The most unusual plant and animal of Eurasia. Rare and endangered animals of the European continent - the fauna of Eurasia. The most amazing animals

Our planet is home to several million species of living beings. We could see some in the zoo, some in TV shows. But there are also such amazing animals that the chance of meeting them in a zoo or seeing on a TV screen is extremely small. These most amazing animals, as a rule, live in places where humans rarely set foot. But we have a unique opportunity to get to know these incredible representatives of the fauna better.

“It looks like the east may have been a refuge,” agrees Stewart. When the Ice Age ended, the Altaians left the mountains and spread everywhere. Recent genetic evidence suggests that the first Americans can trace their ancestry back to the Altai-Sayan Mountains.

This article appeared in print under the headline "Ice Age Mountains." We also provide literature to researchers from our bird research library, which helps the world's scientists collect and share important information about the conservation of the predator. Eurasian eagle-owls are found throughout Europe, Asia and parts of North Africa. They live in a variety of wooded habitats. They are more common in areas with rocky outcrops and cliffs, but they also live in open places habitats where there are few trees and rocky areas such as taiga, farmland, steppe, semi-arid areas and grasslands.

- Found in central Argentina. Adults reach 11 - 12 cm in length.


- primate, native to tropical forests Madagascar.


Eurasian eagle-owls appear to do well in most habitat types as long as there are accessible nesting sites and sufficient prey. These large, beautiful owls have even been documented in city parks. An owl appeared at the Olympic Stadium in Helsinki in Finland. This would-be fan spent his time dangling from a goal post, causing the game to be delayed for several minutes!

With their bright orange eyes, mottled feathers and ear tufts, Eurasian eagle-owls are visually striking animals. Their large, powerful legs and strong flight make them powerful hunters. Like many raptors, these owls are top predators - they hunt other animals for food, but the animals do not regularly hunt them. They, unlike snakes, for example, which hunt mice, birds and other animals, but also hunt animals that feed on them. For most top predators, their only threat is humans.

- lives in South America. Reaches 87 cm at the withers.


- lives in southern China.


Grimpoteuthys- octopuses that live on ocean depths up to 7000 m.


Top predators such as the Eurasian eagle owl play an important role in nature, helping to control populations of prey animals and maintain balance in the ecosystems where they live. Eurasian eagle-owls are primarily nocturnal or active at night. They spend their days relaxing or relaxing in the safety of the perch. If they spend too much time on the ground, even these top predators can fall prey to opportunistic ground predators such as foxes.

It is believed that these owls can live about 20 years in the wild. People hunted and poisoned them, and as you can imagine, they had a hard time surviving. Fortunately, local authorities have begun to increase their protection of these owls, and some reintroduction programs have taken place. Electricity and collisions with cars continue to be a problem for this unusual predator.


Patagonian Mara- a rodent native to South America


Naked mole rat- a rodent common in the deserts of Kenya, Somalia and Ethiopia.


Eurasian eagle-owls are not picky eaters. They primarily eat small mammals such as voles, rats and rabbits, but also prey on woodpeckers, herons and other birds, including other raptors. They also prey on amphibians, reptiles, fish and insects.

Eurasian eagle owls typically hunt at night from perches or fly low to the ground or treetops. They are silent hunters who use their keen vision and hearing to find and capture prey. Like other owls and some other raptors, Eurasian eagle owls are equipped with a facial disc, a group of feathers around the head that helps direct sound to the ears. To understand how it works, put your hands behind your ears and listen - the sounds will be louder and clearer. Owls can raise these feathers slightly when they hunt, allowing them to hear the rustle of a mouse in the grass, the fluttering of feathers at night, or the slithering of a snake in a tree branch.

Irrawaddy dolphin- lives in the coastal waters of the Indian Ocean



Giraffe gazelle (Gerenuk)- An antelope native to Africa.

These sounds give space to hunting animals, making it easier for these owls to swoop in to catch food. Eurasian Eagle-Owls can be found nesting on ledges, in cave entrances and in rock cracks on the rocks. They also sometimes use abandoned nests of other large birds such as crows or eagles, and some even nest on the ground. After the female lays eggs, she spends most time, incubating them to ensure that the young develop well inside the eggs and hatch into healthy chicks.

