess with the huge fury. A wolf or bear can generally crush a deer only by driving it onto the ice of a stream or river, or into a deep snow blow, where the deer is helpless. In other cases, it is easier for predators to look for easier prey. Most of all, deer are afraid of humans.

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The appearance of the kolin is characteristic: this small animal is easily recognized by the reddish coloring of its entire body and its fluffy tail. Body length up to 39 cm, weight up to 800 g. The limbs are shortened, the head is small, the tail is about half the length of the body. The bright reddish-buff winter fur is very thick, soft, and lush, especially on the tail. On the front of the head there is a dark field (“mask”) of brown color, sharply outlined in the area of ​​the lips by a narrow whitish stripe. In summer fur, the animal looks more slender: the fur is close-fitting and not at all lush. Kolonok lives in the valleys of small rivers, the banks of which are covered with mixed forests, dead wood, and windbreaks; among rocky areas overgrown with bushes. In the forest-steppe, the animal most readily inhabits riverine floodplains, pine forests, reed fields around lakes, and the outskirts of swamps. In the taiga hinterland, the Siberian weasel willingly settles along the edges of fields where mouse-like rodents are concentrated, where it can often be found in villages and even small towns.

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badger reaches 90 cm in length, tail - 24 cm, weight up to 24 kg. The shape of the massive body is peculiar, resembling a wedge facing anteriorly, because it, being thick at the back, sharply tapers towards the end of a thin, elongated muzzle. The legs are short, massive, plantigrade, with long claws adapted for digging. The tail is short. The coat is coarse, with a long sparse awn and a short, soft underfur. The badger is found in the forest belt and in the mountains, and in the south it settles in steppes and semi-deserts. The badger is perfectly adapted to digging deep holes in which it spends a significant part of its life. Most often, he arranges them on the slopes of forest ravines, river valleys or hills with dry, sandy soil, and places the nesting chamber under the protection of an aquifer, which prevents the seepage of rain and groundwater. The badger feeds on a wide variety of foods: small animals, frogs, lizards, birds, their eggs, insects and their larvae, mollusks, earthworms, berries, fruits, nuts, grass. Sometimes in one hunt a badger gets 50-70 and more frogs, hundreds of insects, their larvae or earthworms. However, he eats only about 0.5 kg of food per day and only by autumn he eats up heavily and gains several kilograms of fat, which serves as his source of subsistence during his long winter sleep.

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polecat In general appearance, structure and habits, it is completely similar to the forest polecat, but a little larger and lighter. Body length in males is most often 32-56 cm, weight up to 2 kg; females are not much smaller in length than males, but almost twice as light. The head is quite long, with a pointed muzzle and short ears. The tail is about a third of the length of the body, and looks rather thin due to the adjacent hair. The secretion of this ferret's large anal glands has a particularly pungent odor. Winter fur is fluffy and very soft. The general very light yellowish-whitish tone of the animal’s color (as reflected in the species name) is determined by the color of the down. The guard brown hairs are quite sparse, creating only a dark moiré coating throughout the body. The belly is brownish-yellow, and the chest, groin area and legs are almost black. The head is variegated: both eyes are covered by a transverse dark (coffee-brown) “mask” or “band”, surrounded by a whitish or pure white field that extends from the end of the muzzle through the cheeks to the forehead. The ears are entirely white, but between them and the white band on the forehead there is a connection between them. This is a truly carnivorous animal: plant food is simply not absorbed by the body of the steppe polecat and is therefore absent from the diet. The main food source is small rodents - primarily ground squirrels, as well as hamsters and pikas. But in some places, the ferret also hunts larger prey. Thus, in the mountain meadows of southern Siberia, this predator specializes in hunting marmots, which partly explains its particularly large size: after all, in order to catch an animal weighing several kilograms, the hunter himself must be a good match for him.

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squirrel Body length of squirrels is 20-32 cm, tail length 19-31 cm. Weight from 180 to 1000 g. Color varies not only from species to species, but also within one species depending on the area, season, age or simply on individuality of the animal. It is enough to indicate that usually Proteins temperate latitudes They shed twice a year, but the tail sheds only once during this period. The winter fur of squirrels from cold areas is very different from the summer fur. All squirrels feed on a variety of plant foods: tree seeds, berries and fruits, nuts, mushrooms, buds and shoots, bark and lichens. Animal food is added to plant food: insects and other small invertebrates, eggs of birds, lizards and snakes, chicks and even small rodents and lizards. The common squirrel, like other species of this genus, is a typically arboreal animal. She climbs branches perfectly and easily jumps from one tree to another. If necessary, a squirrel can jump from the top of a tall tree to the ground without harming itself. She makes a nest in hollows or tree branches. The nest of branches has the shape of a ball with a side entrance. The inside of such a nest (gut) is lined with soft plant material. The squirrel can be red, ashy, almost black, etc.

