Amazing animals of Belarusian forests. Presentation “Fauna of Belarus” Animals of the forests of Belarus

The following animals, known to everyone, are listed in the Red Book and are protected by the state:

• bison (habitat Belovezhskaya Pushcha);
• lynx;
• brown bears (live in the Vitebsk region).

Belarusian forests are rich and a large number birds. The most common are:

• woodpeckers;
• tits;
• cuckoos;
• jays;
• hazel grouse.

Don’t forget about amphibians, they are also in abundance:

• frogs;
• snakes;
• lizards.

Fauna of Belarus

The fauna of the forests of Belarus is very diverse. And often, human intervention is required to preserve certain species. Having understood, we can distinguish several types of such animals.

Belovezhsky bison

The problem of preserving this rare subspecies of bison from the bison genus has long been raised.

Oddly enough, the Belovezhsk bison is the largest animal throughout Europe. Adult males weigh more than a ton, and the height at the withers reaches 2 meters.

True, it is worth saying that females weigh less and are not so huge. The color of the bison's fur is brown, dark in shade.

Bison are herbivores, grazing in herds. Only individual males can be found separately. These are single bison, they are more than ten years old. Seeing such a species in its habitat is not a sight for the faint of heart. Many people associate the Belovezhsk bison with the whole of Belarus, considering it a symbol of the country. To preserve this unique animal, the bison is listed in the Red Book.

Red deer

While the bison is found only in the territory of Belovezhskaya Pushcha, the red deer can be found in almost any forest in the country. This is despite the fact that in the century before last, deer were almost completely exterminated. It’s not for nothing that the deer is called noble. This is a large, beautiful animal with incredible strength.

Adults reach one and a half meters at the withers, weigh up to two hundred kilograms, and the body length is two meters.

Red deer avoids coniferous forests, preferring deciduous and mixed species for habitat. Deer can often be found in clearings, where they feed on grass, bark and leaves of trees and shrubs.

Red deer rarely live alone, more often they gather in herds of up to twenty heads. Another feature of the deer is its massive, spreading antlers. The animal sheds them in the month of March.

Elk

In the Republic of Belarus you can meet moose quite often, although it is believed that there are few individuals of this species in the country. Those who see this forest giant remember their meeting with him for the rest of their lives. The weight of an adult moose is about five hundred kilograms.

Wild boar

Distributed in forests throughout the country. Lives in wet forests, wild boars can often be found near rivers, lakes, in wetlands and peat bogs. The boar eats whatever it has to offer. Belongs to the artiodactyl order of pigs. The weight of a male can be two hundred kilograms.

Hares

Hares are found throughout the country three types: hares, whites and cuffs. All of them are representatives of the order Lagomorpha. Brown hare lives in almost all Belarusian forests. Outwardly, it is larger than the white hare and is generally the largest representative of the order. The average body size is about 65 cm, weight up to six kilograms, but there are some individuals over seven kilograms.

He is named Rusak by the color of his fur. In summer it is brown, sometimes gray. In winter, the coat color is closer to light brown. It is brown hares that are hunted by hunters. In addition, hares often damage crops, young shoots in fields and seedlings in gardens.

White hare significantly smaller than its fellow hare. Found in the center and north of Belarus. The hare is named a white hare because of the color of its skin, which is completely white in winter and is not visible against the background of snow. In summer, the hare's fur is brown.

The third species of hares living in the forests of Belarus is a hybrid of hare and hare. People call him hare-fog(or lazovik).

Vixen (fox)

Probably the most common carnivore in the country. Foxes belong to mammals, order Carnivora, family Canidae. It's easy to recognize a fox even from afar. The color gives it away completely. The color of the skin on the back of a fox varies from very bright red to dull sandy or yellow. The belly of the animal is white or light, but there is also a black one, the same end of the tail.

The muzzle is “sly”, extended forward, the ears are large. The legs are short. The body is no more than one meter long, weighing up to ten kilograms. Average duration The life of foxes does not exceed twelve years, although in captivity some individuals lived up to fifteen.