Meanwhile, the male is responsible for finding food and bringing it to the nest. It will continue this important role after the chicks hatch. When they first emerge from their eggs, the young birds are small, white, fluffy balls down with dark beaks. They open their bright eyes for the first time a few days after hatching. Eagle owl chicks grow quickly, which means parents must work hard to keep them fed and well fed. Just seven weeks or less after hatching, the young have reached almost adult size and are ready to fly.


— aquatic mammal, living in the coastal waters of the Pacific and Indian Oceans.


is a pig native to the Indonesian island of Sulawesi.

They first take short practice flights as they build strength, agility and confidence. They remain in the parent's territory for another 3-4 months before leaving the home and seeking a territory of their own. When these young Eurasian eagles reach 2-3 years of age, they will be able to find a mate, a nest, and produce their own young.

Especially in Anglo-Saxon culture, reindeer are inseparable from Christmas. They pull Santa's sleigh, which starts on Christmas Eve from the North Pole. But what else do you know about this deer from the far north? We have collected some facts. Deer are a circumpolar species, meaning they live in the tundra and taiga of northern Eurasia. North America, as well as on Greenland and other Arctic islands. European representatives are called reindeer; in North America they are called caribou. The seeds use fur, tendons, meat and milk - they contain 20 percent fat - from animals. Caribou were never domesticated, but indigenous peoples followed the herds for centuries as they provided what they needed to survive. They need it to protect barren feeding grounds during winter pregnancy against other females and to ensure they have enough food for themselves and their calves. For example, male deer shed their antlers in the fall or early winter, females only in the spring or, in some subpopulations, even in the summer. American Santa's reindeer, which are never shown without antlers, are therefore female. Even otherwise, deer are well adapted to their habitat: the hooves are very wide and can be spread wide to prevent the animals from drowning in the snow. Well-trained anal claws and sharp edges provide additional support. In the summer the bales soften so that reindeer does not slip on swampy areas. The deer nose has a significantly increased surface area in the nostrils, which warms the inhaled air before entering the lungs. Rudolphin's red nose belongs rather to the realm of legends and legends. In the summer when it's bright on far north and has a lot of light, their eyes are golden, in the dark winter they are dark blue. This is because light reflects differently and gives animals an advantage when it comes to spotting enemies faster. Some scientists believe that the sounds of the herd help to stay in a snowstorm, fog or darkness. African elan antelopes provide another clue: they form similar kneeling cliques that serve to establish a hierarchical structure in a social association. Dominant, heavier animals click louder. Deer feed mainly on lichens, which they chew with their sharp snow hooves, but occasionally use grasses and other plants. But their favorite food is deer lichen, for which adult animals require about two kilograms per day.

  • Deer speak only as domesticated animals.
  • In Russia and Lapland, reindeer live in semi-domesticated herds.
  • Deer are the only species of deer in which the females wear antlers.
  • The famous Rudolph with the red nose would probably be more of a Rudolphin.
  • She can hardly stop - deer can swim for several kilometers.
  • They rely on their fur to keep them from freezing or drowning.
  • Air deposits provide good insulation and provide buoyancy.
  • Deer change eye color.
  • When deer walk, they create the typical clicking sounds.
  • They come from tendons that extend over bony protrusions in the leg.
  • What clicks do is not very clear.
Do you remember when we communicate with you?


is a predatory mammal that lives on the island of Madagascar.


is a mole found in North America.


So, on this occasion, we have brought you images and descriptions of some of the rarest and most unusual animals that exist today. Some of them are strange due to their sad presence, as their species is seriously endangered. Others in their appearance or in their special skills, but they are all very special in this long road that is evolution. Do you want to know them?

He is known as the "Michael Jackson" monkey. There is a risk of serious extinction as only one hundred specimens of this species exist. You will find this strange animal in Myanmar. Do you want to meet him? It's fascinating and very strange because it's the largest race of its kind. The scientific name of this beautiful animal is macrocelid. Currently, you can find elephant shrews in Morocco, Libya, Congo and Sudan.

- a mammal native to Indonesia.

Zebra duiker- an artiodactyl native to West Africa. Height at withers up to 50 cm.


Kiwa hirsuta- a crustacean that lives at a depth of over 2000 meters in Pacific Ocean.


This animal is one of the rarest species in the world due to its unusual appearance and because it is seriously endangered. You will find it on the island of Sumatra, India, Burma, the Himalayas, Bhutan, Indochina, China, Malacca or Borneo.

