The continent located in the western and southern hemispheres of our planet, having an area of ​​17,840,000 square kilometers and washed by the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans- South America. It also includes many islands belonging to mainland countries. Many natural systems and objects here are unique, for example, here is the largest river in the world by basin area - the Amazon, the highest waterfall on the planet - Angel, the largest river island on Earth - Marajo.

On the mainland there are still many natural objects worthy of description and mention, but the main thing is that they need to be protected. Ecological problems South America- These are primarily problems of countries located on the continent, especially Brazil. They depend on their economic, political, social activities. Environmental pollution natural environment, destruction of forests and unique ecosystems, extermination of animals only a certain part side effects from the activities of people living on the mainland.

America was not opened in order to turn this land into a garbage dump, unsuitable for human life and the normal existence of ecosystems that have long been established here. Unfortunately, globalization in modern times concerns primarily large plots of land. Energy, utilities, mining, manufacturing, agriculture, tourism, services, construction, trade, and motor transport constitute the main backbone of the areas that directly affect the environmental situation in South America.

Atmospheric pollution occurs due to the release of huge amounts of substances into the air from factories and factories. Among the main pollutants are carbon oxides, nitrogen oxides, lead, cadmium, zinc, manganese, molybdenum, mercury, sulfur dioxides, heated air, dust, and particulate matter. By themselves, these elements would not cause harm. environment, they enter in small quantities, but the volumes of their release into the atmosphere from industrial and manufacturing enterprises so great that they cause enormous damage to nature, animals and flora and public health.

The activities of factories pollute not only the air, but also the water. Together with wastewater discharges from factories, alkyd, acrylic, oil, alkaline and acidic solutions and compounds enter rivers and lakes. heavy metals, dispersant, ethylene glycol, rheology modifiers, petroleum products, silicon dioxide, solutions with increased microbiological activity, heated water.

Tons of solid household waste litter megacities and small settlements. In addition to enterprises, the population makes a big contribution. City streets, railway and highway lines are buried in garbage. Most materials. ending up in landfills, such as plastic, glass, waste paper, rubber products are subject to separate collection and recycling. This is the right solution environmental problem associated with littering, which is neglected everywhere, with the exception of isolated cases.

Creation of protected areas and national parks, monitoring of existing ones, checking the performance of emission filtration and waste treatment systems, their improvement, introduction of new ones technological processes and modern devices, separate waste collection and recycling, rational use natural resources- the right way to solve environmental problems.

Almost every corner of our planet is home to animals that are on the verge of extinction. Crimea was no exception; rare representatives of the animal world also live there.

Limiting Factors

First of all, the diversity, as well as the uniqueness of the fauna and flora of the peninsula is determined by geographical location. The small territory, about 27,000 km², is divided into three climatic zones: the mountain belt and subtropics on the southern coast, as well as a temperate continental steppe climate. These territories belong to the Black Sea basin and are located at the intersection of migratory routes of fauna representatives. Another interesting fact is that this area contains fifty salt lakes and two hundred and fifty-seven rivers. Experts have noticed that due to significant rates of genetic erosion, some plant species have been burned in recent decades.

Red Book

The peninsula is home to a huge number of exceptional animals that are on the verge of extinction. It was decided to create a document about such inhabitants.

The Red Book uses an eight-point scale to determine the degree of rarity. Animals of Crimea in the Red Book of Russia are the tricolored and pointed-eared bat, the common longwing, the small and large horseshoe bat, the black-headed gull, and the great curlew.

Fauna on the peninsula

It is known from history that ostriches and giraffes used to live on the peninsula, and due to climate change, people noticed arctic foxes and reindeer. In addition to animals, about two hundred species of fish live in the reservoirs of Crimea. Of these, there are forty-six in fresh lakes and rivers, fourteen of which are Aboriginal. The rest were brought to the peninsula and adapted well there.

