Print message about animals. The rarest animals on earth

World Animal Day, designed to unite people's efforts to preserve the animal world of our planet and protect the rights of domestic animals, is celebrated on October 4. Every day dozens of flora and fauna are disappearing on Earth. One of the ways to fight for the preservation of biodiversity on our planet is to protect rare and endangered species of plants and animals.

Snow leopard (irbis)- a rare, small species. In the Red Book of the Russian Federation, it is assigned the first category - “a species that is in danger of extinction at the limit of its range.” Total number snow leopard in Russia, according to WWF (World Wildlife Fund) experts, is no more than 80-100 individuals.

Amur tiger- one of the rarest predators on the planet, the most large tiger in the world, the only representative of the species living in the snow. The Amur tiger is listed in the International Red Book; in Russia, these animals live only in the Primorsky and Khabarovsk territories. According to the latest census, the population rare beast in the Russian Federation there are about 450 individuals.

Far Eastern leopard– a subspecies of leopards of the class of mammals, order of carnivores, family of cats. This is one of the rarest representatives of the cat family in the world. Many experts consider the Far Eastern leopard to be the most beautiful subspecies of leopards and often compare it to the snow leopard. The south of Primorsky Krai is the only habitat of the Far Eastern leopard in Russia. According to the latest census, there are currently about 50 leopards living in the Ussuri taiga. Scientists from many countries and WWF are concerned about the conservation of the endangered species.

Manul- a rare predator of the steppes and semi-steppes of Eurasia - listed in the international and Russian Red Books. This wild cat has a status close to threatened. According to scientists, the animal's population is declining. In addition, it is threatened by poachers, and there is a threat of disappearance of suitable habitats. Russia is the northernmost habitat of this animal; here the Pallas's cat is found mainly in the mountain-steppe and desert-steppe landscapes of the southeast of the Altai Republic, in the republics of Tuva, Buryatia, as well as in the southeastern part of the Trans-Baikal Territory.

Komodo dragon- a species of lizard from the monitor lizard family, largest lizard world fauna. According to one hypothesis, it was the monitor lizards of the Indonesian island of Komodo that served as the prototype of the Chinese dragon: an adult Varanus Komodoensis can exceed three meters in length and weigh more than one and a half centners. This largest lizard on Earth, which can kill a deer with one blow of its tail, is found only in Indonesia and is one of the endangered species of animals.

Over the past 20 years, the number Sumatran rhinoceroses decreased by about 50% due to poaching and logging tropical forests. Currently in Southeast Asia There are only about 200 representatives of this species. There are five species of rhinoceros known in the world: three in South and Southeast Asia and two in Africa. All species of rhinoceroses are listed in the Red Book of the International Union for Conservation of Nature. WWF reported in October of this year that one species of rhinoceros - the Javan - was completely destroyed in Vietnam.

Loggerhead- a species of sea turtle, the only representative of the genus of loggerhead sea turtles, or loggerhead sea turtles. This species is widespread in the waters of the Atlantic, Pacific and Indian Oceans, in the Mediterranean Sea, loggerhead can be found in the Far East (Peter the Great Bay) and in the Barents Sea (near Murmansk). The meat of this turtle was considered far from the most delicious; only local tribes consumed it, but its eggs were a delicacy. Their unlimited collection has led to a very serious decline in the number of this turtle species over the past 50-100 years. This species of turtle is listed in the Convention on International Trade in Species of Wild Flora and Fauna and in the Red Book and is protected by the laws of Cyprus, Greece, the USA, and Italy.

Sea otter, or sea otter , is a predatory marine mammal of the mustelid family, a species close to otters. Sea otter has a number unique features adaptations to marine environment habitat, and is also one of the few non-primate animals that use tools. Sea otters live on the northern shores Pacific Ocean in Russia, Japan, USA and Canada. In the 18th-19th centuries, sea otters were subjected to predatory extermination because of their valuable fur, as a result of which the species was on the verge of extinction. In the twentieth century, sea otters were listed in the Red Book of the USSR, as well as in the protection documents of other countries. As of 2009, hunting sea otters is virtually prohibited in all regions of the world. Only the indigenous population of Alaska - the Aleuts and Eskimos - are allowed to hunt sea otters, and exclusively to support the folk crafts and food ration that have historically developed in this region.

Bison is the heaviest and largest land mammals on the European continent and the last European representative wild bulls. Its length is 330 cm, height at the withers is up to two meters, and its weight reaches one ton. Destruction of forests, increasing density of human settlements and intensive hunting in the 17th and XVIII centuries exterminated the bison in almost all European countries. At the beginning of the 19th century, wild bison apparently remained only in two regions: the Caucasus and Belovezhskaya Pushcha. The number of animals was about 500 and declined over the course of a century, despite protection Russian authorities. In 1921, as a result of the anarchy during and after the First World War, the bison were finally exterminated by poachers. As a result of the targeted activities of many specialists, as of December 31, 1997, there were 1,096 bison in the world in captivity (zoos, nurseries and other reserves), and 1,829 individuals in free populations. The IUCN Red List lists this type to the category of vulnerable, on the territory of Russia the Red Book (1998) placed the bison in category 1 - endangered.