Water bear in wet moss

This beautiful and strange animal lives only in Syria, Morocco and Turkey, with fewer and fewer wild specimens. If you want to see these picturesque birds, you can find them in the Souss-Massa National Park, where they "roam effortlessly across the plains". This small animal is one of the strongest and most resilient that exists from an evolutionary point of view. It can be found in many different climates, from desert to tropical jungle, all of these optimal places for this animal. They can even live for several days without oxygen!

- lives in the mountains of Indonesia and Papua.



How a bird of paradise opens its feathers:


- one of nature's worst jokes. deep sea sea ​​fish, living off the coast of Australia and Tasmania.



- reach a length of more than two meters, weight - about 50 kg. They live in fresh water bodies of India, Thailand, China, Indonesia, Philippines, Vietnam, Cambodia, Malaysia.


- lives in Egypt and Libya


- lives in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of Japan. The body size reaches 45 cm, and the paw span is up to 3 m.


- a species of fish that lives off the coast of the Galapagos Islands.


Goblin shark (goblin shark)- a deep-sea shark found in the Pacific and Atlantic oceans.


Harbour porpoise- lives on the ocean floor, moves with the help of appendages resembling legs.






Moloch- a lizard named after a pagan god, common in the central and western regions of Australia.

Narwhal- a cetacean mammal that lives in the waters of the Arctic Ocean and North Atlantic. They have impressive sizes up to 4.5 m long. A distinctive feature of males is a huge tusk, up to 3 m in length and weighing up to 10 kg, which develops from the left upper tooth.



Okapi- artiodactyls living in the Congo.


Shoebill (king heron)- a large bird with a wingspan of up to 2.3 m. It lives in eastern Africa.


- lives in India and was discovered only in 2003. They have a length of 5-9 cm.


Blue Parrotfish lives in the waters of the Pacific and Indian oceans, most often in the zone of coral reefs.



African tree viper — Poisonous snakes, common in tropical Africa.

Saiga antelope- antelopes living in the steppes and semi-steppes of Eurasia. Currently, their population is on the verge of extinction.


Giant isopod- a crustacean whose size can reach 50 cm or more in length and lives at great sea and ocean depths.

Paku- a fish, surprising in that its teeth have a great resemblance to human teeth. Lives in rivers and reservoirs of South America.

- the insect was first discovered in 2009 in the southeast of Venezuela, in the territory National Park Canaima.


- crustacean, up to 20 cm in size, distributed in tropical and subtropical seas.


- a gastropod mollusk that lives in the seas near the tropical zone.




- a butterfly with a wingspan of up to 50 mm, which resembles a hummingbird in that it feeds on the nectar of hanging flowers. It is found in warm climate regions in many countries.


- the second name is “bristle hedgehog”. A mammal up to 20 cm in size, living mainly on the island of Madagascar, as well as in East and Central Africa.


- a beetle with a spine on its back, which serves to cut plants or their fruits, the juice of which it feeds on.

- first discovered in Brazil in 2011. Belongs to the class “amphibians”.



Panda ant (Euspinolia militaris)- is actually a wingless wasp native to Latin America.


There are fewer and fewer places in the world where animals can live without being influenced by humans. The European continent is no exception. Many troubles occur due to human activity. For several centuries now, due to human activity, the number of forests has been declining, and with them the animals living there. Pollution zones are spreading more and more - another evil that is the result of human activity. Due to environmental pollution, air, water and soil deteriorate, and plants wither and die. Animals forced to change habitats do not have much choice. Humans pose a particular threat to animals. Both hunting and fishing have already become the reasons for the disappearance of many species of animals from the face of the Earth. Elephants, who were hunted for their tusks, and tigers, who had beautiful skin that attracted hunters, suffered the most. Whales were killed for their meat and fat until an international decision was made in 1986 to stop hunting them. Many animal species are on the verge of extinction. Direct destruction of valuable species of plants and animals (hunting, poaching, illegal trade), and most importantly, changes in their habitats as a result of anthropogenic impact, have led to the fact that many species of Eurasian fauna are in danger of extinction. These are 471 species of mammals, 389 species of birds, 276 species of fish, 85 species of reptiles and 33 species of amphibians. About two-thirds of all Asian wildlife habitats have been destroyed. In China, one of 12 "megabiodiverse" countries in the world, 15-20% of species are threatened with extinction. Of the seven endemic mammal species of West Asia, four (Arabian leopard, striped hyena, Arabian tahr and Arabian wolf) are critically endangered. There is little improvement in the loss of species and their habitats in Western Europe.