In Crimea, there are fourteen species of reptiles, with only one poisonous - the steppe viper, as well as six species of lizards. Among the turtles, only the marsh turtle lives, which can be found in mountain reservoirs. About two hundred species of birds live here, living mainly in mountainous areas. Of these, seventeen species arrive for the winter. There are more than sixty species of mammals; they live in mountainous areas, as well as in nature reserves. The peninsula is home to foxes, badgers, martens, and predatory animals can also be found here. Hares and ferrets are found in forests and steppes. Wolves lived here, but their populations died out completely at the beginning of the twentieth century. The waters are home to monk seals and three species of dolphins.

Rare animals of Crimea listed in the Red Book

Among the rare mammals are the steppe ferret and the common shrew; their numbers are declining at a rapid pace. Wild sheep - mouflons - are also protected. This is the only herd in the whole Eastern Europe. The lizard of the spindle family, or also called the yellow-bellied lizard, belongs to a protected species that is on the verge of extinction. The lizard has a large head and large eyelids. The yellowbell has a sandy yellow coloration with a dark pattern on the upper part of the body. Rare animals of the Red Book of Crimea: Mediterranean gecko, golden eagle, pygmy pipistrelle, white-bellied monk seal.

Sea inhabitants

Crimean bottlenose dolphins are also protected. They are capable of speeds of up to forty km/h and emerge from under the water to a height of five meters. The white-bellied seal or monk seal is on the verge of extinction; there are only 600 representatives of this species left on our planet. For their desire for solitude, as well as their short hair, they were nicknamed monks. These rare animals of Crimea, listed in the Red Book, are quite awkward on land, but they feel great in the water. In search of food, seals can swim far from the shore and dive to a depth of up to five hundred meters. The animals reach a length of about two meters and weigh about three hundred kilograms. Males are usually covered with thick black fur, while females are noticeably lighter in color. Because of the light lower part of the body, the seal received another name - white-bellied.

Steppe and mountain fox

In the Crimean mountains you can find mountain foxes, and in the steppes - their steppe subspecies. They feed mainly on hamsters, gophers, mice, and in rare cases even wild rabbits.

In times of hunger, foxes eat lizards, insects and frogs. Due to the fact that these animals listed in the Red Data Book of Crimea are susceptible to rabies, tourists should be careful. Previously they were vaccinated, but now this does not happen. There are no frequent encounters with these animals, because they are very careful and shy.

Weasel

At first glance it may seem that this is a very small and peace-loving animal, but even wolves cannot compare with the bloodthirstiness of the weasel. However, she is often tamed and becomes quite a gentle pet.

The weasel will quickly make friends with other household inhabitants. Insects and rodents will never appear in the house in which this animal lives. However, in captivity, weasels barely survive to the age of five.

Belodushka

This is the name given to the stone marten, whose chest and throat are covered with fur. white. Whitefish is a very active and voracious predator. However, the stone marten can eat vegetarian food. In the summer and autumn season, white-tailed animals, animals listed in the Red Book, eat pears, grapes, and hawthorn in Crimea. If it gets into the chicken coop, it will quickly suffocate all the chickens.

Badger

A peaceful representative of the animal world of Crimea of ​​the Mustelidae family. Sables and otters are considered to be the badger's cousins. These animals are very brave and energetic representatives of the fauna. Their burrows are like caves, consisting of several floors, and can reach twenty meters in length. Each floor has its own purpose.

This is a fairly clean animal, so the house is cleaned daily. The floor of the burrows is strewn with fragrant grass, which is changed twice a year. The burrow is constantly being expanded and improved. After a certain amount of time, the holes turn into entire badger underground cities. These animals, listed in the Red Book, in Crimea feed mainly on mushrooms, wild berries, acorns, as well as gophers, snails and mice. In addition, badgers love honey. These are peaceful animals, but when it comes to their fellow creatures or their home, they stand to the end.

Mouflon

This is a wild animal belonging to the artiodactyls, a genus of sheep. Mouflons live on wooded mountain slopes, and in winter period go down a little lower. Males weigh about 50 kg, and females - 35 kg. Males have horns. Mouflons are very cautious animals and try to live away from people.