African wild dog, or, as it is also called, hyena-like, was once widespread throughout African steppes and savannahs south of the Sahara - from southern Algeria and Sudan to the extreme southern tip of the continent. The wild dog is included in the Red Book of the International Union for Conservation of Nature as a small species that is in danger of extinction.

Florida cougar, along with other representatives of its subspecies, is listed in the International Red Book. Hunting for it is prohibited; in addition, the animal is included in Appendix II of the CITES convention, which regulates trade in rare species of animals. Previously, the puma inhabited territories in the south of North America, as well as Central and South America up to Chile. At the same time, a separate population existed in Florida. In the 60s of the last century, due to shooting and development natural areas The number of Florida cougars has dropped to 20-30 individuals. Thanks to conservation efforts for these small wild cats with their distinctive long legs, the population currently stands at 100-160 individuals.

California condor- Very rare species birds from the American vulture family. The California condor was once distributed throughout the North American continent. In 1987, when the last free-living condor was captured, they total number was 27 individuals. However, thanks to good reproduction in captivity, they began to be released again in 1992. As of November 2010, there were 381 condors, including 192 birds in wildlife.

Orangutans– representatives of arboreal great apes, one of the close relatives of man. Unfortunately, orangutans are endangered in the wild, mainly due to ongoing habitat destruction. Despite the creation of national parks, deforestation continues. Another serious threat is poaching.

Last wild ones Przewalski's horses disappeared from nature in the 1960s, by which time they survived only in the desert regions of Dzungaria - on the border of China and Mongolia. But a thousand or more years ago, these animals were widespread in the steppe zone of Eurasia. Currently, there are only about two thousand individuals in the world kept in zoos. About 300-400 more horses live in the steppes of Mongolia and China, also descending from animals from zoos.

Gray whale listed in the Red Book Russian Federation. Whales live in the North Pacific Ocean, making regular seasonal migrations. These sea animals hold the record for the longest range of movements: a whale swims an average of 16 thousand kilometers per year. At the same time, the whale is quite slow-moving, its usual speed is 7-10 kilometers per hour. According to zoologists, the maximum recorded lifespan of the gray whale was 67 years.

whose population is either falling at a fast pace, or is getting better, but is still catastrophically small.

Natural phenomena and human factor are one of the main reasons for the decline in the numbers of some rare animals.

The rarest animals on Earth are included in the International Red Book.

Here is just a small part of these unique representatives of the animal world.

Rare animals of the world: Tarantula spider (Poecilotheria metallica)

In addition to being incredibly rare, this member of the animal kingdom is also one of the most beautiful tarantulas. This spider lives in the tropical forests of southwestern India, building houses high in the treetops. Younger representatives of this species live at the roots of the tree, where they can dig burrows and weave thick webs around them. In case of danger, they hide in their holes.

Animals listed in the International Red Book: Madagascar beak-breasted turtle (Astrochelys yniphora)

This species of land turtle, also known as the angonoka, is critically endangered. Endemic to Madagascar, the IUCN Rare Species Commission has declared it one of the most “vulnerable” animal species on our planet. Today, Angonoku can be found in a small area in the north-west of the island of Madagascar. The density of these animals in nature does not exceed 5 individuals per square kilometer. In total there are 250-300 individuals per 100 square meters. km. In captivity you can find 50 representatives of this species.

Animals from the Red Book: Peters's proboscis blenny (Rhynchocyon petersi)

This rare animal species is listed in the International Red Book as “at risk of becoming extinct.” Also known as the red-shouldered blenny, this mammal, a member of the jumping family, lives in Africa. The species received its name in honor of the German zoologist Wilhelm Peters. Peters's proboscis blenny can be found in the forests of southeastern Kenya and northeastern Tanzania.

Animals of the Red Book (photo): Angelfish (Squatina squatina)

Listed as a Critically Endangered Species on the International Red List, the sea angelfish (also known as the European squatfish) can be found in the seas of the northeast Atlantic, namely in the hot and temperate zones. Representatives of this species of shark from the order Squatinidae are similar to stingrays due to their enlarged pectoral and ventral fins. They are most often found on the ocean floor and feed mainly on flounder fish.

Animals of the International Red List: Northern long-haired wombat (Lasiorhinus)

Being on the verge of extinction, this wombat is considered one of the rarest animals on our planet. There are fewer of them on Earth than Sumatran tigers. There is only one extremely small population left in the Epping Forest National Park, which is located in the center of Queensland, Australia. Scientists believe that the reason for the decrease in the population of these animals is changes in their habitat. Add to this the fact that wombats are the favorite prey of dingoes. Wombats usually live in eucalyptus forests, meadows with lush grass and loose soil.

Animals listed in the Red Book: Hunter's bubal (Beatragus hunteri)

Also known as hirola, this species from the genus hirola is listed as a Critically Endangered Species on the Red List. The hirola lives in the northeastern regions of Kenya and the southwestern regions of Somalia. Before this species became rare, its representatives inhabited an area of 17,900 - 20,500 square meters. km. Today, their distribution area is about 8,000 square meters. km.

