Central Asian snow predator crossword puzzle. Asian animals. Scottish forest cat
Member of the cat family - This is a majestic and beautiful predator. It has been badly damaged by human activities. It was systematically destroyed due to valuable fur. On the this moment- this animal is listed in the Red Book.
Appearance of the snow leopard
By appearance the leopard strongly resembles the leopard. The length of the leopard's body reaches a meter, weight is from 20 to 40 kg. The leopard has a very long tail almost the same length as the body. The color of the coat is light gray with dark gray spots, the belly is white.
The animal has very thick and warm fur, which grows even between the fingers to protect the paws from cold and heat.
Snow leopard habitat
The predator lives in the mountains. Prefers the Himalayas, Pamir, Altai. They inhabit areas with bare rocks and only in winter time can descend into the valleys. Bars can climb up to 6 km and feel great in such an environment.
These animals prefer to live alone. They live mainly in caves. Predators do not conflict with each other, as they live far from each other. One individual can occupy a fairly vast territory, which other leopards do not stumble upon.
In Russia, these animals can be found in the mountain systems of Siberia (Altai, Sayan). According to a census conducted in 2002, up to two hundred individuals live in the country. At the moment, their number has decreased several times.
What does a snow leopard eat
Snow leopards are hunting on the inhabitants of the mountains: goats, rams, roe deer. If it is not possible to catch a larger animal, they can get by with rodents or birds. In summer, in addition to meat diet can eat plant foods.
The predator goes hunting before sunset or early in the morning. A sharp scent and coloring help him track down the victim, thanks to which he is invisible among the stones. He sneaks up unnoticed and abruptly jumps on the prey. Can jump from a high rock to kill even faster. Leopard jumps can reach 10 meters in length.
If it is not possible to catch the prey, the animal stops hunting for it and looks for another prey. If the booty large sizes, the predator drags her closer to the rocks. At a time, he eats several kilograms of meat. He throws away the rest and never returns to them.
In times of famine, leopards can hunt near settlements and attack pets.
Snow leopard breeding
The mating season of snow leopards falls in the spring months. At this time, males make sounds similar to meowing to attract females. The male takes part only in fertilization. The female is responsible for raising the young. The pregnancy lasts three months. The female equips a lair in the gorges of rocks, where she brings kittens into the world. Usually leopards give birth to 2-4 babies. Babies are born covered in brown fur with dark spots, similar in appearance and size to domestic cats. Little leopards are absolutely helpless and need mother's care.
For up to two months, kittens feed on their mother's milk. Upon reaching this age, the female begins to feed the children with meat. They are no longer afraid to leave the lair and can play at its entrance.
At three months, the children begin to follow their mother, and after a few months they hunt with her. The prey is hunted down by the whole family, but the female attacks. Snow leopards begin to live independently at the age of one year.
Snow leopards they live a little: in captivity they can live for about 20 years, while in the wild they barely live up to 14 years.
These predators have no enemies among wild animals. Their numbers are affected by the lack of food. because of harsh conditions life, the number of leopards decreases. Man is considered the only enemy of the leopard. The fur of these animals is very valuable, therefore, despite the fact that it is quite rare beast, hunting for it was quite common. At the moment, hunting for it is prohibited. But poaching still threatens him. Snow leopard fur is valued at tens of thousands of dollars on the black markets.
Zoos around the world contain several thousand representatives of this species. Successfully breed in captivity.
Very little information has been obtained by researchers about snow leopards. It is rare for anyone to see it in the wild. Only traces of leopards living in the mountains can be found.
Snow Leopard belongs to rare and endangered species and is under protection in many countries. For many peoples of Asia, this predator is a symbol of power and strength. On the coats of arms of many Asian cities, you can see the image of a leopard.
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We bring to your attention several rare shots snow leopards, which were made in the mountainous regions of Central Asia, in their natural environment a habitat.
The majestic predator goes hunting with the onset of twilight, silently and imperceptibly stepping on the ground, merging with surrounding nature thanks to the thick silver-black fur, which serves as excellent camouflage.
Awake only at night snow leopard is the rarest, as well as one of the most solitary and secretive animals among big cats. Today, there are about 3.5 thousand leopards on our planet living in the countries of Central Asia, including Mongolia and Afghanistan, where these predators are constantly hunted. 