Below we will consider rare animals of Eurasia, as well as animals that are in danger.

Tour (lat. Bos primigenius) is an artiodactyl animal of the genus of true bulls of the subfamily of bulls of the bovid family, a primitive wild bull, the progenitor of modern cattle (Figure 5). The closest relatives are Watussi and gray Ukrainian cattle. Lived from the second half of the Anthropocene in the forest-steppes and steppes of the Eastern Hemisphere. Now considered extinct as a result economic activity humans and intensive hunting. The last individual was not killed in a hunt, but died in 1627 in the forests near Jaktorov - believed to be due to a disease that affected a small, genetically weak and isolated population of the last animals of this genus. It was a powerful beast with a muscular, slender body, about 170-180 cm high at the withers and weighing up to 800 kg.

Figure 5 - Tour

In historical times, the tour was found throughout almost all of Europe, as well as in North Africa, Asia Minor and the Caucasus. In Africa, this animal was exterminated in the third millennium BC. e., in Mesopotamia - around 600 BC. e. In Central Europe, tours survived much longer. Their disappearance here coincided with intensive deforestation in the 9th-11th centuries. In the 12th century, aurochs were still found in the Dnieper basin. At that time they were actively exterminated. Records of the difficult and dangerous hunt for wild bulls were left by Vladimir Monomakh. By 1400, aurochs lived only in the relatively sparsely populated and inaccessible forests of Poland and Lithuania. Here they were taken under the protection of the law and lived as park animals on royal lands. In 1599, a small herd of aurochs - 24 individuals - still lived in the royal forest 50 km from Warsaw. By 1602, only 4 animals remained in this herd, and in 1627 the last aurochs on Earth died. However, the disappeared aurochs left a good memory of itself: it was these bulls that in ancient times became the ancestors of various breeds of cattle. Currently, there are still enthusiasts who hope to revive the aurochs, using, in particular, Spanish bulls, which more than others have preserved the features of their wild ancestors. The tour is depicted in national coat of arms Republic of Moldova, as well as on the coat of arms of the city of Turka in the Lviv region of Ukraine.

The Siberian Crane, or white crane (lat. Grus leucogeranus) is a species of crane endemic to the northern territories of Russia (Figure 6). For a long time, the biology of this bird was practically unstudied, and only relatively recently, with the founding of the International Crane Conservation Fund in 1973, ornithologists paid close attention to this bird.

Siberian cranes are endangered and are included in the international Red Book lists of the World Conservation Union and the Convention on international trade SITES, as well as the Red Book of Russia. The current population of the species (in the wild) is estimated at approximately 2900-3000 individuals. Large bird: height about 140 cm, wingspan 210-230 cm, weight 5-8.6 kg. There are no feathers in the front of the head around the eyes and beak; the skin in this place in adult birds is painted bright red. The cornea of ​​the eyes is reddish or pale yellow. The beak is long (the longest among all cranes), red, and saw-toothed at the end. The plumage of most of the body is white, with the exception of black primary flight feathers on the wings. The legs are long, reddish-pink.

Figure 6 - Siberian Crane

The Siberian Crane nests exclusively in Russia. Two populations of this bird isolated from each other were noted: the western one in the Arkhangelsk region, the Komi Republic and the Yamalo-Nenets Autonomous Okrug, and eastern in the north of Yakutia. The first population, conventionally called "Ob", is limited in the west by the mouth of the Mezen River south of the peninsula Kanin, in the east of the floodplain of the Kunovat River and downstream Ob in the Yamalo-Nenets Okrug. Among all the cranes, the Siberian Crane is the most demanding in terms of living conditions, which makes the conservation of this species a difficult task. The number of all Siberian Cranes in the wild in the world is only 2900-3000 individuals, which puts them in third place among all crane species. At the same time, their population is gradually declining, which puts them on the brink of complete extinction. Birds are extremely demanding of a certain habitat and are considered the most adapted species to life in water. In order to preserve the Yakut population of the Siberian Crane in China, a national reserve was created in the area of ​​Lake Poyang. In Russia, the Kunovatsky federal reserve was established on the territory of the Yamalo-Nenets Okrug and the Belozersky reserve in the Tyumen region. The Siberian Crane is listed in the International Red Book, Red Book Russian Federation and the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora.

