The Saratov region is famous for its rich nature: protected forests, interesting animals and birds, in general, there is something to see. It is here that those species live that you can no longer see in other regions of our vast country.
Red Book of the Saratov Region
Due to its geographical location at the junction of Europe and Asia, climatic, soil and relief features, three landscape zones converge here: forest-steppe, steppe and semi-desert. Therefore, the nature of the Saratov region is quite peculiar. In the right-bank north, these are protected forests and the chalk mountains of Khvalynshchina and Volsk, turning south into the forest-steppe zone, the left bank of the Volga is a forb, feather grass, fescue-sagebrush steppe, bordering on the Kazakh semi-desert.
Nothing like this is observed in any region of Russia. The uniqueness of the location determined the originality and color of the flora and fauna of the Saratov region: more than 1.5 thousand species of plants, 250 species of birds,70 - mammals … And this is not a complete list. Unfortunately, as a result of the development of steppe lands and other human economic activities, the natural balance is disturbed, and the most prominent representatives of flora and fauna are preserved mainly in hard-to-reach places: in tracts, in floodplains of rivers and estuaries, protected areas of Khvalynsk and Khopra, forests of Kumysnaya Polyana. To date, only 541 species have been included in the list of rare or practically extinct species of flora and fauna of the region.
Red Book
For the first time, the need to preserve the unique diversity of flora and fauna of the region was discussed in the 90s of the past century. And already in 1996, the first Red Book of the Saratov Region was published, where detailed developments on rare or almost extinct species of plants, animals and birds were presented. Ten years later, it was republished, and the Government of the region approved a list of plant and animal species listed in the Red Book, and determined liability for damage caused to these objects. Measures were taken to regulate the hunting economy of the region: hunting for elk is closed, deer and roe deer are limited.
In particular, there are animals of the Saratov region, listed in the Red Book (235 species), plants (286 species). The publication is richly illustrated, showing maps of the distribution of certain species of rare and endangered species, their description, recommendations for protection.
Animal world
Now there is a neednext reissue. The Red Book of the Saratov Region in a new edition should be published in 2016. It will include data from recent years on endangered complete and imminent extinction and rare species of flora and fauna present in our region and in need of special protection. Animals of the Red Book of the Saratov region are represented by two dozen species of rare mammals, 32 species of birds.
7 species of reptiles and 4 species of inhabitants of both land and water need special protection. Among the most interesting species of reptiles, the foot-and-mouth disease can be noted. As a rule, it lives in the landscape zones of steppes and semi-deserts, mainly in the Left Bank of the Volga River, in particular in the Marksovsky district. Sometimes representatives of this species can be found in the forest-steppe and even in the highlands. It lives in shallow burrows that it digs itself, or uses the burrows of toads, rodents, and even settles in cracks and crevices in the ground. Her food is small insects: flies, spiders, ants, caterpillars. Hunts in the morning and afternoon. Lays rather large eggs - from 1 to 1.5 centimeters.
Security and control
Animals of the Red Book of the Saratov region are under the protection and control of the Government of the region. Measures of material and administrative liability are established for damage caused by illegal extraction and subsequent destruction, as well as destruction or damage to their habitats.
Red Book of Saratovregion presents an extensive list of animals living in the Saratov territory. These are the following varieties: the screaming muskrat, the marmot living in the steppes, the evening, striking in its gigantic size. The avdotka, the severe golden eagle, the interesting saker falcon, the screaming bustard, the tuvik, the crane (belladonna), the serpent eagle, the red-throated goose, the lapwing, the spoonbill, the crested pelican, the white-tailed eagle, as well as dozens of species and subspecies that are practically not found today.
In the region, the number of such rare representatives of the order of birds as the almost extinct bustard, the little bustard, the forgotten serpent eagle and many others is quite high.
Birds
In the section “The Red Book of the Saratov region. Birds” is of interest to the sea dove. It is often confused with the black-headed gull, but unlike it, the color of the feathers of its head is white, and not black, like a gull. A pinkish neck, tail and lower body give it a special beauty, and this color is typical for the summer period. The back and wings are gray, black and white stripes on the tail and black tips of the flight feathers, as well as a beautiful beak and red paws, complete the graceful outfit of the dove. The bird is quite large - in length from 39 centimeters to half a meter, the wingspan is about a meter. You can see it in the Left Bank during the summer months.
Berkut - a formidable bird
Another bird listed in the Red Book of the Saratov region is the golden eagle. This is a rather formidable representative of birds, the length of its claws is onlyis 7 centimeters, paws are feathered to the claws. It weighs from three to seven kilograms, the body length is about a meter. Because of the black with a golden tint on the back of the head and neck, the color received the original name, translated from English as "Golden Eagle". Baby golden eagles are white. It has excellent eyesight, sees prey at a distance of 4 kilometers. The flight speed in a dive is much more than 100 km / h.
Habitat - forests, mountainous terrain. Occurs in the Khvalynsky Reserve. Is under protection. Its food consists of ducks, marmots, herons and even cranes and snakes. Very aggressive, can even attack deer, roe deer. Married couples, as a rule, remain faithful to each other until the last day. The couple has several nests, the chicks hatch up to 45 days, then they are fed for about two months.
Plants
Section “The Red Book of the Saratov region. Plants is also extensive and quite interesting. So, the second edition includes 286 plant species, of which 1 are the families of lichens, 14 mosses, 3 club mosses, 10 ferns, 2 species of gymnosperms and 256 angiosperms, as well as 20 subspecies of fungi. Tree and shrub species are represented by downy birch, Austrian broom, black cotoneaster. Of particular interest are medicinal plants of the Red Book: Volga adonis, angelica, which is considered medicinal, poisonous hemlock. Many decorative species are among the rare ones: northern wrestler, 11 species of astragalus, cornflowers (there are at least four different subspecies), as well as all orchids of the region, recognized as wild,palmate root and a unique plant of the steppe - barnyard.
The Red Book of the Saratov Region introduces us to rare species of ferns: female kochedyzhnik, semilunar grapevine and others. This also includes wild-growing cereals: whose shiny, serpentine splayed.
In the area of special attention
Special attention in the Saratov region is paid to the protection of such species of birds as the screaming bustard, tyuvik, crane (Belladonna), as well as those that were listed a little earlier. The Red Book of the Saratov region includes 14 species of birds of prey, including the sea eagle, vulture, griffon vulture, gyrfalcon and many others. The significance of the publication of the Red Book is extremely high.
Animals of the Saratov region, listed in the Red Book, are under the control of the Government of the region, which formed the basis of all modern environmental activities in the region.
