Forests are a habitat for a large number of birds and animals. This is their home, where they live, hide and eat, breed. The forest is their protector.
Moose
Forest animals feel confident in their habitat. They are comfortable in the forest, despite the fact that there are dangers, but each species has adapted to defend itself and hide.
The adornment of the forest community is the elk, belonging to the Deer family. Individual specimens reach a length of up to three and a half meters, and a height of up to two meters. The weight of such an animal can reach 500 kilograms. Agree, these are impressive parameters. It is very interesting to watch such a giant moving silently through the forest.
He is very strong and, oddly enough, he swims and dives wonderfully. In addition, he has a fine ear and a good flair. Imagine that an elk can jump over a four-meter hole or a two-meter obstacle without a run. Not every animal can do this.
He lives exclusively in forests. In other areas, it can be found only during spring migrations. At such a time, you can encounter him in the fields, sometimes he even enters the villages. Elk feeds on pine shoots,mountain ash, aspen, buckthorn, bird cherry, willow. It also eats herbaceous plants, mushrooms, moss, berries. Forest animals are forced to look for food in winter. And it's not always easy for them to find it. Sometimes moose are very harmful by eating young pine forests and forest plantations. This happens only in winter, when food is very tight, and a decent number of individuals are concentrated in a relatively small area.
However, forestries are trying to carry out biotechnical measures to create comfortable and satisfying living conditions for these wonderful animals.
Forest animal bear
The brown bear is the most famous forest dweller. He is an indispensable hero of most folk tales. And he always acts as a good character. However, it should be noted that bears are predatory animals of the forest thicket.
They can rightly be called the masters of the forest. The bear has a powerful body, a fairly large head, but small eyes and ears. At the withers, he has a hump, which is nothing but muscles that give him the ability to deliver very strong blows. The bear's tail is quite small, about twenty centimeters. He is practically invisible in his thick shaggy coat. The color of the animal varies from light brown to almost black. Of course, the most typical color is brown.
The animal has very powerful paws. Each has five fingers. The claws on the paws of the beast reach ten centimeters in length.
Brown bear habitat
Thesemajestic forest animals previously lived in vast areas. Now their range has narrowed significantly. Currently, they are found in Finland and Scandinavia, sometimes in the forests of Central Europe and, of course, in the taiga and tundra in Russia.
The size and body weight of bears entirely depend on their habitat. The weight of animals living in Russia does not exceed 120 kilograms. However, Far Eastern bears are much larger. Their weight reaches 750 kilograms.
Their favorite habitat is impenetrable forest areas littered with windbreaks or places with dense thickets of shrubs and trees. However, they also love rugged terrain, and therefore they can be found both in the tundra and in high mountain forests.
What does a predator eat?
I must say that the bear eats almost everything that can only be eaten. Most of his diet is plant foods: herbs, mushrooms, berries, nuts. When an animal does not have enough food, it can eat insects and larvae, rodents, reptiles and even carrion. Large representatives can afford to hunt ungulates. It is only at first glance that these forest animals seem very clumsy. In fact, bears, chasing prey, show miracles of dexterity. They are capable of speeds up to 55 kilometers per hour.
Bears love to eat fish. By autumn, they eat off and twenty percent gain weight.
Winter hibernation of bears
However, the life of forest animals in winter changes a lot. Bears half a yearare in their shelter-lair, falling into hibernation. They choose a place for their home in the most inaccessible places. As a rule, they make a winter rookery under the huge roots of broken fir trees, in rock crevices, in the rubble after windbreaks. Inside their house they line with dry moss and grass. Bears sleep quite sensitively. If disturbed, he may well wake up, and then be forced to look for a new cozy place to sleep.
When there are very hungry years and the bear cannot gain enough fat reserves, he does not fall asleep. The animal simply wanders in search of food. Such a bear is called a rod. During this period, he becomes very aggressive and is able to attack even a person.
The mating season for bears is in May and June. It is usually accompanied by strong roars and fights between competing males.
