Unfortunately, one can see less and less untouched places even in the Middle Urals. But today we still have a unique opportunity to do this in the Basegi Reserve, which is located in the Perm Territory. It was created to preserve a huge array of Middle Ural spruce and fir forests, which are located in the foothills of the Basegi ridge. The forest zone of the reserve is the only valuable taiga massif in the west of the Middle Urals that has not been cut down. Reserve "Basegi" is a reference object of taiga ecosystems.
Location
To understand where this protected area is located, you will need a map of the Perm Territory. It clearly shows that the reserve is located on the territory of this region in the Gornozavodsky and Gremyachy districts. The nearest point of the reserve is 43 km from the city of Gremyachinsk, 50 km from the city of Gornozavodsk.
Nature Reserve
The reserve has a continental climate, which is characterized by warm summers and rather cold and long winterswith strong winds and heavy snowfalls. In summer, rains with thunderstorms are not uncommon in these places.
The "Basegi" ridge consists of three massifs, which are separated by hollows. The relief, formed after the last glaciation and weathering, has bizarre shapes. Nowadays, its formation is influenced by the movement of weathering products and flowing waters.
The Basegi reserve is crossed by 11 relatively small rivers. Their sizes vary from 3 to 10 km. These are mountain rivers, characterized by fast flow and crystal clear water.
Spring flood lasts a little over a month. During heavy summer rains, the water level in the rivers rises significantly. The largest in the reserve are Vilva and Ulva. The maximum width of the Ulva is 92 m, and its depth in some areas exceeds 2 m. The ice cover remains for about 200 days. Vilva has the greatest width of 84 m, depth - 2 m.
Animal world
The Basegi Nature Reserve (Perm Territory) is distinguished by its rich fauna. There are 3 amphibian species, 150 bird species, 51 mammal species, 2 reptile species.
Animals belonging to the European fauna live in the reserve. For example, bank vole, common vole, marten, wood mouse, European mink.
Siberian fauna includes sable, Siberian weasel, red-backed vole, subspecies of Siberian roe deer.
Species that are found only in the Urals include the common shrew, mole, red-backed vole, field vole, housekeeper vole.
Most commonThe animals of the reserve are the middle and common shrews. Interesting little shrew. It is no larger than a beetle, and weighs barely 2.5 g. It feeds on insects that are pests of the forest.
Waterfowl live near water bodies. They are somewhat larger than shrews. They have a black back and a white belly. The Basegi Reserve is home to six species of bats. Their number is rather small. You won't see them during the day - they hide in the hollows of trees.
A variety of rodents live in the reserve - squirrels, mice, field and forest mice, baby mice. Hamsters live next to them, of which there are 9 species. Southern voles settled in the meadows. Bank voles prefer to settle in broad-leaved and mixed forests. Occasionally there is a muskrat.
Ungulates have also settled in the Basegi Reserve. These include roe deer, elk, and reindeer. Moose leave these places for the winter. Wild boars have settled here since 1985.
Marten is found in dark coniferous forests. Its population is quite large. In addition, weasels and ermines can be found in the protected area.
The number of minks, otters and muskrats is quite high. The badger is rare. Most often it can be found in winter in meadows and crooked forests. The forests of the reserve also sheltered huge brown bears.
Flora
This territory is characterized by a combination of some elements of Siberian and European vegetation. More than 480 species of plants have been registered on the territory of the reserve. 40 of them are quite rare and valuable, and Shiverekia Podolskaya is listed in the Redbook of Russia.
In the intermountain depressions and at the foot of the mountains there is a dark coniferous taiga. On the slopes, the forest is sparse, the trees are lower, crooked forests with dwarf birches appear, as well as subalpine meadows.
The peaks of the Baseg massif are covered with mosses and lichens with small patches of mountain tundra. Blueberries, blueberries, Siberian junipers grow here.
In ancient times, a glacier did not reach here for several tens of kilometers, and in this part of the Urals an “experience area” was formed for many animals and some forms of plants.
Birds
The Basegi reserve is inhabited by corvids and passerines in large numbers. On the banks of current rivers, the dipper has taken root, which is not afraid of the cold. She leaves the nesting place and flies to warmer countries only after the reservoirs freeze completely.
In the forests, black grouse, capercaillie, hazel grouse, 3 species of woodpeckers - three-toed, yellow and large motley are found in large quantities. Representatives of birds typical for these places are buntings (remez, reed and common), brambling, common cuckoo, warblers (chiffch and willow), garden warbler, song thrush, fieldfare, meadow coinage, forest hawker, waxwing, bullfinch, nuthatch and others. On rivers and swamps, there are teals, mallards, sandpipers.
The reserve has preserved birds listed in the Red Book of Russia - a peregrine falcon and a white-tailed eagle.
Security activities
Map of the Perm Territory, which we posted in this article,shows what a vast territory this reserve occupies. Over the years of its existence, it has become a reserve for increasing the number and conservation of populations of many species of wild animals - mink and marten, fox and elk, squirrel and bear. The biodiversity of the flora is impressive. Reserve "Basegi" protects a huge number of plants and animals. Many of them are listed in the Red Books of various ranks. The reserve conducts scientific and research activities aimed at preserving the nature of the Urals.