A wild boar

These animals lived in Crimea since ancient times, but in the nineteenth century they were completely destroyed. Since 1957, one wild boar and thirty-four females from the Primorsky Territory were brought from the Chernigov region. Subsequently, the number of individuals increased significantly.

The wild boar, an animal from the Red Book of Crimea, a photo of which can be seen in the article, feeds on various roots, mushrooms, nuts or acorns. In rare cases, they can feed on insects, bird eggs and rodents.

Crimean red deer

Deer is the largest animal on the peninsula. Its weight can reach 260 kg, and they grow up to 140 cm in height. Basically, the life expectancy of Crimean deer is 60-70 years. Horns are considered their main weapon. In Crimea, only hunters are considered enemies of deer. Thus, they use their horns during fights for the female, which, as a rule, occur in September.

At the beginning of the twentieth century, deer, animals listed in the Red Book, almost completely disappeared in Crimea. Beginning in 1923, a ban on the shooting of deer came into effect. And already in 1943 the number of individuals increased to two thousand.

Roe

There was a time when these animals lived in the steppes of Crimea. Now roe deer live on the slopes of the Main mountain range In addition, they can be found in forests. When meeting people, the animal freezes for a few seconds, then, realizing that it has been noticed, disappears with great speed into the forest thickets. Roe deer are similar to deer. These animals, listed in the Red Book, in Crimea feed on tree buds, bark, and herbaceous plants. Males have horns, which they shed at the beginning autumn period. In the spring, the antlers grow back. Foxes and martens are considered enemies of roe deer. Animals have excellent hearing. As soon as they sense danger, they immediately warn their brothers. Their scream can be heard over a distance of three kilometers.

What animals are listed in the Red Book of Crimea?

• The common shrew is considered one of the rarest species of mammals. Mainly lives in the mountainous and forest part of Crimea.
• The steppe ferret is a representative of predators. These animals feed on small vertebrates, as well as mouse-like rodents.
• The leatherback pipistrelle leads a mostly sedentary lifestyle. Feeds on small insects.
• The common badger is active in the twilight and night time. The length of the body is from 60 to 90 cm, the tail is 20 cm long. The head is small, the paws have powerful claws.
• The small gopher lives in burrows that reach almost two meters in depth, and their length is more than four meters. Distributed in wormwood and forb-feather grass steppes.

Animals of Crimea, listed in the Red Book of Russia, are the giant noctule, the gray shrike, the eagle owl, the lesser tern, the blackeye, and the steppe tirkushka.

Birds

The gray crane is protected by law and hunting is prohibited everywhere. On the peninsula, the animal lives exclusively in marshy meadows and reed thickets. The pink starling is also included in the Red Book. He lives on Mount Opuk. The red-headed wren is common in the mountainous regions of Crimea. The eagle owl is a rare bird in Crimea. Active, as a rule, at night, hunting small animals and vertebrates.

The Crimean peninsula is a small Universe that combines a diverse climate, unique nature and diverse flora and fauna.

Animals that need protection, as well as endangered species, are listed in the Red Book. The first edition was published in 2015. The first volume describes animal world. Here are some names of animals listed in the Red Book of Crimea: steppe ferret, common shrew, common badger, leatherback pipistrelle, small gopher. The second volume is devoted to plants, fungi and algae. A total of four hundred and five species of plants and fungi are included, as well as three hundred and seventy species of animals. The Red Book is considered official document, containing information about wild animals, plants and mushrooms that permanently or temporarily reside (grow) on the territory of the Crimean peninsula.

Crimea is rightly called “little Australia”. This peninsula includes three climatic zones, so many different animals live on its territory.

Features of fauna

Crimea has a rather modest area of ​​27 thousand square kilometers, but at the same time it contains 50 salt lakes and 257 rivers. The Black and Azov Seas are washed by mountain and steppe massifs. All of the above factors determined the species diversity of animals, fish, birds and insects living in the region. There is evidence that in former times even ostriches and giraffes lived here, but against the backdrop of climate change, they were replaced by less heat-loving animals.

Since there are endangered species among the animals of the peninsula, it was decided to create a Red Book of Crimea. The publication is still under construction, but the animals on the list have already been taken under protection.