Habitat is the entire territory of Belarus. Foxes like to settle in the forest near large clearings and fields, where it is easier to get food for themselves.

Foxes hunt mainly at night and in the evening, but daytime “walking” is not excluded. Foxes live in burrows, as a rule, surviving badgers from them, less often they dig them themselves. Predators feed mainly on rodents, but do not disdain birds.

Wolf

It is not common, although it is very common. The wolf is an intelligent and cautious animal and tries to avoid meeting people. Like the fox, the wolf belongs to the canine family from the order of carnivores. Visually reminiscent big dog, gray-brown in color with fluffy fur.

The wolf's body length is up to one and a half meters, its weight reaches seventy kilograms, and its height at the withers is eighty centimeters. Unlike foxes, the wolf lives in impassable thickets, not far from water.

In the cold season, wolves gather in packs, and in the summer, during mating games, two individuals live. Wolves prefer night look life, hunting lagomorphs, ungulates, not disdaining birds and livestock. Wolves are forest orderlies, exterminating mainly sick and weak animals.

Squirrel

The most common animal in the Belarusian forest. Often the squirrel can be found in forested areas within the boundaries of even large cities. The squirrel is omnivorous, although the rodent's main diet is plant foods, the rodent will not pass by insects, bird eggs, even small lizards and mice.

Video: Red deer

The modern fauna of terrestrial vertebrates in Belarus includes 434 species, including 73 species of mammals. Of these, artiodactyls (6 species), carnivores (16 species), and lagomorphs (2 species) are of important hunting and commercial importance. Based on the role that wild mammals play in nature and human economy, they can be divided into several groups. The first consists of fur-bearing animals, which are widespread in Belarus and produce fine fur, being valuable fur-bearing game animals. These are the common fox, pine marten, black polecat, otter, common squirrel, as well as white and brown hares (which are more valuable for their meat). High-calorie and tasty meat is provided by ungulate animals (elk, wild boar, red deer, roe deer). The third group consists of rather small species, the distribution of which in the territory is quite limited, also having valuable fur, these are: lynx, stone marten, European mink, as well as ermine and weasel. There are also species whose numbers have greatly decreased in Belarus and are practically in danger of extinction: brown bear, European bison, as well as badger - hunting them is prohibited.

The fauna includes a number of small species from the order of rodents, which, on the one hand, are harmful to humans and their economy, and on the other hand, are carriers and keepers of pathogens of a number of natural focal diseases of domestic animals and humans. These are small mouse-like rodents: gray rats, various species of mice and voles, as well as representatives of the insectivorous order (hedgehog, various shrews). Some acclimatized species have also taken root on the territory of Belarus, such as raccoon dog, raccoon, American mink, muskrat.

The Republic of Belarus... You can hear about this country quite often. It is famous for its wonderful nature. Almost no one remains indifferent when they find themselves here. What is most striking is the magnificent forests and nature reserves, of which there are quite a lot in this country. However, this is not all that the Republic of Belarus can boast of. The animals living on its territory are also of great interest. The fauna here is very diverse. You can see many rare animals and get an unforgettable experience.

Animals of the Republic of Belarus - a short overview

This region is very rich. As is known, many natural resources and attractions there are in the Republic of Belarus. The animals living here deserve special attention. If we talk about the world of fauna as a whole, it can be noted that a countless number of individuals live on the territory of this country. There are about 400 different species of vertebrates (according to some sources, this figure is much higher) and about 8 thousand invertebrate animals.

Some of them have long been listed in the Red Book. There are representatives of the fauna that are on the verge of extinction. Other individuals have long crossed this line - they can no longer be found on these lands. However, there are also positive aspects. Sometimes new bird species appear here unexpectedly. In addition to natural migration, it is also replenished with introduced individuals.

What mammals live here?

