The Red Book of the Vladimir Region is a document that appeared as a result of the painstaking work of scientists. The area itself, rich in forests (they occupy a little more than half of the entire territory), with a favorable temperate climate, implies a large number of representatives of flora and fauna. That is why the animals of the Red Book of the Vladimir region are very numerous. With a very favorable ecological picture, 6 percent of all land is the territory of protected natural sites. Among them is the Meshchera National Park and Ishihra Lake. Here is part of the Klyazminsky Sanctuary, which is of federal importance.
What is the Red Book for?
First you need to decide what the Red Book is, what its purpose and features are. So, this document is a list of rare or endangered representatives of the plant or animal world.
It is a mistake to think that such a document exists exclusively in the Russian Federation. In 1963, the International Red Book was published (work on it has been ongoing since 1948).
As for our country specifically, before the collapse of the USSR, the Red Book of the USSR existed, and after - in 2001, a set of protected plants and animals of Russia, called the Red Book, was released. And then, the subjects of the federation began to publish their own regional Red Books.
One document unites such documents - their structure. All representatives of flora and fauna are divided into categories from those that have disappeared altogether (opposite them stands at 0) to those whose populations are in the process of recovery (at 5). Between these values there are those representing the threat of extinction (1), reduction in numbers (2), rare (3) and uncertain (4).
Common to all red books and their design - each copy is accompanied by a vivid picture and designation of the habitat.
Red Book of Vladimir Region
As for the animals and plants listed in the Red Book of the Vladimir Region, their number is 160 animals, the same number of plants and 10 mushrooms.
It is worth noting that compared with 2008 (the first edition of the Red Book), at present, the number of animals has been reduced by exactly half, plants by 48 units, and mushrooms by 7.
The Red Book of the Vladimir Region, the animals and plants of which are the subject of our article, was first published in 2008. It was then a list of species that should be included in it (decree of the governor). All this is the result of the painstaking work of scientists, with the help of which this list became possible.
In 2010, the list was revised and reduced. What was the cause? Unfortunately, only a reduction in the habitat of species. Until now, the animals of the Red Book of the Vladimir region, which are on the verge of extinction, are Russian desman, and gray crane, and many others. Here are the rarest representatives of the flora and fauna of each of the classes.
Vegetable world
As described above, slightly more than half of the entire territory of the region is occupied by forests, most often birch groves or pine forests or spruce forests. There are also mixed ones. In some places there are rare plantations of young lindens - they were mercilessly chopped in the last century, and now they are trying to restore it. The situation is the same with oak groves: they are rare, located mainly on the banks of the Klyazma and Oka rivers.
The abundance of forests, moderately humidified warm climate of the middle strip provide an excellent opportunity for the growth of berries and mushrooms. The region is also rich in tubular plants, many of which are listed in the Red Book, but are especially protected with the mark “disappearing, ” for example, half-bush bristly, venus slipper, Karelian birch, and fly-frog.
Bogey bush - a plant found along the shores of various water bodies, prefers sandy-silty soils or just sand. Lush can grow to a depth of 2 meters, while preferring exceptionally clean water. Drainage and pollution of water bodies leads to the disappearance of the plant.
Venus slipper - a flower, not only striking in its beauty, but also medicinal. It is often used as a sedative. This flower is also interesting in that it is a “trap” plant that eats its pollinators.
It is protected not only throughout Russia, but also in a number of European states. What is the reason for this? With human economic activity: cutting down forests, planting plants alien to a given area, it inflicts damage on such original inhabitants, which is a slipper's venus.
An interesting story is the protection of a flyer floating. Until recently, he was included in the Red Book of the RSFSR, however, thanks to the measures applied, he was expelled from there. Rogulnik remained only in regional environmental documents. Including the Red Book of the Vladimir region: animals and plants listed in it have almost disappeared in this territory. Why a flyer? Its fruit resembles the head of a bull. It grows in bodies of water with standing or slowly flowing water. Of the soils, it prefers silty.
Trees: Karelian birch
Karelian birch is a completely unique phenomenon of the plant world. Her wood has a natural pattern.
From ancient times, it was used for the manufacture of all kinds of household items (jewelry, caskets). Unfortunately, the population of Karelian birch is very small, therefore, work is underway to preserve it: every tree is logged, which is cut down exclusively with the permission of the authorities.