Rare animals from the Red Book: Small-toothed sawfly (Pristis microdon)

Also listed in the Red Book as a “Critically Endangered Species,” the sawnose ray is a fish from the family of sawfish rays. The habitat of these representatives of the animal world is the waters of the Indo-Pacific region. Sometimes these rays can enter rivers.

Animal species in the Red Book: Tonkin rhinopithecus (Rhinopithecus avunculus)

This species of mammal of the monkey family is also on the verge of extinction. Already at the beginning of the second half of the 20th century, the range was quite limited. Representatives of this species were found only in the forest near the Song Coy River in Vietnam. Tonkin Rhinopithecus was discovered in the provinces of Tien Kwang and Vac Tai. IN given time monkeys can also be found in several other provinces of Vietnam.

Rare and endangered animals: Sumatran rhinoceros (Dicerorhinus sumatrensis)

This mammal from the genus of Sumatran rhinoceroses is listed in the International Red Book as a “Critically Endangered Species”. Moreover, it is the only surviving member of its genus and the smallest member of the rhinoceros family. The animal's habitat is lowland and mountain secondary forests, tropical rainforests and swamps, located at an altitude of up to 2,500 meters above sea level.

Rare and endangered animal species: Spotted-tailed marsupial marten (Dasyurus maculatus)

This species is listed in the Red Book as “Nearly Vulnerable”. The tiger cat (as it is also called) is the second largest marsupial predator, with the Tasmanian devil taking first place. It is also worth noting that the tiger cat is the largest marsupial predator on mainland Australia. Currently, the Spotted-tailed marsupial marten can be seen in two isolated populations - one located in northern Queensland, Australia, and the other in east coast, in an area that stretches from southern Queensland to Tasmania. It usually lives in humid rain forests and among coastal thickets.

Rare species of animals from the Red Book: Philippine sika deer (Cervus alfredi)

The fur of this rare animal has a reddish-golden color. Small white spots are “scattered” against this background. Habitat: tropical forests of the islands of the Philippine archipelago. We managed to capture this deer on film quite recently. It is worth noting that the main enemy of this animal is the wolf. Most deer die in March-April - the season when animals are weakened by wintering.

Rare endangered animals: Visayas warty pig (Sus cebifrons)

This animal was included in the World Red Book in 1988. In just 60 years (3 generations of the Visayas warty pig), the number of this representative of the fauna has decreased by 80%. The reasons for the catastrophic decline in the population are uncontrolled hunting, transformation of the natural habitat and inbreeding. Today, this animal can only be found on 2 islands - Negro and Panay.

Very rare animals: Florida cougar (Puma concolor coryi)

Listed as a Critically Endangered Species on the International Red List, this animal is the rarest of the puma species. In 2011, their number on Earth was only about 160 individuals (despite the fact that in the 1970s, this figure dropped to 20). The usual habitat of this puma is the forests and swamps of South Florida (USA), mainly occupying the area of the Big Cypress National Preserve. The number of these animals began to fall mainly due to the draining of swamps, sport hunting and poisoning.

Rare animals of Africa: White lion

It is worth noting that white lion is a specific polymorphism with a genetic disease - leucism, which leads to a lighter coat color. Despite the fact that this manifestation is, in fact, the opposite of melanism, white lions are still not albino - they have natural pigmentation of their eyes and skin. The fact that white lions exist was proven only at the end of the 20th century. In 1975, white lion cubs were first discovered in the Timbavati Game Reserve in South Africa.

Rare animals: white lion (video)

Rare protected animals: Irbis, or snow leopard (Uncia uncia, Panthera uncia)

This large predatory mammal lives in mountain ranges Central Asia. The snow leopard, a member of the cat family, has a thin, long, flexible body and rather short legs. It is also distinguished by its small head and long tail. Today the number of snow leopards is very small. It was included in the IUCN Red Book (International Union for Conservation of Nature), the Red Book of Russia, and other protection documents of various countries.

A message about an animal listed in the Red Book will briefly tell you about those individuals that are very rare on our planet. Information about rare animals will help you prepare for the lesson.

Report about rare animals

There are many animals on our planet whose populations are catastrophically small. Because of this, they are called rare. The reason for their disappearance is mainly the human factor.

The list of rare animals on the planet includes:

Tarantula spider. It lives in the tropical forests of southwestern India. Builds houses in the treetops. Young individuals live at the roots of the tree. They dig holes, entwining them with cobwebs.
Madagascar beaked turtle. This land turtle is on the verge of extinction. Today it lives only in the northwestern part of the island of Madagascar.
Peters' proboscis blenny. The mammal lives in the African forests of northeastern Tanzania and southeastern Kenya.
Angelfish. Lives in the seas of the northeastern Atlantic. The pectoral and pelvic fins are too enlarged. They live at the bottom of the ocean. They feed on flounder fish.
Northern long-haired wombat. This is one of the rarest animals on the planet. They live only in Epping Forest, a national park in Australia. The reason for their decrease is changes in the habitat.
Tonkinese rhinopithecus. Belongs to the monkey family. Representatives live near the river in the Song Coy forest, Vietnam, in the provinces of Vac Thai and Tien Quang.
Sumatran rhinoceros. One of a kind, it is also the smallest member of the rhinoceros family. Inhabits montane secondary and lowland forests, swamps and tropical rainforests.
spotted tail marsupial marten or tiger cat. It is the largest marsupial predator in Australia. One population of animals lives on the east coast of the mainland, and the second in northern Queensland. Prefers wet rain forests and coastal thickets.
Philippine spotted deer. It is distinguished by a reddish-golden color with small white spots. It lives in tropical forests on the islands of the Philippine archipelago. They are massacred by wolves.
Florida cougar. It is the rarest subspecies of puma. Lives in the forests and swamps of South Florida in the USA. Reason for population decline: sport hunting, drainage of swamps, poisoning.
White lion. Suffers from leucism, a genetic disease that results in a light-colored coat. The animals were first discovered in 1975. Lives in the mountains of Central Asia.

We hope that the message about a rare animal helped you prepare for the lesson, and you learned a lot of useful information. You can leave your story about a rare animal using the comment form below.

As you know, forests are not only lungs of the planet and pantry variety of berries, mushrooms and medicinal herbs, but also home to many amazing animals. In this regard, we are telling you about some rare animals that live in Russian forests.

Musk deer

This small deer-like animal with fangs lives in the mountain coniferous forests Sayan, Altai, Transbaikalia and Primorye. Despite its terrifying appearance, the musk deer feeds exclusively on vegetation. However, the musk deer is notable not only for this, but also for its attractive smell, which lures females for mating. This smell appears due to the musk gland located in the male’s belly next to the genitourinary canal.

As you know, musk is a valuable component of various medicines and perfumes. And it is precisely because of this that musk deer often become the prey of hunters and poachers. Another reason why this unusual animal is considered an endangered species is that its range is shrinking due to increased economic activity humans (mainly with deforestation).

One solution to the problem of preserving the species in the wild is the farming of musk deer and the selection of musk from living males. However, breeding musk deer is not as easy as, for example, cows.

Japanese green pigeon

This unusual bird about 33 cm long and weighing approximately 300 grams, it has a bright yellowish-green color. It is common in Southeast Asia, but is also found in the Sakhalin region (Crillon Peninsula, Moneron Islands and South Kuril Islands). The bird inhabits broad-leaved and mixed forests with an abundance of cherry and bird cherry trees, elderberry bushes and other plants, the fruits of which it feeds on.

photo: elite-pets.narod.ru

The Japanese green pigeon is a rare species, and therefore little is known about its life. Today scientists know that green pigeons are monogamous birds. They weave their nests from thin twigs and place them in trees at a height of up to 20 meters. It is believed that partners hatch eggs in turns for 20 days. And after this, helpless, down-covered chicks are born, which will learn to fly only after five weeks. However, pairs or flocks of green pigeons are rarely seen in Russia; most often they are noticed alone.

Far Eastern or Amur leopards

These graceful cats today inhabit the forests of the Chinese provinces of Jilin and Heilongjiang and the Primorsky Territory of Russia. In this small territory (an area of about 5000 km²), about forty of these cats live today, 7-12 individuals of which live in China, and 20-25 in Russia.

photo: nat-geo.ru

Even at the beginning of the 20th century, there were much more rare cats, and their range covered a considerable territory - the eastern and northeastern parts of China, the Korean Peninsula, the Amur, Primorsky and Ussuri territories. However, between 1970 and 1983, the Far Eastern leopard lost 80% of its territory! The main reasons then were forest fires and converting forest areas for agriculture.

Today, the Amur leopard continues to lose its territory and also suffers from a lack of food. After all, roe deer, sika deer and other ungulates, which this leopard hunts, are killed in huge numbers by poachers. And since the Far Eastern leopard has beautiful fur, it itself is a very desirable trophy for poachers.

Also, due to the lack of suitable food in the wild, Far Eastern leopards are forced to go to reindeer herding farms in search of it. There, predators are often killed by the owners of these farms. And on top of that, due to the small population size of Amur leopards, it will be very difficult for representatives of the subspecies to survive during various disasters like a fire.

However, all this does not mean that the subspecies will soon disappear. Today there are still large areas of forest that provide suitable habitat for the Far Eastern leopard. And if these areas can be preserved and protected from fires and poaching, then the population of these amazing animals in the wild will increase.

Interestingly, Far Eastern leopards are the only leopards that were able to learn to live and hunt in conditions harsh winter. In this, by the way, they are helped by long hair, as well as strong and long legs, which allow them to catch up with prey while moving through the snow. However, Amur leopards not only good hunters, but also exemplary family men. Indeed, sometimes males stay with females after mating and even help them with raising kittens, which, in principle, is not typical for leopards.

Alkina

These butterflies live in the southwest of Primorsky Krai and are found along streams and rivers in mountain forests, where the food plant of the caterpillars of the species, the Manchurian liana, grows. Most often, male butterflies fly to the flowers of this plant, and females sit in the grass most of the time. Alkinoe females tend to linger on this plant to lay eggs on its leaves.