Amur tiger (Ussuri or Far Eastern, lat. Panthera tigris altaica) - one of the smallest subspecies of tiger, the northernmost tiger (Figure 7). Listed in the Red Book.

The tiger's habitat is concentrated in a protected zone in southeast Russia, along the banks of the Amur and Ussuri rivers in the Khabarovsk and Primorsky Territories. In total, in Russia in 1996 there were about 415-476 individuals. About 10% (40-50 individuals) of the Amur tiger population lives in China (Manchuria). Amur tigers are most common in the foothills of the Sikhote-Alin in the Lazovsky district of Primorsky Krai, where every sixth wild Amur tiger lives in a relatively small area (2003). It is planned to resettle Amur tigers on the territory of the Pleistocene Park in Yakutia.

In the languages ​​of the peoples of the Amur region, instead of its direct definition, the tiger is “Taskhu” ( tiger) is often called "Amba" ( big), so as not to cause trouble.

As of February 20, 2007, more than 450 individuals were kept in zoos around the world (844 individuals as of January 1, 1979).

Figure 7 - Amur tiger

According to modern data, the Amur tiger is one of the largest subspecies; its fur is thicker than that of tigers living in warm areas, and its color is lighter. The main coat color in winter is yellow, the belly is white. This is the only tiger that has a five-centimeter layer of fat on its belly, protecting it from freezing winds at extremely low temperatures. The body is elongated, flexible, the head is round, the legs are short, and the tail is long. The ears are very short, as it lives in cold areas. The Amur tiger distinguishes colors. At night he sees five times better than a human.

The Amur tiger is the ruler of vast territories, the area of ​​which for the female is 300-500 km². If there is enough food within its territory, the tiger does not leave its territory.

The Amur tiger is listed in the Red Book of Russia. In April 2007, experts from the World Wide Fund wildlife(WWF) announced that the Siberian tiger population has reached a century high and that the tiger is no longer on the brink of extinction.

In 2008-2009, a comprehensive expedition of employees of the Institute of Ecological Ecology of the Russian Academy of Sciences took place within the framework of the Amur Tiger Program on the territory of the Ussuri Nature Reserve of the Far Eastern Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences in the Primorsky Territory of the Russian Far East. It was possible to find out that six individuals of Amur tigers live in this territory. Using satellite collars, scientists track their routes, and for the first tagged female tiger, they were able to obtain 1,222 locations over the course of a year. According to published studies, the animal uses an area of ​​almost 900 km² - despite the fact that the area of ​​the reserve is only 400 km². This means that tigers go far beyond the protected zone, being exposed to increased danger. These data, according to the publication, give reason to talk about the need to create a protective zone of the reserve and regulate human activities outside its borders.

Far Eastern leopard or Amur leopard(lat. Panthera pardus orientalis or Panthera pardus amurensis) is a predatory mammal from the cat family, one of the subspecies of leopard (Figure 8). The body length is 107-136 cm. The weight of females is up to 50 kg, males - up to 70 kg. Distributed in the mountain taiga forests of the Far East, near the border of three countries - Russia, China and North Korea.

Figure 8 - Far Eastern leopard

Currently, the Far Eastern leopard is on the verge of extinction. This is the rarest of the subspecies: no more than 30-35 individuals have survived in nature. Specimens kept in zoos and nurseries are closely related and their offspring degenerate. In the 20th century, the species was included in the IUCN Red Book, the Red Book of Russia, as well as in a number of other protection documents. Leopard hunting has been prohibited in the USSR and Russia since 1956. According to a study conducted in 2000-2008, the population has stabilized, although at a very low level. Genetic analysis allowed us to individually identify 18 males and 19 females. The Far Eastern leopard is listed in Appendix I of CITES (Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora), the Russian Red Book and the International Red Book. In China, killing an Amur leopard carries the death penalty. By Decree of the Government of the Russian Federation (04.2012) it was created in Primorye national park"Land of the Leopard" This national park with an area of ​​262 thousand hectares covers 60% of the entire habitat of the Far Eastern leopard. The main problem of leopard conservation is habitat destruction and poaching. The main factor is the lack of food supply - everywhere between the villages there are large tracts of land used for agricultural work; territories not directly involved in agricultural production are subject to greater or lesser degree of human influence (regular burning, uncontrolled hunting). The number of ungulates, the leopard's main prey, is extremely low everywhere. During 2002-2003, inspectors of anti-poaching teams confiscated 7 leopard skins.