Who lives in the steppe?

The fauna of the Crimean steppes includes white-bellied shrew, ground squirrel, jerboa, hamster, mole vole, foxes and many other representatives of the animal world. Among the birds of these latitudes there are bee-eaters, rollers, bustards, cranes, little bustards, steppe harriers and eagles.

The steppe viper can rarely be seen here; people see it much more often four-striped snakes and agile lizards. They nest in the steppe world of Crimea herons, mallards, long-nosed mergansers, cranes.

One of the most popular steppe animals is corsac Steppe fox, called the corsac, belongs to the canine family. The animal’s body length is about half a meter, and its tail is up to 35 cm. The weight of an adult is no more than that of a large cat.

The corsac fur coat has a gray-yellow tint with reddish tint, while the fur below is lighter, and the tip of this fox's tail is darkened. In pursuit of prey, the corsac reaches speeds of up to 60 km per hour. He is not averse to eating rodents and birds, and does not disdain carrion.

Domestic chickens often become victims of corsacs. There is also a place in the fox’s diet for vegetarian food - she eats fruits and berries with pleasure.

Foothills areas

In the foothills of Crimea there are wolves and squirrels, but here you won’t find many of the usual inhabitants of Russian forests. But these lands are inhabited by representatives of various Balkan, Middle Eastern, Mediterranean and endemic species.

A rich fauna is represented on the northern slopes of Yayla, on the territory of the Crimean nature reserve. Specially protected natural area inhabit Crimean deer, Crimean chamois, pine and stone martens. Local animals have unique characteristics. For example, they walk around in their “summer” fur coat all year round.

Let's talk about some interesting inhabitants of the foothills of Crimea in more detail.

• Belodushka. The second name for the stone marten is the white marten. It is so named because of the white fur on its chest and bib. Slender and nimble, she sneaks into chicken coops without much difficulty, but she can also feast on berries.

• Noble deer. It is rightfully considered the pride of Crimea. The head of this forest animal is decorated with luxurious horns, which increase with age. Herds of deer can be heard by the characteristic roar that echoes through the forest. In winter, they move closer to the gardens to find food there.

• Mouflon. This is the name of the mountain sheep, which took root in this region back in tsarist times. Its horns are spiral shaped and its weight can reach two centners. The acclimatization of this beautiful animal was not without difficulties, which is why the mouflon is a protected species. In summer, they hide from the heat in shady rocks and come out to eat grass only in the evening, and in winter, due to lack of food, they get closer to human houses.

• Roe. During the active settlement of people, these animals were pushed further into the mountains. They do not have weapons to protect themselves from predators in the form of horns, but nature has endowed these graceful animals with very good hearing. It allows roe deer to hear the enemy from afar.

In addition to predators, they are hunted by poachers.

• Doe. Rarely appears in the foothills of the peninsula. Nimble, resourceful and very beautiful animals have difficulty adapting to the conditions of Crimea. It has not yet been possible to significantly increase the population of these artiodactyls, but local residents are trying to protect the animal from the encroachments of poachers.

Who lives on the coast?

The southern coast abounds in reptiles and invertebrates.

• Crimean gecko. These nimble creatures love to live in old buildings, where there are always deep cracks and various tunnels for them. For this reason, in former times they lived in old houses and courtyards.

They saved people from hordes of insects and thereby provided a service to man. But today in cities their population has declined. The reason was the active development of territories, as well as attacks by cats who are not averse to feasting on these cute lizards.

• Mantis. It gets its name from its raised front legs. Of course, these creatures do not hold their limbs in this position in order to offer prayer. They just spend a lot of time in ambush, meticulously tracking down prey, and from this position it is easier for them to attack it. The height of the praying mantis reaches 5 centimeters, so sometimes they get into fights with sparrows.
• Crimean ground beetle. This protected inhabitant of Crimea has a purple color that shimmers different colors. It is better not to touch it, otherwise the five-centimeter beetle will secrete a repellent secretion. The prey of ground beetles are mollusks and snails.

