Republic of Belarus ... You can hear about this country quite often. It is famous for its wonderful nature. Almost no one remains indifferent, being here. The most striking are the magnificent forests and reserves, which are quite a lot in this country. However, this is far from all that the Republic of Belarus can boast of. 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 small overview
This region is very rich. As you know, many natural resources and attractions 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 on the territory of this country there are a myriad of individuals. 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 positive points. Sometimes new species of birds suddenly appear here. In addition to the natural migration of animals, the fauna is replenished with imported animals.
What mammals live here?
So, it is necessary to consider in more detail the fauna of the Republic of Belarus. The animals here, as already mentioned, are extremely diverse. It is worth starting the story with mammals. In total there are about 73 species. They live in the wild. Of these, rodents and predators can be distinguished. The former are represented by 24 different species, the latter by 16.
The diversity of animals is due to various favorable natural factors and conditions. Local meadows, forests and fields are ideal for individuals of different species. The animals most often found here are hares, wolves, wild boars, foxes, beavers, moose, wolves and deer. Many species are under special protection as they may disappear. One of these animals is bison. They live in one of the reserves of the country, where they are carefully taken care of.
Birds
Thus, we met in detail with 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 total, there are more than 280 species of birds in the state. Most of them nest on these lands. It is worth noting separately and migratory birds, which are known about 38 species. Also in Belarus there are birds that arrive only for the winter. Most live in forests, where conditions are most favorable. They also often nest in swamps or near various bodies of water. Much less species are localized in the fields and near settlements. The most common here is the passerine family.
In the forest you can various wild birds: capercaillie, woodcock, partridge, black grouse and others. Among the most common waterfowl mallard, pochard, teal. Most often, songbirds are found in the forest. Among them, there are especially many finches, thrushes, clapper-claws and others.
Fish
The fauna of the Republic of Belarus is also represented by a large number of fish. Here there are more than 50 species. Most often you can see pike, roach, rudd, common 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 also live here. However, they can only be found in rivers that belong to the Baltic Sea basin. In Belarus, farms are widespread. They are actively engaged in the cultivation of fish that had not previously been found in local nature.
The Red Book of Belarus: animals that are listed in it
So, we have considered the main animals, which are most often found in this country. Despite the 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 tours completely died out. Then in the XIX century sable, red deer, wolverine and some other species disappeared. This fate did not pass over the birds. Many of them either completely disappeared or changed their habitat.
Now it’s worth talking about which representatives of the fauna the Red Book of Belarus is currently writing. Animals introduced into it are also on the verge of extinction. It was first published in 1981. Then on its pages were designated about 80 species of animals. Since 2007, the book began to be released in electronic version. Now it includes more than 180 endangered species, among them there are common lynx, mink, brown bear, badger, European bison, common flying squirrel, speckled 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 representatives of the fauna to live here.
Forest occupies a little less than half of the entire country. The largest forests are the Nalibokskaya and Belovezhskaya Pushcha. Belarus is rich in green spaces. There are almost no areas in which they are absent. We can say that the country boasts not only wonderful forests, but also water bodies. Over 20 thousand rivers flow here and there are about 11 thousand different lakes.
Famous nature reserves
As you know, in Belarus there are several extensive protected areas. They are under special state protection. This allows you to save nature and animals. There are 6 similar sites, each of which has the status of a national park. The most famous of them are Belovezhskaya Pushcha and Braslav Lakes. Also known are such national parks as Narochansky and Pripyatsky. In addition, the Polessky State Radiation-Ecological Reserve and the Berezinsky Biosphere Reserve operate. All these objects are very popular. Special excursions are sent to some of them to better get acquainted with the inhabitants of protected areas.
Bialowieza Forest
So, we met with the main reserves of this country. The most famous of them is Belovezhskaya Pushcha. Belarus, as you know, is rich in forests, but this particular place will amaze everyone. This is one of the oldest objects of this type in all of Europe. The reserve is a forest that arose even in primitive times.
Interestingly, these places are mentioned in the annals in 983. A myriad of animals live here, incredibly ancient trees grow. The age of some of them is from 200 to 350 years. This place is unique and is under state protection.