So, it is necessary to consider the fauna of the Republic of Belarus in more detail. The animals here, as already mentioned, are unusually diverse. It’s worth starting the story with mammals. In total there are about 73 species here. They live in the wild. Among them we can distinguish rodents and predators. The first ones are presented here 24 various types, the second - 16.

The diversity of animals is due to various favorable natural factors and conditions. Local meadows, forests and fields are an ideal place for individuals to live different types. The animals most often found here are hares, wolves, wild boars, foxes, beavers, moose, wolves and deer. Many species are under special protection because they may become extinct. One of these animals is bison. They live in one of the country's reserves, where they are carefully cared for.

Birds

Thus, we got to know in detail some representatives of the animal world that live in the Republic of Belarus. Animals, and especially birds, require detailed study. Therefore, we will tell you more about feathered creatures.

In the forest you can see various wild birds: wood grouse, woodcock, partridge, black grouse and others. Among waterfowl, the most common are mallard and teal. The most common birds found in the forest are songbirds. Among them there are especially many finches, thrushes, warblers and others.

Fish

Animal world The Republic of Belarus is also represented by a large number fish There are more than 50 species here. Most often you can see pike, roach, rudd, common crucian carp, bream, bleak, catfish, perch, burbot and other species. Of particular interest is the fact that grayling, eel, smelt and some other, more rare species. However, they can only be found in rivers that belong to the basin Baltic Sea. Farms are widespread in the Republic of Belarus. They are actively breeding fish that have not previously been found in the local wild.

Red Book of Belarus: animals included in it

So, we looked at the main animals that can most often be found in this country. Despite favorable natural conditions for living, the number of individuals of some species is significantly reduced, and some have already disappeared without a trace. This process began a long time ago, back in the 17th century. Then the population of European aurochs completely died out. Then, in the 19th century, sable, red deer, wolverine and some other species disappeared. This fate did not spare the birds either. Many of them either completely disappeared or changed their habitat.

Now it’s worth talking about which representatives of the fauna are currently written about in the Red Book of Belarus. Animals included in it are also on the verge of extinction. It was first published in 1981. At that time, about 80 species of animals were identified on its pages. Since 2007, the book began to be published in electronic version. Now it includes more than 180 endangered species, including common lynx, mink, brown bear, badger, European bison, spotted ground squirrel and others.

Local nature

Thus, many species living in this country were considered: birds, fish, mammals and other wild animals of Belarus. Now it’s worth talking about the nature of this state in order to understand why it is so favorable for many fauna to live here.

Forest occupies slightly less than half of the country's entire territory. Largest forests- these are Nalibokskaya and Belovezhskaya Pushcha. Belarus is rich in green spaces. There are almost no areas here that do not have them. It can be said that the country boasts not only wonderful forests, but also water bodies. More than 20 thousand rivers flow here and there are about 11 thousand different lakes.

Famous nature reserves

As is known, on the territory of Belarus there are several vast protected areas. They are under special protection of the state. This allows you to save nature and animals. There are 6 similar facilities here, each of which has the status of a national park. The most famous of them are Belovezhskaya Pushcha and Braslav Lakes. National parks such as Narochansky and Pripyatsky are also known. In addition, there is the Polesie State Radiation-Ecological Reserve and the Berezinsky biosphere reserve. All these objects are very popular. Some of them offer special excursions to get to know the inhabitants of protected areas better.

Belovezhskaya Pushcha

So, we got acquainted with the main reserves of this country. The most famous of them is known to be rich in forests, but this particular place will amaze everyone. This is one of the oldest facilities of this type in all of Europe. The reserve is a forest that arose in primitive times.

Interestingly, these places are mentioned in the chronicle in 983. A myriad of animals live here, and incredibly ancient trees grow here. Some of them are between 200 and 350 years old. This place is unique and is under state protection.

Some species of these still exist in other regions, others have disappeared from the face of the earth forever. introduces animals that are no longer in Belarus.