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bear Despite intensive hunting, bears weighing up to 750 kg and a body length of 2.5 m are still found; rearing up, so The most typical habitats of a brown bear are dense forests with windbreaks, interspersed with swamps, lawns, and ponds. The bear finds shelter under the forest canopy, and open areas serve as feeding grounds. The presence of oat fields is of great importance for the bear's nutrition. In the summer, the bear settles down to rest, lying down directly on the ground among grass, bushes, or in moss, as long as the place is sufficiently secluded and safe. It’s a different matter in winter, or rather in autumn, when the animal has to take care of a reliable shelter for several months until spring. However, even here, bears often limit themselves to open lying in dense young spruce trees, near a tree or even in an open clearing, having dragged there a bunch of moss and spruce branches in the form of a large bird’s nest. Very often, dens are located in holes protected by windbreaks or roots of fallen trees. In some areas, animals dig deep dens in the ground, and in the mountains they occupy caves and rock crevices. The top of the den is covered with snow, so that only a small hole remains for ventilation, the so-called brow. In severe frosts, its edges become covered with frost. For a den, the bear chooses the most reliable, remote corners, somewhere on an island of forest in the middle of a vast moss swamp. The animal sometimes comes here from several tens of kilometers away and, approaching the target, confuses the tracks in every possible way, so that a whole crush of them arises. These giants reach 3 m.

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Elk In general appearance, the elk differs well from other deer. He is very tall-legged, with a powerful chest, a relatively short body and a heavy, hook-nosed head. Upper lip swollen and greatly overhanging the lower one. Very large, wide and mobile ears. Under the throat, a soft, leathery outgrowth hangs down - an “earring”, reaching 25-40 cm. An elk’s antlers consist of a short trunk and a wide, flattened, somewhat concave shovel. From the shovel, shoots extend forward, outward and backward, more or less evenly framing the shovel (on the antler there may be forests with swamps, quiet rivers, streams and lakes, where they feed on aquatic vegetation. In winter, elk need mixed and coniferous forests with dense undergrowth or good regrowth of young animals, especially pine, aspen or birch, rowan and up to 18 shoots). However, during the day, in the heat, they rest more often, and they like to go to cool places where less midges, in the thicket of young coniferous trees, dense bushes, in swamps, on the banks of rivers and lakes. They like to lie on the shallows or in shallow water, sometimes going into the water up to their necks. On the contrary, at night they feed most of the time.

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gray wolf The GRAY WOLF is the main and largest representative of the canine family. In the past, the wolf was widespread on Earth and had, and still has, a serious impact on people's lives. Finally, it was the wolf who became the ancestor of a large tribe of domestic dogs, which became loyal friends and helpers for primitive man and still play an important role in our lives. Gray wolves They are most similar to German Shepherds, and can be larger in stature. The main difference from dogs is the tail. The wolf never twists it into a ring, but keeps it lowered down or extended parallel to the ground. Compared to dogs, wolves are more restrained in their movements and are not fussy. Wolves love steppes, semi-deserts, tundras, small forests interspersed with open spaces. Wolves live in pairs or families. In winter, several families can unite in a flock. In the spring, the flocks break up, and married couples They are in a hurry to improve the lair. The main prey of wolves is ungulates: deer, elk, wild boars, but if there are a lot of small animals around - lemmings, mice, voles, wolves eat up on this food, and in the deserts, having discovered a swarm of locusts, they feast for several days. Wolves destroy mainly sick and weak animals, acting as orderlies. Nature cannot exist without predators.

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The region's stock of fishery reservoirs includes about 2,000 water bodies with a total area of ​​112 thousand hectares. Salt lakes, which have an annual production limit of Artemia cysts of 300 tons, occupy an area of ​​99 thousand hectares. Of the 38 species of fish that live in the reservoirs of the region, 12 species are used for fishing.

Bioresources of sushi

The Altai Territory has such a variety of zonal and especially intrazonal landscapes that this could not but affect the number and species diversity of flora and fauna. Each of these landscapes has its own, to one degree or another, special world of animals, birds, and plants.

Plants

Of the 3,000 plant species growing in Western Siberia, in the Altai Territory - 1954 species of higher vascular plants belonging to 112 families and 617 genera. The flora of the region includes 32 relict species. These are Siberian linden, European hooffoot, fragrant bedstraw, giant fescue, Siberian brunnera, floating salvinia, water chestnut and others. The Red Book of Russia includes 10 species of plants growing in the region: Siberian candyk, Ludwig's iris, Zalessky feather grass, feather grass, pubescent feather grass, feather feather grass, Altai onion, steppe peony, cape flower, Altai gymnosperm, Altai stellophopsis. 144 plant species are included in the Red Book of the region. These are rare species, endemic, reducing their range, and also relict. The species richness of the region's flora is due to the diversity of natural and climatic conditions.

The vegetation cover on the territory of the region is subject to strong anthropogenic influence, especially within the steppe zone. The largest areas of steppes have been preserved along forest belts, along the edges of ribbon forests and individual forests, and on saline soils.

