Animals of the Astrakhan region: list, description and interesting facts

The Astrakhan region is located in the south of the Russian Federation, at the foot of the Volga River Delta. The warm climate, the abundance of fresh water and fertile soil made this area very attractive for a variety of species of both flora and fauna. This article will discuss animals of the Astrakhan region.

Variety of species

To date, the number of animals in the Astrakhan region includes: about sixty species of mammals (terrestrial and aquatic), about three hundred species of birds, almost twenty species of reptiles, four species of amphibians, about nine hundred species of arachnids and more than four and a half thousand insects.

Among the most significant mammalian species, saigas, red deer, roe deer and elk, and wild boars can be distinguished. Of the order of predators, the most prominent representatives are ordinary foxes, foxes-korsaks and wolves. Gophers live on the territory of the region from rodents.

It is worth noting that in the Volga River you can meet Caspian seals, American minks and otters.

Red Book of the Astrakhan region. Animals

Many animals now living in the region are on the verge of extinction. Here is a short list of animals in the Astrakhan region listed in the Red Book:

1. Elk. This is a large beast of the family deer. It lives in dense forests. Males have large horns in the form of a plow, so moose are often called rhizomes.
2. Roe deer. Another representative of the deer family, however, in contrast to moose, roe deer are quite small. The weight of the males does not exceed 50-60 kg, and the body length is approximately equal to one and a half meters.
3. Badger.
   
   Quite a large representative of the family marten. Badgers eat almost any food: grass, berry, nuts, mushrooms, insects and spiders, frogs and small fish, chicks and bird eggs, small rodents.
4. Reed cat (marsh lynx). One of the few feline species that live in the region. This is a fairly large representative of cats, the weight of males which can reach 12 kg.
5. Muskrat. The closest relative of the desman is the mole. They are also practically blind, but instead of sight they have enhanced sense of smell and touch.
6. River beaver. Unfortunately, beavers today are also among the animals listed in the Red Book, although until recently there were a lot of them in this area.

This is an incomplete list of animals that are on the verge of extinction. Many representatives of the fauna of the region are quite rare and significant for the wildlife of the Caspian region as a whole, therefore it is extremely important to maintain the species diversity of animals in these places.

Dangerous animals of the Astrakhan region

Unlike most of the country, the region has a huge number of spiders, snakes, scorpions and other animals that pose a threat to human health, and sometimes life. Here is some of them:

1. Spiders. Of the spiders, the most threatening to humans are species such as karakurt, South Russian tarantula, phalanx, and erezus. All these types of spiders have a fairly strong poison, so their bites can cause a lot of inconvenience to the victim.
2. Snakes. Among snakes, the greatest danger to humans is the steppe viper, the common muzzle and the lizard snake. The first two of these species have very strong poison, a bite of a viper and a muzzle without timely and proper help can be extremely dangerous, and in rare cases even fatal. The bite of a lizard snake is much weaker, and although there is little pleasant in it, it is not fatal.

In addition to snakes and spiders, there are other rather dangerous species among animals of the Astrakhan region, but they, as a rule, do not pose a great threat to humans or are extremely rare.

Astrakhan reserve

This is one of the first reserves created on the territory of modern Russia. It dates back to 1919.

The area of ​​the Astrakhan reserve is 679 square meters. km, which is quite a lot for the reserve of such a small area.

Almost all species that inhabit the region are found in the reserve. Here you can find cormorants, geese, and pheasants, and among mammals you can find wild boars, ermines, otters, raccoon dogs and many others.

Some representatives of the river and Caspian fauna, such as bream, common carp, catfish, and Russian sturgeon, are also protected .

The species of animals in the reserve are striking in their diversity.

Conclusion

Animals of the Astrakhan region are represented by thousands of species, many of which are not found anywhere else in Russia. Unfortunately, a significant number of species are listed in the Red Book.

The reduction in animal populations is associated with many factors, such as: environmental degradation (environmental pollution, deforestation, pollution of water bodies), human oppression of animals in their natural habitat, etc.

The authorities of the country and the region are actively working to restore and preserve the diversity of animals and plants in the Astrakhan region.