Photo: photosight.ru

Today, due to disturbance of the habitat of kirkazona and its collection as a medicinal plant, its quantity in nature is decreasing, which, of course, affects the number of alkinoe. On top of everything else, butterflies suffer because they are collected by collectors.

bison

Previously, these animals were widespread in the territory former USSR, but by the beginning of the 20th century they were preserved only in Belovezhskaya Pushcha and the Caucasus. However, even there their numbers were steadily declining. For example, by 1924, only 5-10 bison remained in the Caucasus. The main reasons for the decline of bison were their extermination by hunters and poachers, as well as destruction during military operations.

photo: animalsglobe.ru

The restoration of their numbers began in 1940 in the Caucasus Nature Reserve, and now bison inhabit two regions in Russia - the North Caucasus and the center of the European part. In the North Caucasus, bison live in Kabardino-Balkaria, North Ossetia, Chechnya, Ingushetia and the Stavropol Territory. And in the European part there are isolated herds of bison in the Tver, Vladimir, Rostov and Vologda regions.

Bison have always been inhabitants of deciduous and mixed forests, but avoided extensive forest areas. In the Western Caucasus, these animals live mainly at an altitude of 0.9 - 2.1 thousand meters above sea level, often going out into clearings or treeless slopes, but never moving away from forest edges.

By appearance The bison is very similar to its American relative, the bison. Nevertheless, it is still possible to distinguish them. First of all, the bison has a higher hump and longer horns and tail than the bison. And in the hot months, the back of the bison is covered with very short hair (it even seems that it is bald), while the bison has hair of the same length all over its body at any time of the year.

The bison is listed in the Red Book of Russia as an endangered species and today lives in many nature reserves and zoos.

Fish owl

This species settles along the banks of rivers in the Far East from Magadan to the Amur region and Primorye, as well as on Sakhalin and the Southern Kuril Islands. The fish owl prefers to live in the hollows of old trees with an abundance of aquatic prey nearby, however, old forests and hollow trees are often cut down, which inevitably displaces these birds from their habitats. In addition, fish owls are caught by poachers, and they often fall into traps while trying to pull the bait out of them. The development of water tourism on the Far Eastern rivers and, consequently, increased disturbance of these birds gradually leads to a decrease in the number of eagle owls and interferes with their reproduction. All this has led to the fact that today this species is endangered.

photo: animalbox.ru

The fish owl is one of the largest owls in the world, as well as the largest member of its genus. Interestingly, these birds can hunt with two in different ways. Most often, the fish eagle looks for fish while sitting on a stone in the river, from the shore or from a tree hanging over the river. Having noticed the prey, the eagle owl dives into the water and instantly grabs it with its sharp claws. And when this predator tries to catch sedentary fish, crayfish or frogs, it simply enters the water and probes the bottom with its paw in search of prey.

Giant noctule

This bat, the largest in Russia and Europe, lives in deciduous forests in the territory from the western borders of our country to Orenburg region, as well as from northern borders to the Moscow and Nizhny Novgorod regions. There they settle in tree hollows, 1-3 individuals each, in colonies of others bats(usually red and lesser noctules).

photo: drugoigorod.ru

The giant noctule is a rare species, but ecologists do not know exactly what is causing their low numbers. According to scientists, deforestation poses a threat deciduous forests. However, today there are no special measures to protect these animals, since it is not clear what measures will be effective.

It's interesting that these bats They hunt large beetles and moths, flying over forest edges and ponds. However, analysis of blood and droppings showed that these animals also feed on small birds during migrations, however, this has never been recorded.

Sky barbel

In Russia, in the south of the Primorsky Territory (in the Terneysky, Ussuriysky, Shkotovsky, Partizansky and Khasansky districts) a beetle with a bright blue color lives. It lives in broadleaf forests mainly in the wood of the greenbark maple. There the female beetle lays eggs, and after about half a month the larvae appear. They develop in the wood for about 4 years, and then, in June, the larva gnaws out the “cradle” and pupates. After about 20 days, the beetle emerges from the wood and immediately begins to reproduce. He will spend all his strength on this for the rest of his life, which lasts only two weeks.

photo: historical-samara.rf

The barbel is listed in the Red Book of Russia as a rare species whose numbers are declining. According to environmentalists, the reason for this is deforestation and a sharp decrease in the number of greenbark maples.

Himalayan or white-breasted bear

The Ussuri white-breasted bear inhabits the deciduous forests of the Primorsky Territory and southern regions Khabarovsk Territory and the southeastern part of the Amur region. Until 1998, it was listed in the Red Book of Russia as a rare species, and today it is a hunting species. However, if in the 90s its number was 4-7 thousand individuals, now this bear is on the verge of extinction (its population is up to 1 thousand individuals). The reason for this was, first of all, deforestation and mass hunting. The latter, by the way, was discussed during the international environmental forum “Nature Without Borders” in Vladivostok, after which in 2006 a decision was made in the Primorsky Territory to introduce restrictions on hunting the Himalayan bear during hibernation.