Insects
The abundance of forests and ponds has provided a reliable home for many representatives of the flora. However, the animals of the Vladimir region, listed in the Red Book, are very numerous. Among them are found both insects and birds, mammals.
As for insects, it should be said first of all about the ground beetles Menetria, brilliant and violet - they are all on the verge of extinction mainly due to the fact that they live in forests (shiny, violet), where they are processed with pesticides, mining, grazing cattle, or in swamps (Menetrie), which undergo land reclamation in large quantities.
You can also note bumblebees: ordinary, yonellus, moss, fruit and clay. Also a carpenter bee. All of these hymenopteran species are shrinking due to the deterioration of their habitat: pastures and woodlands are used for grazing, processed by chemicals, forests suffer from fires and deforestation.
Arthropods
Rare animals of the Vladimir region from the Red Book are also arthropods. Broad-toed and narrow-toed crayfish, silver spider, spring and crustacean shields are some of the representatives of this species.
Crayfish, narrow-toed and broad-toed, are interesting in that their ranges do not intersect, moreover, the first gradually pushes the second. There are no more differences in habitat: they prefer well-oxygenated, clean waters. The reason for their small number and, as a result, protection is pollution and shallowing of water bodies, as well as a specific disease - cancer plague.
Silver spider causes ecologists a little less concern than the crustaceans presented above. This is the only arachnid species adapted for living in water. He prefers ponds with weakly flowing or stagnant water. The reduction in their numbers, as well as pollution, have led to the fact that water spiders are becoming less and less.
Spring and crustacean sheathlings are not much different from each other. These animals of the Red Book of the Vladimir region live at the bottom of reservoirs, and the depth can be from a few centimeters (puddles, ditches). The reason for the reduction is the drying out of habitats, an increase in water temperature.
Fishes
Animals and plants of the Red Book of the Vladimir region that live in water bodies are not limited to insects and arthropods - there are fish among them. Among them, sterlet and the common sculpin are worth mentioning. The first one is very sensitive to the purity of water, which is why it is recorded in the Red Book as an endangered species, because there are less and less pure water bodies. In addition, the creation of reservoirs on the basis of rivers, in which the water is not properly treated, is poorly oxygenated, plays a detrimental role, and it is difficult for fish to spawn in such reservoirs.
The common sculpin also lives only in crystal clear water. Unlike sterlet, it does not migrate, but remains in its body of water. This fish up to 12 cm long has a very frightening appearance: a large head, fairly large and wide red eyes.
The sculpin does not have scales, but there are only thorns that scare away predators. The color resembles a bottom pattern: the fish has brown-yellow, sometimes a greenish tint.
Birds
The Red Book of the Vladimir Region, animals with a photo of which is the subject of this article, also contains birds. There are quite a lot of representatives of this detachment in the list; we will cite only those that have the status of “disappearing”.
Small tern. This bird settles along the banks of rivers, lakes and reservoirs, its extinction is associated with a small number of places for possible nesting, in addition, there are frequent cases when tern habitats are flooded during floods.
White and black stork. These two species of birds suffer primarily from poachers and the ruin of nests. Large enough beautiful storks are migratory, in the cold months they fly away and return to their nests in the spring. Then they lay their eggs and breed. Protective measures are aimed at helping their nesting, poaching is also stopped.
Of falconiformes, osprey, snake-eater, golden eagle, white-tailed eagle and peregrine falcon are extremely carefully guarded by the Red Book. The number of these species of birds of prey is reduced due to several factors, in the first place, the limited nesting places play a role, as well as the destruction of nests by predators (for example, foxes). Unfortunately, there is a factor of environmental pollution, because eagles and hawks feed on small birds and animals that can live in areas contaminated with chemicals.
An eagle owl is another bird of prey that is protected. The chance to find him back in the 20th century was practically nil: the eagle owl was almost destroyed. This was mainly due to human activities: birds were shot, narrowed their habitats (deforestation) and made it impossible to catch food. The owl is the largest owl in the world. Its diet is very diverse, it can be both other birds of prey, and mammals, and amphibians. An external characteristic feature is a kind of “ears” of feathers on the head.