Among the feathered inhabitants of the coast there are such birds as herons, mallards, cranes. In total, there are more than 200 species of birds of Crimea, however, among them there are no unique ones that live only in this region.

Inhabitants of reservoirs

Over two hundred fish live in the numerous reservoirs of the peninsula, and a quarter of them periodically visit the Crimean waters from the Bosphorus. A lot in the region frogs, toads and newts. There is only one poisonous snake living here - this steppe viper. Lives in bodies of water and swamp turtle.

The toes of this animal are equipped with membranes, allowing it to swim better, and the size of the shell usually does not exceed 15 cm in diameter. Turtles are diurnal– they sleep until dawn, and then begin to hunt small fish. Also, these animals are not averse to trying plant foods. They spend the winter buried in the mud.

Such animals can be kept at home; in this case, they wait out the cold season in the basement.

Dangerous wild animals

In addition to animals that cannot harm humans, quite dangerous creatures also live in Crimea; it is better to avoid meeting them.

Black Widow

This dangerous look It is found not only in steppes and forests, but sometimes it can also be seen in urban areas. A bite from a female black widow can be fatal. If this happens, you need to burn it with a match head or a hot object and immediately go to the doctor. If help is delayed, severe body aches, trembling of arms and legs and dizziness will begin due to the defeat nervous system Hallucinations occur.

scolopendra

Ringed centipedes are not as dangerous as black widows, but they are also their bite can cause serious discomfort. The bite can unsettle you for several days, during which time the victim feels fever, muscle aches, and the bite site itself can hurt for a long time. Scolopendra lives everywhere on the peninsula, and it is also very agile - suddenly appears and just as suddenly disappears.

Steppe viper

Its habitat is wide: mountains, steppes, salt marshes, vineyards, sandy roads. She, like the karakurt, is capable of killing with her bite. After it, there is an increase in heart rate, dizziness, nausea, and the appearance of blood in the urine.

The poison can be sucked out by rinsing your mouth each time with water or a solution of potassium permanganate, At the same time, there should be no wounds in the mouth, otherwise the poison will penetrate the rescuer’s body. Next, the wound is disinfected, a bandage is applied, but no tourniquet is applied.

The victim is prohibited from drinking alcohol, he needs to drink as much as possible clean water. Such a person must be shown to a doctor as quickly as possible.

South Russian tarantula

Mountains and steppes are favorite places for tarantulas. Allergy sufferers are most at risk when meeting it; for everyone else it is less dangerous. The signs of a bite from this spider are approximately the same as in the case of a black widow. The bite site should be cauterized with brilliant green, and you should also consult a doctor.

A wild boar

A large and dangerous predatory animal was once exterminated in this region, but years later it settled again in its forests. The habitat of wild boars is mountainous areas where oaks and beeches grow, because they are not averse to eating plant foods. They avoid meeting people, but if a collision occurs, the boar is capable of showing strong aggression towards the stranger.

The most dangerous are females with piglets; they are ready to fight for their children not for life but for death.

Scorpion

Pushed out by people from the inhabited territories, he did not go too far, but began to settle right in the houses, or rather, in their darkest and dampest rooms. Spiders, scolopendras, and mantises often become its prey, so Scorpions to some extent help people fight dangerous insects.

They are nocturnal, so encountering them during the day is unlikely. The symptoms of the bite are similar to the reaction to the bites of other poisonous inhabitants of the Crimea: shortness of breath, pressure surges, chills or fever, dizziness.

They can appear either immediately or after a day, so you should consult a doctor as soon as possible after the incident.

Protected species

Both unusual and interesting animals of Crimea and well-known ones are under protection. arctic fox, wolverine, beaver, marmot, bear, steppe ferret, because their populations in the region are small. The only mouflons for many thousands of kilometers, including Eastern European ones, live in Crimea. They also came from individuals that lived in the royal nursery, and therefore are of particular value.

Serpentine yellowbell has a body a meter long or a little more, it often frightens people as it resembles a viper. The representative of the spindles is completely harmless if you do not specifically frighten it.

Unlike snakes, its eyes have eyelids that blink.