Imrbis, or snow leopard, or snow leopard (lat. Uncia uncia, according to another classification - lat. Panthera uncia) is a large predatory mammal from the cat family that lives in mountain ranges Central Asia (Figure 9).

Figure 9 - Snow leopard

The snow leopard is distinguished by a thin, long, flexible body, relatively short legs, a small head and a very long tail. Currently, the number of snow leopards is catastrophically small; in the 20th century, it was included in the IUCN Red Book, the Red Book of Russia, as well as in the protection documents of other countries. As of 2010, hunting snow leopards is prohibited. The snow leopard is an exclusively Asian species. The snow leopard's range in central and southern Asia covers approximately 1,230,000 km² of mountainous regions and extends through the following countries: Afghanistan, Myanmar, Bhutan, China, India, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Mongolia, Nepal, Pakistan, Russia, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan. The geographical distribution extends from the Hindu Kush in eastern Afghanistan and the Syr Darya through the Pamir, Tien Shan, Karakoram, Kashmir, Kunlun, and Himalaya mountains, to Southern Siberia, where the range covers the Altai, Sayan, and Tannu-Ola mountains. In Mongolia, it was found in the Mongolian Altai and Gobi Altai and in the Khangai Mountains. In Tibet it is found as far as Altun Shan in the north.

Currently, the number of snow leopards is catastrophically low. Illegal but financially lucrative hunting for snow leopard fur has significantly reduced its population. In all countries where the range is located, the snow leopard is under state protection, but poaching still threatens it. The snow leopard is a rare, small and endangered species. Listed on the IUCN Red List (2000) as “endangered” (highest conservation category EN C2A). In the Red Book of Mongolia (1997) the species was assigned the status of “very rare”, in the Red Book of the Russian Federation (2001) - “endangered species at the limit of its range” (category 1). The snow leopard is also listed in Appendix I of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Fauna and Flora (CITES). It is worth noting, however, that all these environmental acts and documents create only a legal framework, which is poorly implemented locally, as evidenced by the increasing level of poaching and smuggling. At the same time, there are no programs aimed at long-term conservation of the snow leopard. In the Red Book of the USSR, published in 1984, the snow leopard was given the status of " rare view with a relatively small range" (category 3). In the Red Book of the RSFSR, 1983 edition and the Red Book of the Russian Federation, published in 2001, the snow leopard is assigned the status of "endangered species at the limit of its range" (category 1).

On July 22, 2002, at a meeting of the working group with the participation of representatives of the Ministry natural resources Russian Federation, representatives of environmental authorities of the republics Mountain Altai, Khakassia, Tyva, and Krasnoyarsk Territory, Institute of Problems of Ecology and Evolution named after. A. N. Severtsov RAS, the Commission on Large Carnivorous Mammals of the Theriological Society of the Russian Academy of Sciences, the Russian Representative Office of the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) adopted and approved the “Strategy for the conservation of the snow leopard (irbis) in Russia.”

Bison, or European bison (lat. Bison bonasus) - a type of bull from the bison genus (Figure 10).

Figure 10 - European bison

The original range of the bison extended from the Iberian Peninsula to Western Siberia and also included England and southern Scandinavia. In this large range, bison inhabited not only forests, but also open areas. It was only because of intense human hunting that the bison became an animal found only in dense forests. Even in the Middle Ages, people highly valued bison and protected them from poachers, but over the years the population has steadily declined. Soon the bison could only be found in Belovezhskaya Pushcha and in the Caucasus. The first disaster was a disaster for bison. World War and years of devastation. The last free-living bison was killed by poachers in Poland in 1921, and the last three bison in the Caucasus were killed in 1926 in the vicinity of Mount Alous. Only 66 animals are preserved in zoos and private holdings around the world. On the initiative of the Polish zoologist Jan Stolzman, the International Society for the Conservation of the Bison was created in Frankfurt am Main in 1923. Today, bison populations evicted from zoos to nature under special programs live in Poland, Belarus, Lithuania, Moldova, Ukraine and the Caucasus in the Caucasian, Teberdinsky and North Ossetian reserves, and the Tseysky reserve. On the territory of the Spassky district of the Ryazan region there is the Oka Biosphere State Reserve with a bison nursery (the nursery has been operating since 1959). Bison were also brought to Vologda region. Currently, the number of this rare species of Red Book animals in the region numbers 40 individuals. In 2011, it is planned to import 13 more animals, and by the end of the target program, the number of bison should be about 90 individuals. From 1996 to the present, 65 bison have been brought into the Oryol Polesie National Park. Today, three groups of bison have been created with a total number of more than 120 animals. Currently, bison have also been introduced into the Polesie State Radiation-Ecological Reserve (Republic of Belarus).