A female bear after mating has cubs in about six months. They are born in a den. As a rule, two babies weighing up to half a kilogram are born. By the time the couple emerges from the den, the offspring have reached the size of a dog and are beginning to feed with the adults.
The cubs live with their mother for a couple of years. They reach sexual maturity at three to four years. In general, bears live in the wild for up to thirty years.
Wolf
Forest animals are always associated with predators. One of their representatives is the wolf. There are a huge number of them in our country. Since ancient times, people have been actively fighting with wolves, because thosecause significant damage to the household.
It is widely believed that the wolf is a forest animal. However, this is not quite true. Many of them live in the tundra, forest-steppes and steppes. They prefer open spaces. And a man is forcing them to leave for the forests, actively fighting them.
Outwardly, the wolf looks like a large large dog. He has a powerful physique. The length of his body reaches up to 1.5 meters. Weight ranges from 30 to 45 kilograms. Females tend to be smaller than males.
Wolves have strong and enduring paws. They are long distance runners. In general, this is a highly organized animal and also very smart. Looking at each other, the wolves exchange information.
This beast has excellent hearing, excellent sense of smell and vision. The wolf receives all the information about the world around it through the sense of smell. He is able to distinguish the tracks of forest animals by smell many hours after they left them. In general, it is difficult for us to imagine the variety of smells that a wolf is able to distinguish.
Wolf habits
Wolves are very strong and hardy animals. They develop speed in pursuit of prey up to 60 kilometers. And on the roll, this value increases to 80.
In summer, wolves live in pairs and raise their offspring strictly on their territory. By winter, young individuals, together with older ones, gather in groups and lead a vagrant lifestyle. Wolves, like all forest animals, change their way of life in winter.
Usually a pack consists of ten wolves, which are representatives of onefamilies. Sometimes several flocks can unite into one larger one. This is possible in severe snow season or in the presence of very large prey.
What do wolves eat?
Because the wolf is a predator, meat is the basis of his diet. Although sometimes the animal can try and plant food. The wolf hunts absolutely any animal that will be within its power. If he has enough game, then he will not come to look into the villages of people. Wolves are very intelligent and understand the risks involved.
In the forest, this animal preys on almost all the inhabitants, from elk to chipmunk and vole. Of course, his favorite prey, depending on the habitat, is the red deer, reindeer, roe deer. However, the wolf will not disdain the fox, raccoon, rat, ferret, piglet, hare. The hunting habits of wolves are varied. They can wait for their prey in ambush, or they can drive it for a long time. And their collective hunting is generally a complex well-coordinated mechanism, where everyone understands each other without words.
Very prudently, they drive their prey into the water in a flock. The wolf is a large predator, but he knows how to catch fish, frogs, mice, and also loves to destroy bird nests.
But not always only forest animals and birds become the prey of a predator. There is not enough game in the populated areas, and therefore, in the harsh winter months, when it becomes very difficult to survive, the wolves stay closer to the villages and begin to rob. Sheep, dog, pig, horse, cow, goose can become their prey. In general, any living creature to which a predatorcan only get there. Even one specimen can deal a lot of damage in one night.
Fox
Forest animals for children are rather fairy-tale characters. And the fox is generally the heroine of many children's fairy tales. However, as a fabulous person, she is endowed with those features that are inherent in her in real life. The fox is both beautiful and cunning. She has a long fluffy tail and a sly narrow muzzle, small eyes. This predator is really slender and graceful, in size it is commensurate with a small dog. It weighs between six and ten kilograms.
We are used to the fact that from childhood we call the red fox. And this is fair. But in life she has a white belly or grayish. The back and sides are colored differently: from light gray to bright red. As a rule, northern foxes have a bright color. And more faded - those that live in the forest-steppe. Silver fox fur is considered the most beautiful and expensive. Such foxes have long been bred on special farms, since they are extremely rare in wildlife. And among people, their fur is especially popular for beauty.
In summer, the animal looks a little awkward due to the fact that the coat becomes short and stiff during this period. But by the fall, a beautiful winter coat grows at the fox. The predator sheds only once a year - in the spring.