According to the former Minister of Natural Resources and Conservation environment Belarus Valentin Malishevsky, over the past 200-300 years, approximately 10 species of animals have disappeared from the wild nature of Belarus. In the Red Book of Belarus, some of them are classified as “Regionally Extinct” (RE), others are lost forever.

Baltic sturgeon

Fisherman's Street stretches along the right bank of the Neman in historical center Grodno. 500 years ago there was a small settlement here - Fisherman's Suburb. Its inhabitants had state privileges because they were engaged in fishing. Salmon and other fish caught here went to the table of the highest persons.

It was in the Neman that sturgeon was caught. The majestic fish had a length of up to 350 centimeters and a weight of up to 320 kg. Huge sturgeons could carry up to 80 kg of caviar. The fishery was strictly controlled by the state. Sturgeon were found in the North and Baltic Seas, and in May-June went to spawn in the riverbeds fresh rivers. Traveling several hundred kilometers, the fish often appeared on the territory of Belarus. This continued until the 1910s. Ruthless extermination and economic development of rivers have led to a reduction in the number of swimming individuals and a significant decrease in their size. The “cross” to the spread of Baltic (Atlantic) sturgeon in the country was put by the launch of the Kaunas hydroelectric station, the dam of which blocked the path to the upper reaches of the Neman.

The famous ichthyologist Prokhor Zhukov reports that the last sturgeon in the country was caught in 1958 by workers of the Grodno artel. We haven't seen this fish since then. In the world, the sturgeon fishery has been preserved in North America. There are about 300 individuals left in the Black Sea and Bay of Biscay.

Bustard

Beautiful and powerful bird last time was observed in the Pruzhany area of ​​the Brest region in 1931. Today the species is considered regionally extinct, and in the world bustards are under threat of complete extinction.

The steppe bird is about 1 m long, and its wingspan can reach 200 cm or more. Bright and rich plumage makes the bustard one of the most beautiful birds. This turned it into a valuable trophy. Mass hunting in the middle of the nineteenth century led to a sharp drop in numbers. It was especially difficult for bustards in the fall: the birds do not have the characteristic gland that secretes an oily liquid that prevents their plumage from getting wet. As a result, with the onset of frost, the bustard’s wings simply froze and people beat them with sticks.

In Belarus, bustards were distributed throughout the south of the country.

Common muskrat

There is unconfirmed evidence that the common muskrat is still found on the territory of the Polesie Radiation-Ecological Reserve. And 100 years ago, point habitats were noted along the entire course of the Dnieper.

The muskrat has a conical, elongated nose. The body shape of this “living fossil” has not changed in 30 million years. Small size (20 cm), tail of the same length and weight up to 0.5 kg. Muskrat, which in the 18th century was still found in the area of ​​the river. We tried to restore the conversation several times. From 1951 to 1962 Hundreds of animals were released several times in different regions of the country, but no sustainable results were achieved. The last time a muskrat was seen was in 1970 on Ptich.

One of the reasons for the disappearance of the muskrat was competition from the American mink. This animal has been bred since 1933. By 1970, about 7,000 individuals were released into the wild. Mink destroys much more birds, than he can eat and behaves very aggressively. As a result, rodents and mustelids began to cede their habitats to the overseas guest.

Wolverine

It is the wolverine that most often serves as the prototype of the legendary “chupacabra”. The historian Matvey Mekhovsky described the largest representative of mustelids very vividly in the 16th century:

“There is also in Lithuania and Muscovy a very voracious and useless animal, not found in other places, called the wolverine. She is the size of a dog, with a cat's muzzle, body and tail similar to a fox, black in color; feeds on corpses."

Large claws, dangerous fangs, powerful build, length up to 1 meter and weight up to 30 kg - a rather serious opponent for any animal, including humans.

Wolverine prefers to live in quiet places, away from noise and possible meetings with anyone. Therefore, it may be good that there are no wolverines in Belarus today. In search of food, the animal can travel several tens of kilometers per night, which means that encounters with it, given the size of the country, would be more than frequent.