A significant proportion (up to 30%) of the flora of the region is made up of a group of weeds found in gardens, fields, orchards, on road embankments, along river banks, wastelands, and fallow lands. In recent years, crop escape plants have appeared and are actively invading natural cenoses. Thus, along the banks of rivers and forests, ash-leaved maple and Echinocystis lobeda are often and abundantly found. The proportion of alien plants is steadily increasing from year to year, and currently their number reaches 70. Among them, plants from Central Asia and Kazakhstan, as well as from North America, predominate.

The useful flora of Altai is rich, numbering more than 600 species of plants, among which there are medicinal - 380 species, food - 149, melliferous - 166, vitamin-rich - 33, dyeing - 66, fodder - 330, decorative - 215. valuable species We can include Rhodiola rosea, Raponticum safflower, forgotten pennyweed, evasive peony, elecampane, etc.

According to preliminary estimates, the region is characterized by more than 100 species of lichens, 80 species of bryophytes, and about 50 species of macromycete fungi. Among these objects there are also rare ones listed in the Red Book of Russia.

Of the almost 2000 species of vascular plants found in the Altai Territory, 144 species are included in the Red Book.

In early spring, when it is not yet so hot, low yellow hornwort, desert alyssum, palmate buttercup, and coppice bloom. Occasionally there are dark purple hazel grouse and tuberous valerian. Later, in mid-summer, the feather grass blooms. Long panicles sway in the wind, creating the impression of running waves. Due to the plowing of the steppes, its population has greatly decreased.

A wide strip of steppe and forest-steppe vegetation in the middle part is broken by several ribbons of pine forests. These are unique natural formations not found anywhere else in the world, confined to the bottoms of ancient hollows of glacial meltwater runoff, lined with blown sands. Under the pine canopy, a shrub layer is developed, especially rich as it approaches the Ob valley. Eryngium flat-leaved, meadowsweet, meadow grass, sweet clover, common bedstraw, and gray speedwell grow here.

In the mountainous part of the region, the distribution of vegetation shows altitudinal zonation. The types of this zonation, the degree of its expression and altitudinal limits reflect, depending on the position, the features of Western Siberia and Central Asia, then Mongolia and the mountains of Southern Siberia. It is no coincidence that N.K. Roerich called Altai the heart of Asia, the center of four oceans.

The steppe belt is most developed along the northern and northwestern slopes of Altai; its individual fragments are widely found inside the mountainous country on the flat bottoms of river valleys and intermountain basins. The height of the steppe areas increases to the southeast of Altai, where at altitudes of more than 2,000 m, peculiar tundra-steppes dominate. There are also steppe areas on the southern, well-warmed slopes of the ridges.

On the chernozem, chestnut and chernozem-meadow soils of the belt, a forb-grass grass cover is developed, interspersed with thickets of caragana shrubs, meadowsweet, honeysuckle, and rose hips. The higher the steppe areas rise, reflecting the increasing continentality of the climate, the poorer the vegetation becomes.

Feather grass, wheatgrass, fescue, and bluegrass grow here. The external plainness is somewhat diversified by yellow alfalfa, Siberian sainfoin, Siberian adonis, and sticky cinquefoil. Among the plants of the rocky steppes of mountain slopes there are feather grass, astragalus, asters, carnations, and wormwood. For most of the summer, the steppe areas are monotonous and dim. Only in spring does the steppe transform for a short time, decorated with the multicolored grass.

The harsher the conditions, the more adapted and outwardly rougher and tougher the plants become. The Chuya Basin is dominated by wormwood, fescue and cinquefoil. Pebble feather grass, desert feather grass, sedges, and astragalus are common. The plants are stunted, the flowers are usually small, many of them have thorns - everything indicates a lack of moisture and the strong influence of cold.

Forests occupy about half the area of ​​the mountains, being the main type of vegetation. The nature of forests varies and depends on the conditions of moisture and heat supply. In Salair and near Lake Teletskoye black forests dominate, the northeastern and western outskirts of the mountains are occupied by dark coniferous taiga, the low mountains of northern Altai - pine forests. As we move deeper into the mountains, dominance in the forest stands passes to larch.

Inside the mountainous region, the forest belt is often interrupted, steppe areas appear on the southern slopes, and alpine vegetation appears in the upper part. Through the Salair black forests, the mountain taiga merges with the lowland West Siberian taiga. The lower boundary of the forest belt in the north is 400-600 m, while the upper one changes quite significantly: in the ridges surrounding Lake Teletskoye - 1800-1900 m, in Central Altai - 2,100-2,200 m, and in the southeast, individual massifs rise up to 2,450 m. They consist mainly of Siberian fir, Siberian cedar, Siberian larch, Scots pine, and Siberian spruce.