In Afghanistan, the population of these animals reaches only a few hundred individuals, so employees National Administration for protection environment constantly fighting poachers. Recently it became known that the inhabitants of one village managed to catch a leopard, luring him into a trap. This information instantly reached the relevant structures, thanks to which the animal was saved. Cases like these, which are cause for optimism, may help stop the extermination of big cats and stop their population decline. Even in a country like Afghanistan (where protection natural resources hardly a priority) are trying to preserve the population of this rare animal species. 
However, snow leopards are highly dependent on humans. According to director non-profit organization Panthera's Snow Leopard, Mr. Tom McCarthy, the main threat to the snow leopard is that they live in areas where pastoralism is developed, which is the only human trade. And with a reduction in livestock, the risk of a threat to leopards increases - catching them is for the local population. the only way survive. 
Programs created by Panthera's Snow Leopard allow humans and leopards to coexist. Employees train herders and pastoralists in improved farming methods. In Pakistan, for example, they give livestock free vaccinations that increase resistance. various diseases thereby saving livestock. Mongolian herders, at the suggestion of Panthera's Snow Leopard, are creating handicrafts for sale in zoos in the US and Europe and providing them with an opportunity to earn money. Each resident of a community that has not killed a single snow leopard by the end of the year is given a bonus. However, the programs to preserve the number of these rare animals do not end there. 
Members of the organization also conduct research on the habits and movements of these predatory animals. The main base of Panthera's Trust, attracting huge funds and applying new technologies, is located in Mongolia, in the Gobi Desert. On an area of almost 1,300 m², 40 cameras are placed, all leopards are wearing collars equipped with a built-in GPS tracker that allows you to track their movement. 
Diligent attempts to learn about snow leopards as much as possible do not stop. The hope for their survival does not die, despite the threats this species. The fundamental factor in favor of their survival is the fact that they live in the most inaccessible and harsh places on our planet. 
2 min read
Red is the color of anxiety and approaching danger. In the late 40s of the 20th century, the International Union for Conservation of Nature decided that this particular color should represent the world's cadastre of endangered animals. It will be called that - the Red Book (Red Data Book, - English). The bright color was supposed to attract people's attention to the problem of the disappearance of rare species of plants and animals.
The original material is published on the LIVEN website. Living Asia. The authors of the article are Aidana Toktar kyzy, Gulim Amirkhanova. The artist is Varvara Panyushkina.
The Red Book has since been published in many countries every few years. And more and more often animals get into it, the number of which was large even 20-30 years ago.
In 2014 WWF ( World Foundation Wildlife) released a report in which a shocking figure was announced - the number of wild animals has halved over the past 40 years. By the way, the number of people on the contrary has doubled from 3.7 billion to 7 billion people.
12 Red Book species are on the verge of extinction in Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan.
Some of them are killed because of the beautiful fur, others because of the branched horns, supposedly good for health.
They are killed as pests when they come to a person's dwelling in search of food.
Some of these animals are losing their habitats due to economic activity of people.
Even the golden eagle, a bird that has become a symbol of almost all Central Asian countries, was included in the Red Book.
It's hard to believe - since the mid-80s, the golden eagle has been in the category " rare bird with declining numbers.
manul
Manul. Photo: Albinfo
The most unusual cat of the wild steppes. Her feature is round eyes.
This animal has gorgeous fur. And because of him, he is on the verge of extinction.
The fur of manul is fluffy and thick. There are 9,000 hairs per square meter!
Manul has been in the “close to vulnerable” category for many years.
View: predatory mammal cat families.
Habitat: Manul is distributed in Central Asia, from South Transcaucasia and western Iran to Transbaikalia, Mongolia and Northwestern China. In Central Asia, it is found in Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, and Tajikistan.
Food: It feeds almost exclusively on pikas and mouse-like rodents, occasionally catching ground squirrels, tolai hares, marmots and birds.
AT summer period when there is no pika, the manul compensates for the lack of food by eating insects.
Peculiarity: Interestingly, in ancient Greek, the name of the manul is Otocolobus manul, which means "ugly ear."
Reproduction: The animal breeds only once a year. This happens between February and March. Pregnancy lasts about 60 days, and kittens are born in April-May, from 2 to 6 individuals.
The exact number of manul has not been determined, but one thing is known - it is on the verge of extinction.