Monk Seal, which is also called the white-bellied seal, is critically endangered. According to scientists, the population of this rare animal numbers no more than 600 individuals in the world. So unusual name The seal received this name due to its solitary lifestyle; its head is also decorated with peculiar short fur. Two-meter sea animals can reach a weight of three centners, however, they are capable of diving quite deeply and returning with prey.

      A characteristic feature of the fauna of Crimea is its island character. Due to its isolation, the peninsula does not have many typical temperate climate biological species, but there are some that are specific.
The fauna of the peninsula is composed of three elements: steppes, foothills and mountains, and, finally, the southern coast. Accordingly, the animal world of all constituent parts Crimea is different: the steppe Crimea belongs to the steppe zone of the European-Siberian subregion, and the mountain Crimea belongs to the Mediterranean. But since the Crimean steppe passes into the region of the foothills, rising gradually, it is impossible to establish a clear boundary between them and sharply dismember their fauna. Only the fauna of the southern coast differs significantly from the fauna of the northern slope of the mountains.

Mammals
The fauna of the Crimean steppes is similar to the fauna of the Ukrainian mainland steppes. There is not a single representative of large mammals in it.
The latter was killed in 1922 at the northern foot of Chatyr-Dag. And today the largest predatory animal on the peninsula is the fox. Two types of it are known: ordinary steppe and mountain Crimean. The fur of the latter is brighter and fluffier, but it is inferior in size to the steppe.
There are seven species of predatory animals in Crimea. At the end of the last century it took root here.
Other predators from the mustelid family: , weasel,
and stone marten.
There are many rodents in the steppe Crimea. There are hamsters, gophers, etc. The steppe and foothills also abound in other species, among which there are numerous various voles; from the order of insectivores, one can often find the shrew.
In the central part of the mountainous Crimea, at the foot of Babugan, the lands of the Crimean State Game Reserve are located. This is the largest protected area on the peninsula (33,397 hectares). The area of ​​the protected hunting area is divided into two approximately equal parts: protected forests and forest hunting grounds. The farm is closed to tourists and excursionists.
The protected forests are home to deer, badgers and other mammals - 39 species in total. They have been successfully acclimatized here from Corsica, Altai and the Far East.
The pride of protected forests is. This is the largest and most beautiful animal of the mountainous Crimea. The number of animals is maintained at a certain level: deer - 1300 - 1500, roe deer - 300, wild boar - 300 - 400, mouflon - 150 - 200 heads.
Thanks to effective protection, the population of these animals increased in the late 70s - early 80s of the 20th century. increased significantly, and in terms of the number of ungulates per unit area, the Crimean game reserve turned out to be the most overpopulated in Europe. The resulting sharp discrepancy between the number of ungulates and the plant food supply began to negatively affect the regeneration of the young forest.
Naturally, the need arose to periodically carry out a planned reduction in the number of the reindeer herd through trapping and relocation. The Crimean deer has already replenished the fauna of many regions of Ukraine.