The most common is larch, adapted to both severe frosts and poor soils. Some specimens reach a height of 20-30 m, with a girth of 2-3 m. Giant larches are especially impressive among green meadows and fields. Park larch forests are good, light, with low shrubby undergrowth and rich herbs. Larch is a long-liver and a great lover of light. Its wood is extremely durable and difficult to process.

Pine forests are confined to low mountains with its dry valleys and sandy soils. Pine does not rise above 600-700 m.

The decoration of the Altai forests is cedar - a tree species with many advantages that have long been appreciated by man. Cedar wood with a pleasant pinkish tint has high resonant qualities and is used for making musical instruments. Cedar needles contain essential oils, carotenes, and vitamins. No less valuable are resin and pine nuts, for which cedar is called the taiga breadfruit tree. Nuts are food for many birds and animals and are widely used by humans.

The black taiga is characterized by the predominance of Siberian fir, aspen, bird cherry, rowan, and viburnum in combination with tall grasses. Representatives of relict flora are found here. These are the fragrant woodruff with modest white flowers and whorled leaves, the European hoofweed with hoof-shaped dark green leaves, the woodcrystal with soft hairy leaves and purple flowers, the Siberian brunner with large, conspicuous heart-shaped leaves on long petioles and pale blue flowers, like a forget-me-not. The ground moss cover is poorly developed.

Dark coniferous forests of cedar, Siberian spruce, and Siberian fir usually cover the northern slopes of mountain ranges. Mosses, shrubs, subshrubs grow here - honeysuckle, blueberries, lingonberries. Larch forests dominate in Central Altai, where along river valleys and slopes they form park thickets without undergrowth, with a closed grass cover dominated by grasses (reed grass, Siberian bluegrass, hedgehog grass, meadow foxtail, etc.). On the northern slopes, where there is more moisture, under the larches there is an undergrowth of Siberian rhododendron, meadowsweet, and Altai honeysuckle.

Meadows are widespread in the forest belt, confined to fairly moist, leveled areas, clearings and burnt areas. The areas of high-mountain meadows in Central and Western Altai are significant. In subalpine meadows, maral root, variegated thistle, white-flowered geranium, and swimsuits are common. Alpine meadows have low grass cover. Columbine, gentian grandiflora, and cobresia Bellardi are common. The combination of simultaneously blooming orange lights, blue columbines, dark blue gentians and snakeheads gives the alpine meadows an extraordinary colorfulness.

Upper altitude zone The vegetation of the mountains is represented by various tundra groups - gravelly herbaceous, moss-lichen, rocky, shrubby, in which large-leaved birch, alpine bison, Claytonia John, whole-leaved lagotis, and cold gentian are common.

In general, there are about 3 thousand species within the region higher plants: medicinal, food, feed, poisonous.

The group of medicinal plants used in the pharmaceutical industry includes about 100 species. However, in folk medicine this list is much wider. In the steppe zone, they collect Ural licorice, spring Adonis, marshmallow, elecampane, creeping thyme, sandy immortelle, multiveined violet, thermopsis lanceolata, and wormwood.

In the forests grow elecampane, swamp white lake, golden capillary, oregano, Maryin root peony, Lobel's hellebore, St. John's wort, and burnet. In the coastal zone of reservoirs, marsh calamus, marsh wild rosemary, three-leafed rosemary, yellow egg capsule, and true rosemary are common.

Maral root, Rhodiola rosea, and bergenia are found in the high mountain zone.

Many plants can be used as food during summer hikes. Among them are sorrel, young nettle, young leaves of quinoa, dissected hogweed, soft honeydew, honeydew, young (hare cabbage), bracken, leaves and roots of dandelion, etc. The most famous among food plants are wild garlic (flask), and onion. Some plants (wild mint, thyme, peppermint) can be used for seasonings. Leaves of lingonberry, black currant, oregano, strawberry, leaves and inflorescences of meadowsweet, leaves of fireweed (willowherb) are suitable for preparing camping tea. Tea made from dry bergenia leaves has long been known in Altai.

Travelers should also remember about poisonous plants, such as henbane, hellebore, wrestlers, and crow's eye. Along the banks of reservoirs one can find poisonous wedgeweed, black-footed hemlock, speckled hemlock, and porridge fly. Yes, and many medicinal plants, used without sufficiently reliable knowledge and advice from a doctor, can have a negative effect on the body. The first caution when meeting the majority poisonous plants- beautiful, often bright coloring of flowers and fruits.

Botanical research has identified more than 100 plant species found only in Altai. These are the so-called endemic species that arose here in the process of evolutionary development. The southeast of Altai is especially rich in endemic species. The famous botanist P.N. Krylov noted that in the recent past this area served as an arena for glacial processes, which is why the formation of flora continues here today.

In addition to the Altai native endemics, such as the Altai swimsuit, alpine edelweiss, subalpine violet, and lilac swimsuit, in Altai there are endemic species with a wider Altai-Sayan range. Together with them, the total number of endemic species, according to A.V. Kuminova, reaches 212.