Due to the fact that these animals lead an extremely lonely lifestyle, they do not reproduce in the right numbers.
In addition, the manul suffers at the hands of people: poaching for the sake of fur, traps that are set to catch foxes and hares, but where the manuls often fall.
The decrease in the number of this species is also affected by the reduction in the food supply: marmots and other rodents.
saiga
Saiga.
Antelopes with a sad look are in distress. For a hundred years, their population has decreased from 2 million to 40 thousand individuals!
Such a decrease in the population can be equated with an ecological catastrophe.
View: artiodactyl mammal from the antelope subfamily.
Habitat: Now saigas live in Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, sometimes they enter the territory of Turkmenistan, in Russia (in Kalmykia, Astrakhan region, Altai Republic) and western Mongolia.
Food: Saigas are herbivores and eat the most different types plants (quinoa, wormwood, couch grass saltwort, etc.), including those poisonous to other animal species.
Peculiarity: Horns grow only in males; the nose in the form of a soft, swollen, mobile proboscis with rounded close nostrils creates the effect of a “humped muzzle”.
Reproduction: The mating season begins in November when the males compete for possession of the female. The winner in the fight gets everything, and this is a whole "harem", consisting of 5-50 females.
At the end of spring and before the beginning of summer cubs appear. Young females often give birth one at a time, and adults (in two cases out of three) give birth to two cubs.
Reasons for population decline: In the 50s of the 19th century, the number of saigas was almost 2 million individuals in the world, today this figure has decreased to less than 40 thousand.
Most animals die in Kazakhstan. From 2010 to 2015, 132,000 saigas died here.
At the moment official reason The causative agent of hemorrhagic septicemia (pasteurellosis) - Pasteurella multocida type B is considered to be the mass case of saiga.
Saiga saigas also die because of the inability to get food from under the ice, which they cannot break with their hooves, and because of poaching.
There is a strong demand for saiga horns in China alternative medicine because they supposedly have healing properties.
Kazakhstan has a moratorium on saiga hunting until 2021, but despite this, a “black market” for the sale of saiga horns thrives in the country.
Irbis
The camera captured a snow leopard in the Sarychat area, Kyrgyzstan. Image Credit: NCF/SLT/HPFD/Rishi Sharma (NCF: Nature Conservation Foundation, SLT: Snow Leopard Trust, HPFD: Himachal Pradesh Forest Department, India)
Snow leopard, or snow leopard, or Irbis. It belongs to an endangered species of animals - the number decreases from year to year.
View: Large carnivorous mammal from the cat family.
Habitat: It lives in the mountain ranges of Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan.
Food: The snow leopard is so powerful that it is able to cope with prey three times its mass. That is why snow leopards prefer larger prey, like ungulates.
Blue sheep, mountain goats, argali, tars, roe deer, deer, deer, wild boars and other species can become a full-fledged lunch or dinner for the snow leopard.
Sometimes it also feeds on small animals atypical for its diet, such as ground squirrels, pikas and birds - snowcocks, pheasants and partridges.
Peculiarity: snow leopard for a long time considered a relative of the leopard - because of resemblance. But scientists conducted genetic studies and found that the snow leopard is close to tigers, and perhaps even closer to the panther genus.
For now, it is still considered a separate genus of Uncia (Snow Leopards). Due to the inaccessibility of the animal's habitats and its small number, it still remains little studied by scientists.
Reproduction: Sexual maturity occurs at 3-4 years of age. The breeding season is at the end of winter or the very beginning of spring.
The female gives birth every 2 years, 3-5 cubs at a time. Pregnancy lasts 90-110 days.
Reasons for population decline: Due to constant human persecution, the number of snow leopards is continuously declining. Poachers are attracted by good money that can be obtained for leopard fur.
The total number of representatives of the species in the wild, as of 2003, is estimated between 4080 and 6590 individuals.
Golden eagle
Golden eagle. Photo: Boris Gubin
Despite the fact that golden eagles are domesticated, they themselves are free-spirited birds. Naturally, it is best for them to live in the wild.
Over the past centuries, the golden eagle has disappeared from many areas where it used to live. The reason for this was their mass extermination, urbanization and land use for economic needs.
View: Predatory bird hawk families.