Photo: myplanet-ua.com

The white-breasted bear leads a semi-arboreal lifestyle: it gets food in trees and hides from enemies (these are mainly Amur tigers and brown bear). Almost the entire diet of this bear consists of plant foods, in particular nuts, fruits and berries, as well as shoots, bulbs and rhizomes. It also does not refuse to feast on ants, insects, mollusks and frogs.

Black stork

This is a widespread but rare species, whose numbers are declining due to human economic activity, manifested in the clearing of forests and drainage of swamps. Today the bird is found in forests from the Kaliningrad and Leningrad regions to Southern Primorye. The black stork prefers to settle near bodies of water in deep, old forests.

photo: Lisa 013

Exactly there, on the old tall trees(and sometimes on rock ledges) black storks build nests, which they will then use for several years. When the time comes to invite the female to the nest (around the end of March), the male fluffs up his white undertail and begins to emit a hoarse whistle. The eggs laid by the female (from 4 to 7 pieces) will be incubated by the partners in turn until the chicks hatch from them after 30 days.

Red or mountain wolf

This representative of the animal world has a body up to 1 meter long and can weigh from 12 to 21 kg. Outwardly, it can be confused with a fox, and this is precisely one of the main reasons for its extinction. Hunters who know a little about animals shoot mountain wolves in large numbers.

Photo: natureworld.ru

He attracted people's attention with his fluffy fur, which has a beautiful bright red color. It is also worth noting that his tail is slightly different from a fox's, having a black tip. The habitat of this wolf is the Far East, China and Mongolia.

Przewalski's horse

The Przewalski's horse is the only species of wild horse remaining on our planet. The ancestors of all domestic horses were other wild horses - tarpans, now extinct. In addition to the tarpan, a close relative of the Przewalski's horse can be considered the Asian donkey - the kulan.

Photo: animalsglobe.ru

The Przewalski's horse is considered a primitive species and, along with equines, retains some characteristics of a donkey. It differs from domestic horses in its dense build, short, strong neck, and low legs. Her ears are small, but her head, on the contrary, is large and heavy, like a donkey’s. Distinctive feature wild horses have a stiff, erect mane without bangs. The color of Przewalski's horses is red with a lighter belly and muzzle. The mane, tail and legs are black.

Due to a lack of food resources and hunting, Przewalski's horses completely disappeared in nature by the 60s of the 20th century. But large number These animals are preserved in zoos around the world. As a result of painstaking work, it was possible to overcome the problems with inbreeding of Przewalski's horses and some of the individuals were released in the Khustan-Nuru Nature Reserve (Mongolia).

Interesting fact— as an experimental project, in the early 1990s, several individuals were released into the wild, and not just somewhere, but into the exclusion zone Chernobyl nuclear power plant. There they began to multiply, and now there are about one hundred of them in the zone.

Amur goral

Amur goral - subspecies mountain goat named Goral, found in the Primorsky Territory in the amount of 600-700 goats and goats. Protected by the state. Friends and relatives of the Amur goral live in the Himalayas and Tibet, and correspond with the Amur goral extremely rarely.

Photo: entertainmentstar.blogspot.com

Goral is afraid of the wolf and often dies from its arrogant teeth. In general, it seems that wolves are the most important goats. In fact, only a real goat can calmly eat the Amur goral, which is listed in the Red Book.

Western Caucasian tur or Caucasian mountain goat

The West Caucasian Tur lives in the Caucasus Mountains, namely along the Russian-Georgian border. It was recorded in the Red Book of Russia “thanks” to human activity, as well as due to mating with the East Caucasian aurochs. The latter leads to the birth of infertile individuals.

Photo: infoniac.ru

The number of these animals in the wild today is estimated at 10 thousand individuals. The International Union for Conservation of Nature gives Western Caucasian tur status “in danger”.

Asiatic cheetah

Previously, it could be found on a vast territory that stretched from the Arabian Sea to the valley of the Syrdarya River. Today in nature there are only about 10 individuals of this rare species, and in all zoos in the world you can count 23 representatives of the Asian cheetah.

Photo: murlika.msk.ru

The Asiatic cheetah is not much different in appearance from its African counterpart. An elegant body without a single hint of fat deposits, a powerful tail and a small muzzle, decorated with pronounced “tear tracks”. However, genetically these subspecies differ so much that the African cat will not be able to replenish the population of Asians.

The reasons for the disappearance of this animal were interference in the lives of human cats and the lack of their main food - ungulates. The predator cannot meet its nutritional needs with hares and rabbits and often attacks domestic animals.

Photo: infoniac.ru

This aristocratic cat considers it unworthy to hide in ambush during a hunt. It silently approaches the potential victim at a distance of up to 10 meters and instantly picks up a huge speed of up to 115 km/h and catches up with the prey, knocking down even large animals with a blow of its paw, and then strangling the victim. A hunter needs only 0.5 seconds to jump 6-8 meters long. However, the chase lasts only about 20 seconds; the cat spends too much energy on such a super-powerful jerk; the breathing rate in such a race exceeds 150 times per minute. Half the chases are unsuccessful, and while the cheetah is resting, its prey is often taken by larger cats. However, an Asian will never eat leftovers from other animals or carrion. Rather, he would prefer to go hunting again.