Intensive use of vegetation cover leads to a depletion of species composition and a decrease in the population size of individual species. Botanists have noted 120 plant species in need of protection. In recent years, the thickets of Rhodiola rosea (golden root), Raponticum safflower (maral root), spring starube, water chestnut (chilim), and Ural licorice have significantly decreased. Lady's slippers, orchis, lyubka, kandyk, tulips, frying (lights, bathing suits), peonies, lumbago, St. John's wort have become rare.

Among the plants included in the Red Book of the USSR, in Altai there are: large-flowered lady's slipper, true and spotted lady's slipper, Altai wolfgrass, water chestnut, Altai woodsia, unifoliate guldenstedtia, Siberian kandyk, Siberian and tiger iris, feather feather grass, curly lily, onion Altai, leafless grouse, Maryin root peony, steppe peony, checkered hazel grouse, etc.

Most of us don't know what these plants look like. Therefore, it is important, during preparation for the trip, to get acquainted with them through reference books and herbariums, and meet with specialists. In Barnaul there is Botanical Garden Altai University, where many rarities of the region's plant kingdom are collected. Visit it before heading out. It is advisable to find a place in your backpack for a small book by I.V. Vereshchagina “The Green Miracle of Altai”, published by the Altai Book Publishing House.

And most importantly, do not tear (do not destroy!) the flower, branch, or grass you like. It is necessary to remember: the resources of the plant world are not endless, we are all responsible for ensuring that the flowery carpet of Altai herbs, the taiga cedar splendor and the lush greenery of deciduous forests remain for future generations.

Animals

The region is home to about 100 species of mammals, more than 320 species of birds, 7 species of reptiles, 6 species of invertebrate animals and 7 species of amphibians. The rivers and lakes of the region are home to 35 species of fish.

The Red Book includes 134 species of animals that need protection. The largest number of bird species is 82. Approximately half of them are listed in the Red Book of Russia (demoiselle crane, saker falcon, white partridge, 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, the bustard, imperial imperial falcon, 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-autumn migrations (small swan, lesser white-fronted goose), as well as occasional vagrants (dallas and pink pelicans, flamingos, black cranes, griffon vultures, etc. .).

The forests are inhabited by the chipmunk, flying squirrel, otter, ermine, and sable. Also found here are moose, musk deer, and almost everywhere - brown bears, lynx, wolverine, and badger. The steppes are inhabited by marmots, gophers, and jerboas; you can meet the steppe ferret, fox, and wolf; the Kulundinskaya steppe is home to white and brown hares. Muskrats live in the Ob reservoirs, and the river beaver lives in almost all forest and lowland rivers.

Among forest birds there are many predators, the most aggressive are hawks (goshawk and sparrowhawk), and nocturnal birds are common - owls and eagle owls. On the shores of the lakes you can see demoiselle crane and gray crane. Along the river banks there are numerous waders, white wagtails, and common terns. The rivers and lakes of the region are rich in fish; they contain pike, ide, burbot, sterlet, perch, dace, chebak, and ruff.

There are 17 species of mammals in the Red Book. These are mainly insectivores and rodents (eared hedgehogs, jerboas) and bats (there are 9 species, including the pointed-eared bat, listed in the Red Book of Russia). Two representatives of the mustelid family entered here - the otter and the bandage (also included in the Red Book of Russia).

The Red Book includes 26 species of insects. These are, among other things, relict butterflies - the variegated ascalafus, the gypsy mother-of-pearl, as well as the Gebler's ground beetle, endemic to Western Altai, possibly extinct at present.

In addition to birds, mammals and insects, the book includes 3 species of reptiles (takyr roundhead, colorful 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 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.

The formation and development of animal resources in the region occurs under conditions of increased anthropogenic influence. A decrease in the bioproductivity of pastures due to overgrazing of livestock, water and wind erosion of soils, and deforestation lead to changes in animal habitats and a reduction in the number of squirrels, marmots, otters, musk deer, and Siberian mountain goat and others. The short-tailed snake eagle, blue-necked little bustard, and bustard have disappeared partially or completely. The number of waterfowl, with the exception of the gray goose, is decreasing from year to year. The number of small mustelids, field and forest game is decreasing due to changes in the feeding and nesting conditions of their existence. Intensive development of ungulate resources, and primarily elk, requires a reduction in its production, increased protection and control over production, and in some areas a complete ban on hunting.

Currently, in the Altai Territory there are practically no original natural landscapes preserved; they are all affected by economic activity or the transfer of substances by water and air flows. The region currently lacks both active nature reserves and national parks. There are 33 reserves in the region. Their total area is 773.1 thousand hectares or less than 5% of the region’s area, which is significantly lower than the Russian average and is not enough to maintain landscape-ecological balance in the biosphere.

In 1997-1998, the production amounted to 7 wild boars and 11 bears.

The number in 1998 was: elk - 10,930, wild boar - 430, roe deer - 11,000, bear - 500.