The habits of a cunning fox
Fox is found not only in the forest, but also in the tundra, mountains, steppes, swamps, and even near human habitation. She remarkably knows how to adapt to any conditions, but still loves more open spaces. deaf taigashe doesn't like it.
In life, as in fairy tales, the fox is very fast and agile. She runs very briskly, easily catches insects flying past. As a rule, she moves at a leisurely trot. Periodically stops, looks around, looks around. Lisa is very careful. When she sneaks up on prey, she crawls quietly on her belly, almost merging with the ground. But he runs away from pursuit with large and sharp jumps, skillfully confusing the tracks.
Fox behavior can be seen downright fabulous episodes. People invented them for a reason. All stories are taken from real life. Foxes are really cunning predators who are smart about hunting. Rather, they take prey not by force, but by seduction. No other animal is called by its patronymic. And the fox's name is Patrikeevna. Why?
Once upon a time there was such a prince named Patrikey. He became famous for his cunning and resourcefulness. Since then, the very name Patrickey has been associated with cunning people. The fox has long been known as a cheat among the people, which is why she was dubbed Patrikeevna.
Who do foxes hunt?
Foxes are very active animals. In winter, its tangled footprints are clearly visible in the snow. You can immediately see where the cheat was hunting. It is generally accepted that foxes feed on hares. But this is a big misconception. She is not able to catch up with such a fast prey. Of course, if she stumbles upon defenseless rabbits somewhere, she will certainly take the opportunity. Therefore, hares are a very rare dish in her diet. She just can't keep up with them.
Foxes eat various insects,birds and animals. But the basis of their menu are rodents. Predators remarkably exterminate voles. In addition, they are able to fish in shallow water. Sometimes animals eat berries.
Hares
The forest life of animals is very interesting to study. All representatives of the animal world are very different, some run away, others hunt. Earlier we looked at some predators. And now let's talk about the brightest representative of the forests. Of course, about the hare.
Hares, as in fairy tales, long-eared, with short tails. Their hind legs are much longer and more powerful than the front ones. In winter, it is clearly visible on the snow that the prints of the hind paws are ahead of the front ones. This is due to the fact that they bring them forward while running.
These animals feed on food that does not attract others at all, for example, bark, young shoots and branches, grass.
A lot of fairy tales have been written about forest animals, but the hare has always been a favorite hero. In real life, when escaping from the chase, he is cunning and tries to confuse the tracks, jumping one way or the other, just like in children's stories. He is able to run at a speed of 50 kilometers per hour. Not every predator will keep up with such fast prey. In general, in the arsenal of hares there are many ways to get away from persecution. These are such cunning forest dwellers. Animals can both run away and defend themselves, and in each case they use the most optimal tactics - their instinct is so developed.
But it is not so much their cunning that saves the hares, as they take with their numbers. Annuallythey have four or five litters. Each of which can contain from two to five rabbits.
The most famous hares are hare and hare. They weigh up to seven and a half kilograms and reach a length of 70 centimeters. Their main difference is the color of the fur. Rusaks do not change their color in winter. But in summer, these varieties are much more difficult to distinguish.
In general, hares are characterized by a sedentary life. Of course, they jump across fields and meadows, moving away at fairly large distances. But then they return to their habitat. Very rarely they can migrate. This only happens during particularly cold and snowy winters.
Who else lives in the forest?
We have listed only the most famous animals, since it is difficult to pay attention to all forest dwellers within the framework of the article. There are actually a lot of them: wild boars, badgers, hedgehogs, moles, mice, squirrels, chipmunks, sables, martens, raccoons, deer, roe deer, lynxes … As they say, from small to large. All of them are very different and interesting. In addition, it would be unfair not to mention the birds, which also live quite a lot in our forests.
Forest birds
Different are not only forest animals, photos of some of which are given in the article, but also birds. The winged world is no less interesting. They live in the forests of a huge number of species. Here you can meet: woodpeckers, larks, robins, oriole, crossbill, nightingale, oatmeal, magpie, duck, wagtail, swift and many others.
