The Red Book of Primorsky Krai is the result of the enormous efforts of a whole team of professionals in love with their work. It is intended for a wide range of readers, from schoolchildren to doctors of science. The book contains information about plants and animals that are on the verge of extinction, have already disappeared, or those whose population is declining from year to year. The purpose of any Red Book is to draw public attention to the problems of nature conservation, to convey in an accessible form information about the need for a lean person to the world around him.
The structure of the Red Book of Primorye
As a rule, all such publications are created according to a specific template. The Red Book of Primorsky Krai is no exception.
“Animals” and “Plants” are its two main sections, each of which contains several more subsections.
To make it clear to the reader, the systematization customary for everyone is taken as the basis of the structure: kingdom - type - class - detachment - family - genus and species. This structure allows the reader to quickly find the desired animal or plant in the book.
Categories
The Red Book of Primorsky Krai contains an assessment of the status of populations. They are divided into several categories that meet both international and all-Russian standards. Categories are presented in the following table.
Red Book
Primorsky Territory | The Red Book of Russia | IUCN system |
0 (RE) | 0 - probably extinct | RE - Probably Extinct in the Region |
1 (CR) | 1 — threatened with extinction | CR - in critical condition (on the verge of extinction) |
2 (EN) | 2 - declining populations | EN - at risk (endangered) |
3 (VU) | 3 - rare | VU - Vulnerable |
3 (NT) | NT - potentially vulnerable |
3 (LC) | LC - Moderate Concern |
4 (DD) | 4 - status not defined | DD - not well understood |
5 | 5 - restored | (is absent) |
Legal status
Like the Red Book of the Russian Federation, regional publications, including the Red Book of Primorsky Krai, have legal status and are state documents. By the way, this does not happen everywhere, in many countries such publications are for informational purposes only.
The inclusion of any species in the Red Book of the Russian Federation and regional publications is a legal recognition of the species as rare, and therefore subject to legal protection. The Red Books not only list the species of wild animals, plants and fungi that are in danger of extinction, but also determine their environmental status, contribute to the organization of monitoring of species and their ranges, help to develop and implement special measures for the protection, restoration of populations and scientifically sound use. Fishing for any species listed in the Red Book is prohibited. The control over this is carried out by the Administration of the Primorsky Territory.
Particular responsibility for compliance with legal norms is assigned to the management and civilian population of regions in which there are unique ecosystems that are of value to humanity as a whole. Among these areas is the Primorsky Territory.
Protected Invertebrates of Primorsky Krai
The Red Book of Primorsky Krai includes 5 types of invertebrates:
- ringworms;
- brachopods;
- bryozoans;
- mollusks;
- arthropods.
The endangered species of annelid worms includes motley aphrodite, heteroptera hattopterus and Dravida Gilyarov. Bryozoans are represented by one species - a swollen schizorepetor. Adams Koptirus is a representative of the brachopod squad, which is under state protection.
The book includes about 40 species of mollusks, among which are representatives of armored, bivalve and gastropods.
Rare arthropods are quite numerous. From the family of crustaceans, the Praying Mantis, the craboid Deryugin and the Japanese crab (in the photo below) were included in the Book.
A sad list complements nearly 60 species of insects. Among them are beetles, ground beetles, barbel, mantis and others.
The underwater world in the Red Book
The administration of the Primorsky Territory monitors not only the uncontrolled catch of crabs, and fishing also comes under severe sanctions. The law criminalizes poaching and punishment in the form of large fines, confiscation of property and public works.
The Red Book of Primorye includes many rare species of marine, lake and ocean fish. Of particular concern is the Sakhalin sturgeon.
It is considered a delicacy, and therefore is of considerable interest to poachers. The species belongs to the first category, which indicates a real threat of complete extinction. Authorities protect not only the reservoirs in which adult fish live, but also spawning grounds. Work is being done with the population. Fishermen are urged to let the sturgeon back into the sea if it accidentally hits the net.
In addition to it, the list includes more than 30 species of bone fish.
Rare birds
Many species of loons, ibises, herons, grebes, petrels, owls, drink today are under state protection. The fauna of Primorye is unique and diverse, but often its representatives become victims of civilization. Birds with high-quality and suitable for commercial use fluff have always been at risk. Today, hunting for them is strictly regulated by law.
For example, the white-backed albatross belongs to the first category not only the Red Book of Primorsky Krai. These birds are also common in Japan and other Asian countries, and everywhere they are threatened with extinction. Their number was critically reduced as far back as the last century due to feather hunters. The volcanic eruption on Fr. Torishima (Japan). In 1958, it was declared a national park and today it is called Bird Island. Among other birds, albatrosses nest on it.
Amphibians and reptiles of Primorye included in the Red Book
The tuberous frog today is classified as category 0. This suggests that the species is considered completely extinct. Information about the finding in the territory of the Russian Federation of this amphibian has not been reported for many years. But there is reliable information that frogs survived in some countries in Asia. There, their position is also unenviable, they are assigned to group I.
Ussuriys newts - the second species that describes the Red Book of Primorsky Krai. These amphibians also belong to the first category.
Four species of reptiles also fell into the regional Red Book: Far Eastern tortoise, striped snake, thin-tailed snout, red-snout snout. The latter belongs to group 0, it was found in Russia only once, at the end of the 19th century.
Endangered Mammals
The Red Book of Primorsky Krai describes many mammals, from small shrews to giant whales. Most species are categorized as III. But among them there are also representatives of category IV - poorly studied species, information about which is very little. Such species include, for example, porpoise.
Under the special protection of the state there are several large felines: the Amur tiger, forest cat, leopard. They belong to the first category. Poachers, even despite all the preventive measures taken by the state, are attracted by their valuable fur, which is in great demand on the black market.
Greenland and Japanese whales, several species of killer whales and dolphins for a long time were caught uncontrollably. Today their catch is prohibited. However, often representatives of endangered species accidentally find themselves in the networks of trawl vessels.
In total, the first volume of the Seaside Red Book includes 35 species of mammals.
Flora of Primorye
And what representatives of the flora does the Red Book of Primorsky Krai include? Plants is the second volume of the publication. It describes species protected by the state, in total:
- 29 plant species (including algae and mosses);
- 66 species of lichens;
- 58 types of mushrooms.
Gymnosperms and shrubs with valuable wood (juniper, larch, densely flowered pine, yew), as well as plants whose fruits and seeds are edible, are most at risk.
Human activities, deforestation and drainage of swamps entail the death of lichens, mosses and mushrooms in vast territories.
Nature Conservation Activities of Primorsky Krai
The authorities' efforts to protect rare species are primarily aimed at further research. Many species are poorly understood, scientists need to collect additional information, on the basis of which it is possible to organize nature reserves and reserves of the Primorsky Territory.
Law enforcement agencies monitor poaching, stopping illegal hunting and fishing, gathering fruit, and cutting down forests.
Over the years of the existence of the Red Book of Primorye, significant successes have been achieved, reflected in the conservation and increase in the number of populations of certain species. But at the same time, many plants and animals are still at risk. They can be saved and restored in numbers only with a reasonable and careful attitude to nature on the part of the authorities and the population. Everyone can make a feasible contribution to this noble cause: transferring funds for environmental funds, refusing interior items, clothes and products for which rare plants and animals die.