Number rare species: snow leopard - 39-49 pcs., Pallas cat - 250-350 pcs., gazelle - herds of 4-5 individuals, Altai Mountain sheep- 370-470 pcs.

Each of the Altai landscapes is characterized by a certain species composition animals.

The least rich fauna is in the steppe and forest-steppe lowland parts of the region. Rodents predominate here: red and bank voles, red-cheeked ground squirrel, steppe pika, big jerboa. After the plowing of virgin lands, the field mouse became especially numerous. From large mammals There are wolves, foxes, steppe polecats, snowshoe hare, corsac fox, badger, sometimes brown hare, and moose can also be found in the forests.

The predominant birds after plowing the virgin lands are the rook, magpie, hoodie, and jackdaw; Of the small passerines, the most common are the skylark, yellow wagtail and stonechat. Numerous and varied waders roam in the swamps and along the banks of reservoirs, ducks, greylag goose and gray heron nest. There are many ducks and coots on the lakes, and grebes are common, especially the great grebes. Numerous colonies of gulls (herring, glaucous, and black-headed gulls) are also often found there.

The fauna of lowland forests is much richer. They are inhabited different kinds shrews, voles and mice. Chipmunk and teledut squirrel are numerous. Typical forest inhabitants are mole, hedgehog, weasel, ermine, weasel and badger. Mountain hare and fox are common; wolverine, wolf, lynx and brown bear, beaver, roe deer and elk are less common.

The world of small forest passerine birds is colorful and diverse: tits, warblers, warblers, redstarts, thrushes, tree pipit, finches - chaffinch, redpoll, brambling, lentil, crossbill, spruce, goldfinches. Cuckoo, nightjar, and woodpeckers - black, great and small spotted, three-toed, and woodpeckers - are common. Of the small predators, the most common falcons are the hobby, merlin and falcon. There are hawks - goshawk and sparrowhawk, black kite, buzzard, great owl, long-eared owl, and less often - eagle owl. In the flat and foothill zones of Altai, the gray crane is not uncommon. The most common reptiles are the grass snake, the viper, the Pallas's copperhead, the sand lizard and the viviparous lizard. There are few amphibians: mainly sharp-faced and grass frogs, gray and green toads.

The mountain steppes of Altai are characterized by burrowers: red-cheeked and long-tailed ground squirrels, Altai and Mongolian marmots. Among the small rodents, voles are numerous. Daurian and Mongolian pikas are common on rocky areas on the outskirts of mountain steppes. In addition, the Chui steppe is home to the jumping jerboa, the Djungarian hamster and the tolai hare, which does not change color in winter (there is very little snow on semi-desert landscapes).

The species composition of birds is very small: larks - field and steppe larks, wheatears - bald-headed and dancer, steppe pipit, hoopoe, steppe harrier, kestrel. However, the fauna of the Chui steppe is distinguished by much greater diversity and originality: these places are characterized by the ogre, Indian bar-headed goose, herring gull, black-throated loon, black stork, whooper swan, Altai gyrfalcon, griffon vulture, black vulture, and bearded vulture. Only here you can find bustard, sajja, thick-billed plovers, and common plover.

The world of mountain inhabitants is especially diverse. This is facilitated by the diversity of natural conditions in the region. 62 species of mammals, more than 260 species of birds, 11 species of amphibians and reptiles, and 20 species of fish live here.

The fauna of mountain forests consists of almost all species found in lowland forests. These are the flying squirrel, chipmunk, sable, bats - the whiskered bat, the Siberian tubebill, the Ikonnikov bat, the rufous noctule and the long-eared bat. There are numerous ungulates that feed on trees and shrubs - elk, red deer, roe deer, musk deer; reindeer are much less common.

From large predators Brown bear, lynx, wolverine, otter and badger are common. Small predators from the mustelid family that feed on mouse-like rodents are common: weasel, ermine, solonga, weasel and American mink. Burrowing insectivores - moles, shrews - are found everywhere. The Asian wood mouse is numerous; Water voles and field voles prefer moist habitats.

Among the birds found everywhere in the forests of Altai are jays, jays and nutcrackers. Important commercial species of chickens - capercaillie and hazel grouse - are also common in the taiga zone. In the foothills, along the edges of the forest, grouse are common.

Few animal species are adapted to the harsh conditions of high-mountain open landscapes. These are the Siberian mountain goat, argali (mountain sheep), snow leopard (irbis) - a beautiful and very rare predator. IN summer time The alpine belt is visited by deer, bears, wolverines, and there are also ermine, pika, narrow-skulled and high-mountain Siberian voles, fox, and mountain hare.

Common birds in the lower part of the alpine belt (shrub tundra) are ptarmigan, black-throated thrush, arctic bunting, and bluethroat. Redstart and Altai snowcock live almost right next to the snow.

The rivers of the plains and foothills are inhabited by pike, ide, burbot, sterlet, perch, dace, Siberian roach, ruffe, bream, and gudgeon. During the spawning season, white salmon and sturgeon come here. In lakes and oxbow lakes in river valleys, crucian carp and tench predominate.