The first bison nursery, which appeared in Russia in 1948, is located in the Serpukhov district of the Moscow region in the Prioksko-Terrasny reserve.

In 2011, bison were brought to the Pleistocene Park (Yakutia) from the Prioksko-Terrasny Nature Reserve.

Vymkhukhol, or Russian muskrat (lat. Desmana moschata) - a mammal of the mole family of the order Soricomorpha (Figure 11).

Figure 11 - Muskrat

The desman is a relict species, endemic in Russia. In prehistoric times it was found in Europe until British Isles. Its modern natural range is fragmented and is mainly limited to the basins of the Dnieper, Volga, Don and Ural. It is also found in Kazakhstan; in Ukraine, Lithuania and Belarus occasionally.

In the Dnieper basin (in the European part of Russia), the muskrat is found along the rivers Iput, Vyazma, Oster, Seim, Svapa in the Smolensk, Bryansk and Kursk regions. The habitat of the muskrat is small, since there are few bodies of water favorable for it. Natural factors that negatively affect its numbers include long-term winter floods and high water levels. When water rises in winter, muskrat burrows are flooded and they drown. During the dry summer, floodplain reservoirs become shallow and dry up, and muskrats have to look for a new place to live. On land, muskrats are practically defenseless due to their poor eyesight and slowness, although predators rarely eat them due to their strong musky odor. They are sometimes attacked by stoats, ferrets, otters, foxes, stray dogs and cats; among birds - marsh harrier, black kite, osprey, golden eagle, great spotted eagle, eagle owl, gray owl, even hooded crow and magpie. Underwater they are hunted by pike and large catfish. Wild boars tearing up the ground and even grazing livestock also harm muskrats. But the greatest pressure on them comes from introduced species - American mink and muskrat; the latter actively displaces the muskrat, occupying its burrows. However, the main reduction in the range and number of muskrats occurs due to anthropogenic factors: net fishing, economic transformation of floodplains (drainage, water withdrawal for irrigation, deforestation), livestock grazing, and pollution of water bodies. The desman is a rare endemic species, listed in the Red Book of Russia with category 2: a rare relict species declining in number. The following factors have led to such a deplorable situation for the muskrat in Russia: deforestation of floodplain forests, pollution of water bodies where animals live, drainage of floodplain lands, which worsens conditions for food production and protection, construction of dams and dikes, as well as development on the banks of reservoirs, creation of reservoirs , grazing near water bodies. Currently, the muskrat can be preserved thanks to methods and non-traditional organizational forms. Namely, the creation of specialized hunting farms, the main principle of which is the rational use and protection of these animals.

David's deer, or milu (lat. Elaphurus davidianus) is a rare species of deer, currently known only in captivity, where it slowly breeds in various zoos around the world and was introduced into a nature reserve in China (Figure 12).

Figure 12 - David's Deer

Zoologists suggest that this species originally lived in marshy places northeast China.

In Europe, these deer first appeared in the mid-19th century thanks to the French priest, missionary and naturalist Armand David, who traveled to China and saw these deer in a closed and carefully guarded garden near Chinese Emperor. By then, deer had already become extinct in the wild, believed to be the result of uncontrolled hunting during the Ming Dynasty. In 1869, the emperor donated several individuals of these deer to France, Germany and Great Britain. By that time, two events had occurred in China itself, as a result of which the remaining imperial deer completely died. In 1895, there was a flood as a result of the flood of the Yellow River, and the frightened animals escaped through the resulting gap in the wall and then either drowned in the river or were destroyed by people. The remaining animals died during the Boxer Rebellion in 1900. Further reproduction of David's deer comes from the 16 individuals remaining in the UK, which were gradually bred in different zoos around the world, including, starting in 1964, in the zoos of Moscow and St. Petersburg. By the 1930s, the population of the species was about 180 individuals, and currently there are several hundred animals. In November 1985, a group of animals was introduced into the Dafeng Milu Nature Reserve. Dafeng Milu Reserve) near Beijing, where they supposedly once lived.

