One of the best places in Russia is the Sokhondinsky Reserve, which is located in the South Transbaikalia. It is notable for the peculiar atmosphere of the wild nature of this region. The Sokhondinsky Reserve of the Trans-Baikal Territory is designed to preserve and study endemic species, as well as to protect the territory.
Goals and objectives of the reserve
The main objectives of the reserve are:
- protection of the territory is needed primarily to preserve and increase the number of rare animals;
- the study of wildlife and the keeping of the Chronicle;
- environmental monitoring of the area;
- environmental education;
- training of new scientists and specialists in the field of nature conservation.
Due to the fact that most of the territory is practically not walked by man, nature has retained its original appearance. The Sokhondinsky Reserve is interesting in its virginity and its description cannot be described. There also originate many Transbaikal rivers belonging to the basins of the Pacific and Arctic Oceans.
Short story
It is believed that the Sokhondinsky Reserve was founded in 1973. In 1772, Sohondo climbed the char, Sokolov. There he collected many plants and transferred them to Russian science. Thanks to this, many endemic species, characteristic only for this area, were discovered. Subsequently, the herbarium was transferred for study to English scientists. Turchaninov was also engaged in the flora, collecting valuable collections. Unfortunately, the notes left with the Great Patriotic War.
In 1856, G.I. went to the char to study the fauna. Radde. He noted that six high-altitude zones were observed in the area.
The research of the Altano-Kyrinsky depression and the Khentei-Chikoysky highlands was carried out by Professor V.I. Smirnov. He collected a rather large herbarium, which later migrated to St. Petersburg University and is located there until our time.
In 1914, P.N. Krylov and L.P. Sergievskaya, whose herbariums joined the ranks of Tomsk University.
In 1985, UNESCO assigns the status of “Biosphere Reserve” to the reserve.
Physico-geographical features
This reserve includes Sokhondinsky, Balbasni and Sopkoyansky loaches. The area is just huge. The Sokhondinsky mountain range itself has a length of almost 20 kilometers, and its width is 14 kilometers. The entire territory is located on the periphery of the highlands of Hentei Chikoy. This loach has two peaks: the height of the Big (2500.5 meters) and Small (2404 meters). The pass between the peaks is at a height of 2000 meters. In the southwestern part of the massif Tsagan-Ula is located. And in the west, the Sokhondinsky Reserve borders on the Jermaltai-Ingodinsky Depression, which is famous for its mineral water.
Climate
The climate in the Sokhondinsky Reserve is sharply continental. Winter is dry and not snowy. The average monthly temperature in January ranges from 22 ° C to 28 ° C, depending on the height. However, on the peaks themselves it reaches minus 50 ° C.
Summer is very short and even then there may be frost with heavy snow. The temperature holds up to plus 14 ° C. The hottest month is July. The total average annual temperature is about minus 1.9 ° C. The average annual rainfall is about 430 mm.
Climatic conditions are quite severe, but many representatives of the flora and fauna feel quite comfortable. The Sokhondinsky Reserve in Russia is one of the richest species of living organisms.
Mammals
The uniqueness of the Sokhondinsky Reserve is indicated by large differences in plane and temperature, as a result of which a large number of flora and fauna diversity is distinguished. Here you can find a fox, sable, brown bear, squirrel, hare, etc.
Of the most interesting animals, Siberian musk deer can be noted. This is a small cloven-hoofed animal that looks like a deer. Characteristic features of this individual: thick brown or brown hair, sharp thin hooves, lack of horns, long fangs peek out from under the upper lip in males, as well as the abdominal gland producing musk. The musk deer house is a beautiful Sokhondinsky reserve.
Where is he located? As mentioned above, the reserve is located in the South Transbaikalia. Siberian musk deer lives at an altitude of 600-900 meters. Such a small animal jumps very briskly and is able to change the flight path by 90 °. It feeds on terrestrial lichens, fir needles and cedar, horsetail and other plant foods.
On the territory you can meet an ermine - this is a small furry animal of the marten family. Its body weight ranges from only 70 to 260 g. It has a long neck, a triangular head and small round ears. The color is white in winter. It feeds on small rodents, and prefers to live alone. The animals are delineated by animals that are secreted from the glands. The ermine lives mainly in burrows, however, he does not dig them himself, preferring to occupy the houses of the rodents that he killed. The predator is very brave and bloodthirsty. In critical situations, it can attack a person, despite its size.
The most dangerous predators in the reserve are red wolves, which belong to the canine family. The beast is large with a body length of 76-110 cm. Weight up to 20 kg. They have a shortened muzzle, high set eyes and large erect ears. The color is red with a black tail. Lives in a pack of 5 to individuals. Rodents and small herbivores go to food. Although a large flock can prey on large individuals. Predators are not aggressive. Man is shunned. Because of the peculiarities of the sounds they make, they are called "singing mountain wolves."
The listed special animals, unfortunately, are in the Red Book. Sokhondinsky Reserve is home to more than 10 species of animals that are on the verge of extinction. For this reason, many areas of the territory are closed to humans.
In addition to the above, I also want to note gophers, marmots, jerboas and mole rats.
Birds
There are more than 125 families of birds. The inhabitants of the taiga area are represented by pale and variegated thrushes, gray-headed oatmeal, capercaillie, buzzard, eagle owl. In the mountainous part of the taiga, one can find partridge, mountain skate, curler, Siberian finch, pika, etc. There is a rather wide variety of birds near forest lakes. Among them are the gray crane, black stork, black-throated loon, red-necked grebe, red-headed duck, coot, etc.
Fishes
Taimen lives in rivers and flowing cold-water lakes. It does not go to sea. Due to the enormous fishing value, only a few individuals remained, as a result of which it is listed in the Red Book. Taimen is the largest species of the salmon family. The length can reach up to 2 meters, and weighs up to 90 kg. Lays about 20 thousand eggs at a time.
Another extremely freshwater resident is burbot. The body is long, rounded, laterally compressed at the edges. Color has the color of the soil and changes with age. It becomes more active as the temperature decreases.
Also on the territory there are Siberian grayling, rotan or firehead, Amur pike and minnow.
Plants
The plant world is very rich and represented by alpine tundra, small-leaved forests, deciduous and mountain-pine. 923 representatives of higher vascular were registered. More than 71 species of plants and mushrooms in the reserve are under protection. Thanks to such plants, such as the glandular catchment, cold gentian, large-flowered snakehead, rhodiola pinnatifolia and four-notch, single onion, golden rhododendron, the landscape becomes truly picturesque.
Gymnosperms are represented by Siberian pine, cedar dwarf, Siberian fir, Cossack juniper and Siberian spruce. In the reserve there are closely related forests of related trees - these are the larch Gmelin (Daurian) and Siberian.
Reptiles and Freshwater
These categories of animals are not so numerous. The Sokhondinsky Reserve is the home of a patterned snake, an ordinary muzzle, an ordinary snake, an ordinary viper and a viviparous lizard. These reptiles have taken root in this reserve because of their adaptability to this climatic environment.
Representatives of freshwater animals are even smaller. Although there are water bodies and there are many of them, however, the species of this class of animals were not affected. Here, only Siberian coal-toothed, Siberian and Muzzle frogs are found. The list is exhausted with these three types.