In mountain rivers, the species composition changes dramatically: taimen, lenok, grayling, char, minnow, spiny loach, spotted sculpin and Siberian sculpin live here. Grayling, char and minnow are found in the upper reaches of small mountain rivers. 13 species of fish have been recorded in Lake Teletskoye, of which two species - the Teletskoye whitefish and the Pravdin whitefish - live only in this reservoir. Numerous mountain reservoirs in the south of the Altai Territory are inhabited mainly by Ottoman people.

The species composition of the Altai entomofauna is very diverse. Travelers coming here should remember that some insects (mosquitoes, ticks) pose a real danger, being carriers of infectious diseases. Currently, ten species of ixodid ticks have been identified that can be carriers of tick-borne rickettsiosis and tick-borne encephalitis. Therefore, before you travel, you should get the necessary vaccinations.

During the period of greatest danger of tick bites (May - early June), you need to take basic precautions: have appropriate clothing that prevents ticks from penetrating the body, and systematically examine yourself and your friends.

The maximum danger of infection is characteristic of the indigenous dark coniferous and deciduous forests of the low mountains of Altai and Salair with their rich herbaceous vegetation.

The development of the region's natural resources is accompanied by a reduction in areas suitable for animal habitats, and, as a consequence, their numbers are reduced and the species composition becomes poorer. On the territory of the region, 6 species of mammals and 34 species of birds listed in the Red Book of the USSR have been recorded. These are argali, gazelle, snow leopard, red wolf, bandage, manul; among birds - Altai snowcock, black stork, mountain goose, osprey, steppe eagle, demoiselle crane, etc.

The nature of the region fascinates with its beauty, attracting tourists from all over the world.

Let's understand the concept of "Altai"

Geographically, Altai is large territory in the very center of Asia. It is located on the territory of 4 states at once (Russia, China, Kazakhstan and Mongolia). The generally accepted name is Altai Territory. The nature of the region is very diverse, containing such climatic zones as taiga, forest, forest-steppe, steppe and mountains.

From the point of view of administrative division in the vastness of our country, this territory is divided into 2 subjects of the Russian Federation - the Altai Republic with its capital in the city of Gorno-Altaisk and the Altai Territory, the capital of which is the city of Barnaul.

Thus, the concept of Altai Territory can designate both an administrative unit of the state and a special natural zone on the planet. This article will focus specifically on the natural area.

Altai region

The nature of the region is very diverse. The terrain is divided into:

• Plains located in its western and central parts, occupying the outskirts of the West Siberian Plateau.
• Mountains occupying the north, east and south of the region. The nature of Altai is incredibly beautiful. Russia is a country on whose territory most of the hills are located. The peaks of the mountains along their entire length range in height from 500 to 4500 m.

On the flat part there is forest-steppe and steppe. In the valleys of the mountains and on the plateau, conifers and deciduous forests.

Many rivers flow throughout the region, most of which are not navigable, but are decorated with picturesque waterfalls. Main water arteries- the rivers Katun (688 kilometers long) and Biya (280 kilometers long), from which the mighty Ob River originates. Water resources are also represented by numerous lakes, about 20 thousand in total. The most significant - Teletskoye - a huge storage facility fresh water, mountain lake Aya, sacred reservoir Julukul.

Altai Mountains - a complex system ridges, dotted with caves, gorges and cliffs with hanging glaciers. The highest part of the Altai Mountains is the peak 4506 m.

Flora and fauna

The Altai region and the nature of the region amaze with the diversity of its fauna. The territory is inhabited by squirrels, chipmunks, sables, otters, wolverines, foxes, wolves, musk deer, deer, goats, hori, manul cat, even reindeer and antelopes. In total there are more than 100 species of mammals and reptiles, many of which are protected and listed in the Red Book. More than 260 species of birds live in these parts: tundra partridge, golden eagle, hawk, owl and eagle owl, lark, dance wheatear and others.

The fauna is represented by such tree species as larch, spruce, pine, fir, birch, aspen, poplar and others. The pearl of the region is cedar.

Valuable medicinal plants are common in the steppe zone, such as marin root, valerian, moralium, adonis vernalis, Kuril tea, golden root, ginseng, sea buckthorn, horse sorrel, and edelweiss.

Sights of Altai

They abound in picturesque places, many of which are unique in nature. Here are the only ones in the world band burs- unique natural monuments of the Altai region.

In the Altai Territory, 33 nature reserves and sanctuaries have been created, which occupy 5% of the territory of the region. They were created to protect unique amazing landscapes and unique biological complexes in which rare animals live and grow unique plants. Many territories have a pristine appearance and are untouched by civilization.

The most beautiful and interesting places Altai Territory has been declared a UNESCO heritage site. Among them are the Altaisky Nature Reserve with Lake Teletskoye, a natural park on the slope of Mount Belukha and General area protected zone - 1.64 million hectares.

