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Russia’s
wildlife is as varied as its geographical zones and has many
different species of animals, birds, and fish. Walruses, seals,
polar bears, reindeer, polar foxes, lemmings, and polar hares
populate the Far North and the tundra. These areas are also home for
birds, such as polar owls, ptarmigans, seagulls, and loons. Some
bird species, such as geese, swans, and ducks, migrate here for the
summer. |
Forest areas,
especially the taiga, are home to elk, brown bears, lynxes, sables,
foxes, squirrels, chipmunks, and white hares. In the forests of the
Far East, one finds Ussuri tigers, black bears, yellow-throated
martens, raccoon dogs, gorals, and wild boars. The bird population
of the Russian forests includes wood grouse, black grouse, hazel
grouse, and woodpeckers.
In the steppe and forest steppe, small rodents
prevail, including field voles, gophers, jerboas, hamsters, and
marmots. These territories are also the natural habitat of such
birds as eagles and bustards.
Mountain
goats, roe deer, deer, wild boars, porcupines, leopards, hyenas,
jackals, and bears inhabit the mountainous terrains of the Caucasus.
Quails and partridges dwell here, too.
In terms of
trapping and hunting of most importance are fur-bearing animals,
such as squirrels, foxes, sables, and ermines; wild ungulate animals
like elks, reindeer, and wild goats; and also waterfowl like ducks
and geese.
Russia’s seas
possess extensive biological resources including fish (cod, herring,
plaice, turbot, mackerel pike perch, salmon, etc.) and marine
mammals. The country’s rivers and lakes are fished for salmon,
sturgeon, and herring.
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