Probably these beauties almost became extinct in ice age, all representatives are close relatives, and even without human intervention, signs of inbreeding and extinction are clearly visible. There is too much mortality among cheetah kittens; more than half of them do not live to be 1 year old. In captivity, these predators practically do not produce offspring. In ancient times, when these hunting cats occupied a worthy place in the courts of high nobles and did not need anything, the birth of kittens was very rare.

Amur tiger

The Amur tiger is the largest tiger in the world. And the only one of the tigers who has mastered life in the snow. No other country in the world has such an asset. Without exaggeration, this is one of the most advanced predators among all others. Unlike the lion, which forms prides (families) and lives through collective hunts, the tiger is a pronounced loner, and therefore requires the highest skill in hunting.

Photo: ecamir.ru

The tiger crowns the top of the food pyramid of a unique ecological system called the Ussuri taiga. Therefore, the state of the tiger population is an indicator of the state of the entire Far Eastern nature.

The fate of the Amur tiger is dramatic. In the middle of the 19th century it was numerous. IN late XIX V. Up to 100 animals were hunted annually. In the thirties of the last century, the tiger was occasionally found only in the most remote corners of the Ussuri taiga, difficult to reach by humans. The Amur tiger is on the verge of extinction due to unregulated shooting of adult individuals, intensive hunting of tiger cubs, deforestation in the vicinity of some rivers and a decrease in the number of wild artiodactyl animals caused by increased hunting pressure and other reasons; Winters with little snow also had an adverse effect.

Photo: brightwallpapers.com.ua

In 1935, a large and unique Sikhote-Alin State Nature Reserve was organized in the Primorsky Territory. Somewhat later - Lazovsky and Ussuriysky nature reserves. Since 1947, tiger hunting was strictly prohibited. Even the capture of tiger cubs for zoos was allowed only on occasion, with special permits. These measures turned out to be timely. Already in 1957, the number of Amur tigers almost doubled compared to the thirties, and by the early sixties it exceeded one hundred. The Amur tiger is protected by the state - it is listed in the Red Book of the Russian Federation; hunting and catching tigers is prohibited.

Since 1998, the federal target program “Conservation of the Amur Tiger”, approved by the Government of the Russian Federation, has been implemented. There are just over 500 Amur tigers left in the Far East. The country has a presidential program to protect them. Without exaggeration, every animal has a special place.

Today, due to the extremely aggressive anthropogenization of our planet, as well as the fact that nature is suffering more and more from the results of human activity, littering it with various man-made wastes, and often simply their frivolous attitude towards flora and fauna, many species of animals, from time immemorial, living in various territories of Russia, found themselves on the verge of extinction.

In order to stop this process at least a little and teach people to take care of the wildlife around them, the Red Book of Russia was created. It includes not only animals, the number of which, due to their destruction by humans, is sometimes only a couple of dozen individuals, but also plants, insects, birds, mushrooms...

Animals from the Red Book of Russia

Below are animals listed in the Red Book of Russia that should be treated with special attention and frugality.

Body length up to 1 meter, weight from 12 to 21 kg, externally resembles a fox, which is why it suffered. Would-be hunters, not particularly versed in the intricacies of zoology, subjected this species to mass shooting. Basically, the mountain wolf attracted people with its beautiful fluffy fur, bright red color and distinctive “zest” - the tip of the tail, which, unlike a fox, was black. The red wolf lives in the Far East, China and Mongolia, prefers to move in small packs - from 8 to 15 individuals.

A three-meter long Pacific eared seal, habitat: the Kuril and Commander Islands, Kamchatka and Alaska. The body length of an adult male sea lion can reach three meters, and its weight can reach one ton!

The Amur (Ussuri) tiger is a rare subspecies of felines that has survived on the territory of our country. It is known that on the coastal ridge of the Sikhote-Alin there is still the smallest population of these wild cats left. Amur tigers can reach two meters in length. Their tail is also long - up to one meter.

Taimen is included in the Red Book of Russia and is especially protected in several regions of the Russian Federation. According to the IUCN, populations of common taimen have been extirpated or significantly reduced in 39 of 57 river basins: only a few populations living in remote areas are considered stable.

Musk deer is a cloven-hoofed animal that looks like a deer, but unlike it, does not have horns. But the musk deer has another means of defense - fangs growing on the upper jaw of the animal, because of which this essentially harmless creature was even considered a vampire, blood drinkers other animals.

The forest dormouse is officially listed in the Red Book of some regions of the Russian Federation. These are Kursk, Oryol, Tambov and Lipetsk regions. On international level this species is protected Vienna Convention. It is also listed on the IUCN Red List.

The Far Eastern leopard is an intelligent animal, listed in the Red Book, which will never attack a person. But does our man think so? No! Poachers, despite the bans, continue to exterminate these animals, and not only them. The leopard's main food, roe deer and sika deer, is also being destroyed en masse. In addition, for the sake of the construction of new highways and households, entire forests are destroyed, as well as animals and all vegetation.