Habitat: Distributed in all countries of Central Asia. It lives in the mountains, to a lesser extent on the plains. Avoids residential areas, sensitive to human disturbance.
Food: It hunts a wide variety of game, most often hares, rodents and many species of birds. Sometimes it attacks sheep, calves and deer cubs.
Peculiarity: The habitat is wide, but wherever it lives it is a rare and small species.
Reproduction: Golden eagles are ready to breed from the age of four or five. Being a typically monogamous bird, this eagle remains married for many years, as long as the other member of the pair lives.
If the birds are not disturbed, then they use the same nesting area for several years in a row, while the male and female protect it from other feathered predators all year round and try not to leave even in cold winter. Two eggs incubate in the nest, usually only one survives.
Reasons for population decline: In addition to poaching and human economic activity, the use of pesticides has turned out to affect the decrease in the golden eagle population.
Since golden eagles are at the top of the food chain, poisonous substances obtained through food - rodents - accumulate in their bodies. This was reflected, first of all, in the reproductive system of predators.
The shell of their eggs began to become very thin - the birds simply crushed the eggs while incubating. Given that the fecundity of eagles is already quite low, this has led to a sharp decline in golden eagle populations in most agricultural areas.
Jeyran
Jeyran. Photo: Akipress
The thin, fast gazelle lives in Central Asia and, fortunately, its numbers are now recovering.
However, the gazelle is in a vulnerable position - the animal is often hunted for its meat and horns.
View: An artiodactyl mammal from the genus of gazelles of the bovid family.
Habitat: Goitered gazelle is found in the desert and semi-desert regions of Iran, Armenia, Afghanistan, Western Pakistan, Southern Mongolia and China (Xinjiang, northern Tibet and Suiyuan); Azerbaijan, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Turkmenistan.
Food: Goitered gazelles feed on herbaceous and shrubby plants.
Reproduction: At the beginning of the rut (October-November), males arrange latrines (holes with excrement), marking their territory in this way.
They collect a harem of 2-5 females, which they protect by engaging in fights with other males. Pregnancy of females lasts 5.5 months. There are 1-2 cubs in the litter.
Reasons for population decline: Goitered gazelle is included in the category of "vulnerable population". In the past, the gazelle was a frequent object of hunting.
It was one of the main sources of food for the shepherds of South Kazakhstan and other countries of Central Asia. Goitered gazelle hunting is currently prohibited in many countries.
lynx
The lynx is one of the inhabitants of the Karakol zoo.
The lynx is a predatory cat, which is also at risk because of its valuable fur.
The animal population is now close to recovery - this is the result of a long-term ban on hunting and scientists' attempts to restore the number of animals.
View: A mammal of the lynx family.
Habitat: Lynx is found in middle lane Russia, Georgia, Estonia, Finland, Sweden, Poland, Czech Republic, Hungary, Romania, Spain, Serbia, Macedonia, Slovenia, Slovakia, Belarus, Croatia, Albania, Greece, Lithuania, Latvia, Ukraine (in the Carpathians), Armenia, Azerbaijan and Kazakhstan.
Food: The basis of its diet is white hares. She also constantly hunts grouse birds, small rodents, less often small ungulates. Occasionally attacks domestic cats and dogs.
It can also feed on partridges, hazel grouses, foxes, beavers, small rodents, wild boars, fallow deer and deer.
Peculiarity: Lives settled, but due to snow and lack of food, it can make long transitions
Reproduction: Lynx rut in March. From February to March, several males follow the female and fight fiercely among themselves. Pregnancy in females lasts 63-70 days. In a brood there are usually 2-3 (very rarely 4-5) deaf and blind young lynxes.
Reasons for population decline: Lack of food and poaching. Successful attempts have now been made to revive the lynx population.
Maral. Tugai red deer
Maral.
The only one of the 7-8 subspecies of the red deer living in desert zone. Over 90% total strength This deer is located on the territory of the republics of Central Asia.
In Kazakhstan, the maral was found on a large territory eastern half republics.
As a result of intensive hunting for it, by the beginning of the 20th century, the maral was almost completely exterminated. There is no information about the past population of the tugai deer.
As they write in the Red Book of Kazakhstan, most likely this species has never been numerous.
In 1996, the Red Book of Kazakhstan mentioned that the number of deer in this country had increased to 200 individuals.