Birds
There are about 300 species of birds in Crimea.
In steppe regions it is quite rare, but it does occur. This large but cautious bird, yellow-brown with black stripes above and white below and along the edges of the wings, has the ability to run quickly, but it flies poorly. The bustard differs from other birds in the absence of a coccygeal gland, which secretes a lubricant with which birds use their beaks to cover their feathers to protect them from getting wet. Autumn rain and subsequent frosts bind these birds with an ice crust, making them absolutely helpless.
Birds of prey can also be found in the steppe. These are primarily the steppe eagle, steppe kestrel, falcon and steppe harrier.
The foothills are home to shrikes, buntings, nightjars, scops owls, a species of starling endemic to the Crimea, and the goldfinch. There are three types of nightingales found here: Western, Eastern and Persian. The first two species nest on both sides of the mountains, and the Persian nightingale is occasionally found on the northern slopes.
The mountain forests are inhabited by the Crimean and long-tailed tits, woodpeckers, redstarts, robin, warblers, and jays. Mountain buntings are found higher up. There is no significant difference in the composition of the bird fauna of mountain peaks and the forests themselves. Moreover, many steppe birds can be found on the yayla: wheatear, skylark, bald-headed lark and others.
The largest bird in Europe nests here - (its nest can comfortably accommodate two adults). This bird can be found in the forests of the Main Range of the Crimean Mountains (on the Chernaya and Basman mountains, in the Yaman-Dere gorge near Babugan-yayla and in other places).
3.5 km from the coast, in the Kerkinitsky Bay, there is a nature reserve international importance– Swan Islands (Sary-Bulat). The group stretches along the coast for 8 km and consists of six islands (the largest of them is 3 km long and up to 350 m wide). Shallow waters, an abundance of plant and animal food in water and on land, combined with a protected regime, attract a lot of birds, mainly waterfowl, to the Swan Islands. 25 species of birds nest here.
The main decoration of the islands is the mute swan. Fishing for it continued here at the end of the 19th century, which led to a sharp reduction in the number of these birds. Measures to protect the Swan Islands have yielded results: since 1955, the number of this species has increased 10 times, and today there are up to 6 thousand snow-white birds.
Every year in June, large flocks of mute swans arrive here to molt. At this time, birds cannot fly, and the protected islands become their home. Swimming flocks of swans are a wonderful, unforgettable sight! This graceful one snow-white bird They are distinguished by a beautifully curved neck and a bright red beak. Mute swans go south for the winter; They nest in the lower reaches of the Danube, Dniester, Dnieper, in the floodplains of the Kuban, in the Volga delta.
In late autumn, northern whooper swans gather on the islands for the winter (they have a straighter neck and a yellow beak). So, you can see beautiful feathered creatures in this reserve almost all year round. Whoopers do not nest here either.
Of the other birds that live on the Swan Islands different kinds ducks, waders, white and gray herons, gulls, cormorants. The most numerous population is the laughing gull, which brings great benefits agriculture: It destroys a lot of rodents. The colony of gulls numbers up to 30 thousand individuals. During the summer season, the gulls of the Swan Islands destroy almost 2 million gophers and up to 8 million mice.
In the waters of Sivash, where there are more than 60 islands, a lot of nesting and migratory birds live and stop for rest. Laughing gulls, gray ducks and shelducks are especially numerous. On the island of China there is the largest nesting site of black-headed terns on Sivash. Walking around the island can be difficult: at a distance of 1 - 2 meters from each other there are nests of seagulls, and shelducks and gray ducks have made their homes nearby in the weeds.
Crimea is the only place in the CIS where mass nesting has been observed. His appearance is rather gloomy. The plumage is black, dense, the beak is long, yellow, steeply curved downwards, and there is a small crest on the head. The sounds it makes are similar to hoarse, unpleasant cackling. Because of its long nose, the cormorant is also called “long-nosed,” and because of its predatory habits and “funeral” plumage, it is called a sea raven. It feeds on trash fish and crustaceans. It’s interesting that it is indigenous to Crimea wild bird in China, Japan and Hungary it is a foraging bird. Before going out to sea, fishermen take several tamed cormorants into the boat. They put rings around their necks that prevent them from swallowing fish and lower them overboard. When enough fish have accumulated in the cormorant’s throat pouch, it is pulled into the boat and, holding it upside down, the caught fish is shaken out.

Inhabitants of rivers and seas
Crimean mountain rivers, such as Salgir, Kacha, Belbek, Kara-Su, etc., are, in essence, streams that are very stormy during rainstorms and become shallow and dry up in the summer. Naturally, under these conditions, there is no fish wealth in the Crimean rivers, both northern and southern slopes. And yet, about 15 species of fish are found in Crimean rivers.
The headwaters of the Kara-Su are inhabited by trout. In addition, local barbel and Crimean chub species are found in Crimean waters.
Among them there are quite rare animals: swordfish, tuna, monk seal, monkfish, lobster, blue crab, starfish, hammerhead shark and blue shark.
In the Black and Azov Seas, three species of the dolphin family are known: , and Azovka. The largest dolphin in the Black Sea is the bottlenose dolphin, its average weight is 150 kg, length is from 2.3 to 3 m, it feeds on bottom and demersal fish (flounder, scorpionfish). It can eat up to 30 kg of fish per day. The weight of the white sided dolphin is half that of the bottlenose dolphin. The smallest dolphin is the Azov dolphin, or porpoise: weight – up to 30 kg, length – up to one and a half meters.