A short-headed dolphin with black sides and fins, a body length of about three meters. A small beak up to 5 cm makes them cute and unusual. In Russian waters, the white-faced dolphin lives only in the Barents and Baltic seas.

Another predator listed in the Red Book of Russia. The habitat of the snow leopard is the mountainous regions of Central Asia. It is precisely because of living in a hard-to-reach and harsh environment that this animal has still retained its registration in the list of animals existing on our planet, although they are already rare.

Argali is by far the largest representative belonging to the category of wild sheep. The Latin species name ammon traces the name of the god Amon.

Amur goral

A subspecies of mountain goat, it lives in the Primorsky Territory; representatives of this species stay together in small groups - from 6 to 8 individuals. The number of this species in Russia is small - approximately 700 individuals. A species similar to the Amur goral is found on the Tibetan Plateau and the Himalayas.

At the beginning of the last century, the sika deer almost disappeared from the face of the earth. He was killed for tasty meat, original skin, but especially for his young velvety horns (antlers), on the basis of which miraculous potions were made.

In a significant part of its range, the Far Eastern tortoise is a fairly common species, but in Russia this reptile is a rare species, the total number of which is rapidly declining.

A subspecies of wild Asian ass, on at the moment practically never found in nature. Individual individuals have been recorded in Central Asia and the Middle East. To restore the population of the species, one of the reserves in Turkmenistan was forced to take up artificial breeding of these animals.

A wild cat with very fluffy and long hair - there are up to 9,000 hairs per square centimeter of the body! Found in Tyva, the Altai Republic and Transbaikalia.

Asiatic cheetah

Previously, it lived on a vast territory from the Arabian Sea to the valley of the Syr Darya River; now the number of this species in nature is about 10 individuals, and in zoos around the world - only 23.

Its habitat is Barents and Kara Sea. The body length of an adult walrus reaches up to 4 meters, and its weight reaches one and a half tons. By the middle of the twentieth century, it was almost completely exterminated; now, thanks to the efforts of ecologists, there is a slow increase in the population, but no one can say the exact number of the species, since it is impossible to get to the rookeries of these animals without special equipment and icebreakers is very, very difficult.

Dzeren

A small, slender, light-footed antelope. The height of males is up to 85 cm and weight about 40 kg, black hollow horns, yellowish-ocher fur color. Females reach a height of up to 75 cm and a weight of up to 30 kg. These antelopes are typical inhabitants of steppes and deserts, previously found in the south Gorny Altai, but were forced out of there due to the active settlement of these places by people.

The Central Asian leopard, also known as the Caucasian leopard ( Panthera pardus ciscaucasica), refers to predatory mammals from the Feline family. This subspecies of leopard lives mainly in western Asia and is a striking, but very rare representative of the Panther genus.

These are just a few of the inhabitants natural communities, whose existence is under threat.

Video: Red Book of Russia

Animals are protected all over the world

Many other species of endangered animals are listed in the Red Book. However, animal protection is carried out not only on the territory of the Russian Federation, but throughout. Below are individuals that are protected in other countries.

The lion has always been the king of animals, even in ancient times this animal was idolized. For the ancient Egyptians, the lion acted as a sentry creature guarding the entrance to the other world. For the ancient Egyptians, the god of fertility Aker was depicted with lion's mane. In the modern world, many state emblems depict the king of beasts.

Loriids belong to a fairly large family of primates. These arboreal inhabitants are relatives of the galagidae family, and together form the infra-order Lorisiformes.

The blue macaw (Cyanopsitta spixii) is a feathered representative of the parrot family, as well as the only species of the genus Blue Macaws from the order Psittacidae.

The Bengal tiger (lat. Panthera tigris tigris or Panthera tigris bengalensis) is a subspecies of tiger belonging to the order Carnivora, the Feline family and the Panther genus. Bengal tigers are the national animal of historical Bengal or Bangladesh, as well as China and India, and are listed in the Red Book.

Few people know that the leatherback turtle (lut) appears on all official papers of the maritime department belonging to the Republic of Fiji. For the inhabitants of the archipelago, the sea turtle represents speed and excellent navigation skills.

Brown bear

The brown or common bear is a predatory mammal from the bear family. This is one of the largest and dangerous species terrestrial predators.

The steppe harrier (Cirсus macrourus) is an endangered species, a migratory bird of prey belonging to the family Accipitridae and the order Accipitridae.

The largest sea turtles are very beautiful in natural environment when grazing in coastal waters in dense algae or cut through the water surface with powerful front paws equipped with flippers.

The olive ridley turtle, also called the olive ridley, is a small sea turtle that is now under protection due to the threat of extinction due to extermination by humans and the influence of natural threats.

South America is home to one unique animal called the maned wolf (guara). It has both the features of a wolf and a fox and is a relict animal. Guara has unusual appearance: graceful, atypical for a wolf, physique, long legs, sharp muzzle and rather large ears.

The spectacled bear (Tremarctos ornatus), also well known as the Andean bear, is a currently quite rare predatory mammal belonging to the family of bears and the genus Spectacled bears.