In connection with the disappearance in recent years of many objects of flora and fauna, emergency measures are required to save them. Despite the fact that animals listed in the Red Book of Russia are under special protection of the state, the number of individuals of some of them continues to decline.
The reasons for the extinction of animals
This problem is relevant for many countries of the world. The complete disappearance of many animal species from our planet is of great concern to conservationists. The main reason for this phenomenon is considered to be a violation of the natural balance as a result of environmental pollution, which has a detrimental effect on representatives of the animal world.
An important role is played by the consumer attitude of man to nature. Poaching has led to a significant reduction in the population of many animal species, and some of them have disappeared irrevocably. Our country is no exception. Animals on the Red List of Russia are also on the verge of extinction (the most rare of them are described in this article).
The Red Book of Russia
In addition to the international Red Book, the same document was created in Russia in 2001. It contains data on the status and distribution of rare animals and plants located on the territory of our country, their condition and protection measures. The Red Book is a reminder to everyone about how defenseless our nature is. Improving their living conditions by cutting down forests and draining swamps, people should not forget about those who are nearby. So far, this is the only official document that has a mechanism for protecting the animal and plant world.
The fact that the situation is stabilizing by the efforts of nature conservationists is evidenced by the fact that some plants and animals listed in the Red Book of Russia replenish the lists posted on its green pages informing about representatives of fauna and flora that have overcome the critical point of population decline.
Nevertheless, the endangered species of animals that live in our country are still very, very many.
Bison
These powerful animals up to two meters high and sometimes weighing more than a thousand kilograms were almost completely destroyed in the wild by the beginning of the last century. A limited number of individuals remained only in European zoos. This situation arose due to the destruction of forests, the growing number of human settlements in the habitats of bison, as well as intensive hunting.
If earlier these powerful and beautiful animals were often found not only in forests, but also in open spaces, then bison remaining in the Caucasus and Belovezhskaya Pushcha in the 1920s were finally destroyed by poachers. The basis for breeding was only single individuals kept in captivity (in zoos, nurseries, etc.).
Despite the fact that today bison are animals listed in the Red Book of Russia, their population is still very small, and they are still in danger of extinction.
Amur tiger
This is perhaps the largest cat in the world. Her body reaches 3 meters in length. The weight of the animal is about 300 kg. The Amur tiger is particularly resistant to cold, setting up its rookery right in the snow and being there for quite a long time. This animal prefers mainly forests with steep slopes and rocky ledges, from where the surrounding space is clearly visible.
Residents of the Primorsky Territory, where this formidable predator lives, worship him. In their language they call the Amur tiger "amba", which means "large." However, this did not save him from extinction. As far back as the 19th century, like all other animal forests listed in the Red Book of Russia, the Amur tiger was quite numerous in terms of the number of individuals inhabiting the species. But the destruction of the forest, unregulated shooting, poaching led to the fact that by the beginning of the last century these animals remained only in the most remote taiga corners. Then there were no more than 50 individuals.
Today, thanks to conservationists and scientists, the population of the Amur tiger in Russia has increased significantly. Now in our country there are about 450 individuals.
Giant shrew
The number of giant shrew has been steadily declining recently . This representative of the family of shrews is quite large - up to 10 centimeters.
It lives mainly in broad-leaved or mixed forests located in the south of Primorsky Krai. These animals, listed in the Red Book of Russia, prefer forests that are located in river valleys and are not affected by deforestation or fires. The reduction in the population of this species was influenced by the peculiarity of the shrew to bring offspring only once during the entire summer period. Until now, scientists have not been able to establish the sex ratio, as well as the number of cubs in the litter. The main diet of the giant shrew is made up of earthworms, which it can produce even from very dense soil.
Amur Forest Cat
This formidable spotted predator, whose length can reach 1 meter, has special signs: each individual has a unique pattern on the wool, and on the forehead there are light and dark stripes. The animal lives mainly in the south of the Far East and in the Primorsky Territory.
Amur cat reacted by reducing the population to tree felling, forest fires and other human activities. This is one of the main reasons why some species of animals disappear today. Listed in the Red Book of Russia, they get a chance to preserve their population. So, the number of individuals of the Amur cat has recently increased significantly.
Sakhalin musk deer
These are small artiodactyls from the deer family, which today are also endangered. Their population declined sharply at the end of the last century. The number of this species today does not exceed 650 individuals and has a tendency to decrease, therefore, protective measures in their regard are especially important.
These animals, listed in the Red Book of Russia (photos can be found in this article), live mainly in dark coniferous forests located in the mountainous terrain of Sakhalin Island. Instead of horns, males have saber-shaped fangs, the length of which reaches 10 cm. Musk deer has the ability to make two-meter jumps from a place.
Fish owl
The body length of this largest owl in Russia can be up to 70 cm. Moreover, the females are slightly larger in size than the males. The fish eagle owl lives far from the places where people live, preferring to settle in mixed forests located near lakes and rivers rich in fish. In search of prey, he usually sits on a large stone and gazes intently into the water. Having noticed a fish, an eagle owl instantly dives and snatches it out of the water. Crayfish and frogs, which they feel for with their paws at the bottom of the reservoir, also serve as food for these birds. The fish owl is no less than many forest animals listed in the Red Book of Russia in need of protection, because the number of individuals is steadily decreasing.
Far Eastern Leopard
Here is another member of the feline family, which is on the verge of extinction. Its habitat is the southern territory of the Primorsky Territory, where at present no more than 50 individuals have been identified.
The Far Eastern (or Amur) leopard has some features compared to its other relatives. His coat changes significantly depending on the season. If in summer it has a bright color and a maximum length of 2.5 cm, then by winter it reaches 6–7 cm and becomes lighter. Beautiful fur has become one of the reasons for the decline in the population of these animals. Near the forests where Amur leopards live, villages, agricultural land are located, and this creates favorable conditions for poachers. Not only leopards are destroyed for the sake of profit, but also many other forest animals listed in the Red Book of Russia.
The main food for the Amur leopard is deer, the number of which in the wild decreases. It is not uncommon for owners of reindeer husbandry to kill predators who wander into their territory in search of food.
Due to the vigorous human activities carried out in the Far East from 1970 to 1983, the habitat of the Far Eastern leopard decreased by more than 80%. Today, special environmental measures are carried out aimed at protecting the lands suitable for these animals from human influence and increasing the number of individuals of the Amur leopard.
The animal world is changeable. Therefore, lists listing which animals are listed in the Red Book of Russia today may look different after a couple of years. I would like to believe that many species of fauna that are on the verge of extinction will end up on the green pages of this document.