Invertebrates
Of the invertebrates, mollusks are especially characteristic of the Crimea. 69 species of mollusks live here, 29 of which are found only in Crimea. This large percentage of endemic mollusk species lies characteristic Crimean fauna.
Near Balaklava and the St. George Monastery lives an endemic land mollusk - the Krinitsky snail, related to the common garden snail.
Among arthropods, one can note the freshwater crab, which lives under stones in some rivers of Crimea. In general, crabs are inhabitants of the seas. This crab is an exception. The freshwater crab is found sporadically in fresh waters Western Europe and in the Caucasus. This is an animal of the southern countries, and its presence in Crimea characterizes the general appearance of the Crimean fauna.
From the same class of arthropods, characteristic representatives of the order Centipedes are found in the Crimea. These are the centipede flycatcher and the centipede flycatcher. Scolopendra is long, about 10 cm; centipede of black-greenish color with a bronze tint, with red-yellow strong legs and head. Like most centipedes, it lives under stones. Scolopendra is dangerous with its poisonous (but not fatal) bites, which cause severe inflammation. It is widespread in the Crimea in the foothills and on the southern coast.
The centipede flycatcher is found in the same areas as the centipede flycatcher. This is a fearful and not only harmless, but even useful nocturnal insect that destroys house flies. Among centipedes (there are 42 species of them in Crimea) there are many endemics.
Of the order Arachnoidea, which is in the same class of arthropods, the following are found in Crimea: salpuga, or phalanx, tarantula spiders and the karakurt spider.
Salpuga is a poisonous arachnid, a rather large animal, gray-yellowish in color, with long legs. In Crimea, it is found in the foothills and on the southern coast. It is also less common along the shores of the northern part of the peninsula.
The tarantula is characteristic of the steppe fauna. This is a large spider with legs colored ring-shaped in gray and black. The female is twice as large as the male and eats him after mating.
Karakurt is a small black spider with red dots, found mainly in the wormwood steppes adjacent to the sea, where it builds a hut of cobwebs between the grasses. It often lives under stones. In houses it comes across as an exception. This animal is nocturnal. The female is poisonous during the mating season, which occurs in mid-summer.
The Crimean scorpion is not particularly dangerous, and it is found relatively rarely in the rocks of the Southern Coast. His closest relatives live in southern countries. For Crimea, this type of scorpion is endemic.
The insect fauna of Crimea is rich in both the number of species and the abundance of individuals. Insects of Crimea represent forms characteristic only of Crimea or, mainly, of Mediterranean countries.
In the gardens of Crimea, a large blue-violet beetle belonging to the ground beetle family is often found. This beetle belongs to a species endemic to Crimea and is listed in the Red Book. In the forests near Chatyr-Dag, under fallen leaves, you can often find another ground beetle, also purple in color, but smaller in size. This is the so-called Dezhana ground beetle - a species characteristic only of the mountain forests of Crimea.

Cave world
The physical world of caves as such, i.e. their darkness, uniform and almost constant temperature, degree of humidity, etc., leaves an indelible imprint on the animals living in caves, creating a very specific and sharp biological environment. Darkness, for example, affects the color of the surface of the animal’s body, discoloring it, the organs of vision, leading to their reduction and even complete disappearance, and compensating for visual defects by the hypertrophic development of the organs of touch. The relatively constant temperature of caves affects the nature of the so-called periodic phenomena in the life of cave animals. In short, every physical factor characteristic of caves has its own impact on the appearance and biology of cave animals. Currently, among the inhabitants of the Crimean caves, we know 17 species of protozoa, 5 species of worms, 1 species of mollusks, 70 species of arthropods and 5 species of vertebrates, for a total of 98 species.
Of vertebrates - several species