In the 17th-19th centuries, the wolverine was found in mixed and deciduous forests Belarus, Poland and Ukraine. But by the middle of the 19th century, the species was not found in the country. Wolverine prefers the taiga. Experts note that wolverines lived in Belarus when there was much less civilization here. Today their restoration is impossible. But occasionally penetrating single individuals stimulate the emergence of “urban legends.”

According to the Resolution of the Ministry of Natural Resources of 2014 No. 26, the list of rare and endangered species of wild animals included in the country’s Red Book consists of more than 200 species of fish, animals, birds, insects, and mollusks.

forest cat

An unusual, but rather aggressive predator. Outwardly resembles domestic cat gray in color and with striped fur. But the dimensions are noticeably larger - body length up to 80 cm, height 35 cm, powerful chopped tail 30 cm and body weight up to 8 kg.

The last individual was recorded in 1927 in the Borisov region. Some experts agree that this specimen came from neighboring countries. There has never been a large stable population of the animal in Belarus.

The cat leads a solitary lifestyle, coming together in pairs only during the mating period. Hunts for small mammals, can sometimes attack the cubs of large animals.

Population restoration project forest cat in the Polesie Radiation-Ecological Reserve was rejected. There is a risk of the cat spreading beyond the territory, and an aggressive animal can be dangerous to households.

The same Minister of the Ministry of Natural Resources Valentin Malishevsky stated about 10 years ago that “the Ministry of Natural Resources is initiating a return to wildlife republic of fallow deer and tarpan, which disappeared more than 200 years ago.”

Tarpan

A subspecies of the steppe tarpan, the forest one, lived in Belarus in the Middle Ages. Since Neolithic times, people have hunted this artiodactyl for its meat and skin. The population began to decline sharply and XVII century It was already quite difficult to meet the animal. The last wild tarpan was killed in 1814 near Kaliningrad. In Belarus they disappeared approximately earlier. And at the beginning of the 19th century, the last tarpans of Belovezhskaya Pushcha were distributed to local residents.

Already in the 21st century, attempts were made to restore the genome of the animal based on tarpan-like horses, but that is a completely different story.

Tour

The majestic animal now looks at us only from paintings and frescoes. The aurochs is considered the ancestor of all cattle. It was the herds of aurochs that went to feed the army of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania on the eve of the Battle of Grundval. For several centuries, the bull population was subjected to merciless extermination, fulfilling the task of supplying warriors. And so the tour disappeared.

The last bull died in 1627 in Poland. The tur had a height of almost 180 cm, and the body weight of an adult male could reach 1000 kg. Head of the beast Such dimensions made the bull the largest animal in the region.

Mostly aurochs lived in the forest-steppe. Herds often went into secluded forest areas, which determined the distribution of animals in Belarus. Gradually the forests were reduced to arable land. Hunting for the aurochs increased in scale and by 1400 the animal was already protected at the legislative level. But it was not possible to save the hero of epics and myths.

Bonus: one animal that comes back to us

Doe

For more than 100 years, the graceful animal has not been found in the country. In the century before last, a large population lived in Belovezhskaya Pushcha. The large artiodactyl has a body length of about 1.5 meters and a height of up to 100 cm. The weight of a male can reach 100 kg.

The fallow deer has always been the desired trophy of the hunter. During the times of the warriors who tormented the territory of Belarus since the time of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, fallow deer were harvested to feed the army. Then hunting for this not at all shy and not secretive animal became entertainment. Gradually the population became depleted and late XIX For centuries, fallow deer have not been found in the country.

Today, in some hunting farms, as well as in Pripyat national park, small groups of animals undergo acclimatization. Scientists are observing the adaptation of fallow deer to modern conditions countries. In the case of positive dynamics, the species will gradually release into natural environment habitat. In the north of the country, 300 individuals purchased in Lithuania have already been released into the wild.