Altai caves - another amazing creation of nature

Among the most significant:

Geofizicheskaya is one of the most beautiful caves in the Altai region. It is 500 m long and goes 130 m deep into the rock. The “Royal Grotto” with 4-meter stalactites and stalagmites is especially impressive.
. Denisova Cave is one of the most interesting from a scientific point of view. Archaeological excavations have been going on here for a long time. 20 cultural layers have already been studied, the oldest of which is about 300 thousand years old.
. Ecological - the cave has the deepest shaft in Siberia - 340 m, the length of the cave is more than 2 km.
. Tavdinskaya - for the unusual beauty of through corridors and arches, the cave was named a natural monument of republican significance.
. Altai - goes 240 m deep, its length is about 2.5 km. It is interesting because in the depths of the cave, speleologists discovered a lake with unique calcite flowers and cave pearls.

The Altai Mountains are located in the very center of Asia on the territory of four states: Russia, Kazakhstan, China and Mongolia. Altai is the name given to the Russian part of the mountain system.

Altai is a unique place. At the junction of natural zones, in the very center of the continent, equidistant from the Pacific, Indian and Northern Arctic Oceans nature created amazing land blue lakes, high cliffs, impenetrable taiga, dry steppes and vast and rich meadows. Here the Russian Old Believers long ago mixed with the culture of Asia, here the cavalry of Genghis Khan galloped, and the pioneers looked for the way to the mysterious Shambhala. Altai is a unique mix of Asian flavor and the Slavic world, archaic and modern “in one bottle”.

The nature of Altai is equally unique. Most of the territory is occupied by mountains, completely rugged river valleys and intermountain pits. There are over 200 thousand rivers and lakes in Altai, and most of them are mountain rivers - with pure 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 included in the UNESCO World Natural Heritage List.

Flora of Altai

The originality of the flora of Altai is due to the extraordinary 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 the ribbon pine forests. There is no such nature formation anywhere else in the world. Just five years 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 prehistoric times, most of Altai was occupied by the sea. Over time, the waters of the sea flowed towards the Aral Basin. And along the way, where the hollows formed, pine trees began to grow.

The second miracle of Altai is the black taiga. Here pines grow next to fir trees, and the mighty Siberian cedars surrounded by curly birch trees. Deciduous forests are very common. Altai larch is highly valued in construction.

And a huge number of shrubs: raspberries and viburnum, blueberries and currants, rowan and bird cherry. In spring, the mountain slopes look very picturesque. Here and there thickets of honeysuckle and blueberry stretch like a continuous carpet, and evergreen marigold spreads along crimson-purple paths. Dunar rhododendrons and Siberian wild rosemary, cinquefoil and juicy sea buckthorn grow here.

The flat part of Altai abounds in tall grasses. You can often find groves of trees - small groves where aspens, birches, poplars and maples grow. And how many flowers there are here! Sky blue bells and sapphire tulips, orange lights and snow-white daisies, sunny yellow buttercups and multi-colored carnations. It is not surprising that 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.

Fauna of Altai

The richness of the Altai fauna is also explained by the diversity of the landscape. Golden eagles live high in the mountains, their prey being mice, gophers and marmots.

The Altai taiga regions are home to formidable wolverines and brown bears, huge moose and predatory lynxes, fluffy stoats and funny chipmunks. Squirrels fly from tree to tree, moles and hares dig holes under the trees. And in the most windfall places hides the most valuable Altai animal - the sable.

There are foxes on the plains. Wolves are also common. But most of all there are jerboas, hamsters and several types of gophers.

Altai reservoirs - favorite places habitats of muskrats and beavers. A huge number of birds live here: ducks and snipes, teals and greylag geese, cranes and seagulls. During their flights, swans and northern geese stop in the swamps and lakes of Altai.

But there are few reptiles in Altai. The most poisonous is the copperhead, and the largest is patterned runner, reaching a length of 1 meter. There are unusual viviparous lizards, and quite a few vipers - steppe and common.

Lakes and rivers are famous for their abundance of fish. In the rivers they catch perch, gudgeon, and ruff. The most main river Altai - Ob, where pike perch, sterlet and bream are found. And on the Altai lakes there is a good catch of pike and perch.

Climate in Altai

The climate of Altai is distinguished by its diversity and contrast. So, in 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 harsher.

The coldest point of Altai is the Chui steppe. Average winter temperature stays at minus 32ºC. The absolute minimum was also recorded here - 62 degrees below zero. Cold regions also include the Ukok Plateau and the Kurai Basin.

Winter frosts set in at the end of November. And the snow remains 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, the time of leaf fall and cool winds begins. Autumn fully comes into its own by the beginning of September.

But Chemal, Kyzyl-ozek, Bele and Yailyu are considered warm areas Altai. In winter, temperatures rarely drop below minus 10ºC. This is explained by the fact that these areas are located near Lake Teletskoye and foehns - dry and warm winds - often blow here.