The rich and picturesque nature of the Republic, located between the rivers Vyatka and Kama, helps to preserve the Red Book of Udmurtia. The flora and fauna of this region is represented by more than a thousand species of plants and animals, but among them there are those that are almost on the verge of extinction.
Work on the creation of the Red Book
This document was first approved in 2001. The whole subsequent period, observations were made of representatives of the animal and plant kingdoms listed in the Red Book, and on their basis, changes were periodically made. The number of some species has decreased markedly. However, the list of lichens, which are an indicator of the ecological situation in the region, has almost doubled. Recently, some species of insects have been threatened with extinction, so their list has been replenished: instead of the previous 112, it contains 142 species.
The Red Book of Udmurtia provides administrative penalties in the form of fines for the destruction of legally protected animals and plants. Their size varies from 0.1 (for example, for forest dormouse or brown ushanka) to 50 minimum wages (for black stork, peregrine falcon or golden eagle). The fine is set even for ants and some other small insects.
Protected plants
The list of representatives of the flora of Udmurtia, protected by law, includes vascular plants, lichens and mosses, mushrooms and algae.
Among them there are medicinal plants:
- bearberry, commonly referred to as the bear’s ear;
- elecampane rough (wild sunflower);
- digitalis large-flowered (thistle grass);
- wormwood tarragon, etc.
Many decorative species include the Red Book of Udmurtia. Flowers included in the list of rare and endangered: adonis, aster steppe; relating to perennials: common centaury (annual from the gentian family), forest anemone, May lily of the valley. Wild orchids such as calypso bulbous, venus slippers, leafless chin and many others are also under protection. Clustered ferns, as well as the inhabitant of reservoirs and marshes - sundew are considered rare.
Plants of the Red Book of Udmurtia, which are on the verge of extinction, are some types of trees and shrubs. Dwarf birch is protected by law, hawthorn is blood red, and steppe cherries.
Golden symbol of Udmurtia
That is what they call a leotard - a plant of the buttercup family with a large bright yellow flower resembling a miniature rose. It grows in moist meadows and forests.
This plant was named a swimsuit in honor of the summer god Kupala. The most beautiful flowers appear exactly when the water in the rivers warms to such an extent that you can swim.
The plant is considered poisonous, but attributed to it and healing properties. There is a legend that the swimsuit is sprouted gold coins, which, in desperation, were thrown out by the daughter of a greedy merchant who forbade her to marry a young man from a poor family.
Not only the Red Book of Udmurtia contains a leotard in the list of rare plants, in many other regions this flower is also under protection.
Representatives of the fauna
Many species of animals, including mammals, are considered rare in the Republic. This is a Russian desman related to insectivores, brown ear-flaps, a small and red evening party from the bats squad. In Izhevsk, the only copy left of the mustached nightlight was left.
The Red Book of Udmurtia includes some representatives of the Kunih family. The European mink of columns is protected by law. Wolverine is on the verge of extinction. A few individuals were recorded only in several areas of the Republic (Glazovsky, Yarsky, Balezinsky).
A periodic assessment of the threat of extinction in the territory of Udmurtia of some species of flora and fauna showed the need for additions and clarifications to the Red Book.