Red panda (lat. Ailurus fulgens) - a mammal from the panda family of the carnivorous order, which, however, feeds mainly on vegetation; slightly larger than a cat (Figure 13). Although the red panda's range occupies a very large area and it has few natural enemies, this species is included in the International Red List with the status of "Endangered". The species was classified as endangered, as only 2,500 individuals remained (according to other sources, about 10,000). The fact is that the density of animals in nature is very low, and, in addition, the habitats of the red panda can easily be destroyed.

Figure 13 - Red panda

The main danger is the constant deforestation in these regions, as well as poaching and hunting of the red panda in India and southwest China because of its beautiful fur (from which hats are made). Over the past 50 years, the red panda population in the area Himalayan mountains decreased by 40%. Fortunately, the red panda breeds well in captivity. Currently, about 350 of these animals are kept in 85 zoos around the world, and the same number have been born in captivity over the past two decades. However, the number of red panda cubs in one litter is usually no more than two individuals, and they are born only once a year. Therefore, the population of small pandas is still under threat, and in their natural habitat their mortality rate is very high. A red panda runs around a fence at the National Zoological Park (Washington, DC). These cute animals are easily tamed and delight zoo visitors with their charming appearance. Also, in some regions of India and Nepal, red pandas are kept as pets, which is completely unacceptable for this animal. It is very difficult to keep them even in zoos, and at home it is simply impossible: the red panda needs too specific a diet. And if fed improperly, these animals quickly die from intestinal diseases.

Giant panda, or bamboo bear (lat. Ailuropoda melanoleuca) is a mammal of the bear family with a peculiar black and white coat color, which has some characteristics of raccoons (Figure 14). The only one modern look sort of Ailuropus subfamilies Ailuropodinae. Giant pandas live in the mountainous regions of central China: Sichuan and Tibet. Since the second half of the 20th century, the panda has become something of a national emblem of China.

Figure 14 - Giant panda

The Chinese name means "bear-cat". Its Western name comes from the red panda. Previously it was also called the spotted bear ( Ailuropus melanoleucus). The giant panda is an endangered species, characterized by an ever-decreasing population size and low birth rate, both in the wild and in captivity. Scientists estimate that there are about 1,600 individuals left in the wild. The giant panda is the symbol of the World Wildlife Fund (WWF).

The giant panda first became known in the West in 1869 thanks to the French missionary Armand David (1826-1900). Giant pandas soon became a crowd favorite due to their resemblance to teddy bears. Also contributing to the created innocent appearance of a living soft toy was the fact that pandas are practically vegetarians and eat mainly bamboo. The human and panda genomes are 68% identical. Leasing giant pandas to zoos in the United States and Japan was an important part of Chinese diplomacy in the 1970s, one of the first manifestations of cultural exchange between China and the West. However, the first case of a panda being given for diplomatic purposes dates back to the Tang Dynasty, when Empress Wu Zetian gave a pair of pandas to the Japanese monarch. However, starting in 1984, pandas were no longer given as gifts for diplomatic purposes. Instead, China is offering pandas to other countries on a 10-year lease. Standard rental terms include rent 1 million US dollars per year and providing guarantees that all cubs born during the rental period are the property of the PRC. In May 2005, the Chinese government offered to donate a pair of pandas to the Taiwanese authorities, which were later named Tuan-Tuan and Yuan-Yuan (together they make up the word meaning “reunion”). However, Taiwanese President Chen Shui-bian refused to accept the gift, and the pandas arrived on the island only after the Kuomintang returned to power in 2008. It should be noted that China provides for the death penalty for killing a panda, which also plays a role in the protection of this species.

We examined only the most striking representatives of the fauna of Eurasia, which are under threat of extinction. The list of vulnerable animals numbers in the hundreds and, unfortunately, is growing. After all, this list is replenished by human hands, and often measures to protect wild animals are almost equal to cases of poaching.