View: Artiodactyl mammal from the deer family.
Habitat: Territory of Central Asia.
Food: Eats Noble deer the most varied food. The main food of this animal is herbaceous vegetation, cereals, legumes.
Peculiarity: In the floodplain of the Syr Darya, tugai deer made seasonal migrations. With the disappearance of water in the Kyzyl Kum, they moved from the desert to the Syrdarya River and returned back only with snowfall.
In Tajikistan, in the Romit mountain reserve, tugai deer live in the belt deciduous forests and planting fruit trees, rising in snowless time to high-mountain juniper forests.
Reproduction: Males are ready to breed at 2-3 years of age with a total life expectancy of about 20 years. Females become sexually mature earlier - by 14-16 months.
Pregnancy lasts 8.5 months, calves are born from mid-May to mid-July. Females give birth, as a rule, to one fawn, rarely two.
Reasons for population decline: Tugai deer disappeared in Kazakhstan as a result of direct extermination.
The degradation of habitats as a result of human activities is also of significant importance: uprooting and burning of tugai forests and reed beds, plowing of floodplain lands and haymaking, regulation of river flow, and unlimited grazing.
Marmot Menzbier
Marmot Menzbir. Photo: ecosedi
The greatest harm to the livestock of Menzbier's marmot is caused by intensive poaching, shepherd dogs, as well as grazing.
View: Mammal rodent of the squirrel family.
Habitat: The world range consists of only three isolated participants in the Western Tien Shan: Chatkal (Uzbekistan), Kuraminsky (Kazakhstan), Talas (Kyrgyzstan).
Food: In spring it feeds on rhizomes, bulbs and sprouts of ephemera and ephemeroids, and in summer it feeds on green succulent parts of plants: shoots, leaves, flowers. In spring and early summer it eats earthworms, beetles, and mollusks.
Peculiarity: One of the features by which Menzbier's groundhog is classified as independent view- differing in structure baculum - a bone formed in connective tissue penis.
The baculum of Menzbier's marmot, unlike other marmot species, is almost straight and does not have an extension at the end.
Reproduction: It breeds once a year. The rut occurs before the marmots leave their burrows and immediately after it (March-April). Young in a brood 2-7, more often 3-4.
Reasons for population decline: Thriving poaching and intensive economic use of habitats.
stone marten
Stone marten. Photo: Viktor Ganin
The stone marten is the only species of martens that is not afraid to live next to a person.
Despite this ability, its numbers were once on the verge of extinction. Today the population has recovered. It belongs to a not particularly rare species, but its numbers are declining in a number of areas.
View: Predatory mammal from the weasel family.
Habitat: The stone marten inhabits most Eurasia. Its range stretches from the Iberian Peninsula to Mongolia and the Himalayas.
Food: Stone martens are omnivorous animals that eat primarily meat.
prey on small mammals(for example, rodents or rabbits), birds and their eggs, frogs, insects and others.
In summer, an important part of their diet is plant foods, which include berries and fruits.
Peculiarity: The body is covered with brown fur of a fawn hue, on the chest it has White spot, because of him she is sometimes called "white-haired".
Reproduction: Mating takes place from June to August, but offspring are born only in spring (from March to April).
Thus, semen preservation and pregnancy (one month) add up to 8 months. As a rule, three or four cubs are born at a time.
Reasons for population decline: The stone marten is sometimes hunted for its fur, but on a more modest scale than is done for the pine marten, since the fur stone marten considered less valuable.
She is also persecuted as a "pest" that enters chicken coops or rabbit pens, and also dies due to high infestation with helminths.
markhor goat
Markhor. Photo: Klaus Rudolf
What can bind mountain goat with a snake? The fact is that the name “markhor” is translated from Persian as “snake eater”.
Hence the belief that markhor goat kills snakes. True, markhor, unfortunately, could not save himself from people.
because of unusual shape horns poachers from all over the world hunt for him as a prestigious trophy. Today, markhors can only be found in nature reserves and hard-to-reach mountainous areas.
View: Artiodactyl mammal from the genus of mountain goats.
Habitat: Distributed in the Western Himalayas, Kashmir, Little Tibet and Afghanistan, as well as in the mountains along the Pyanj River, the Kugitangtau, Babatag and Darvaz ridges in Tajikistan.
Food: It feeds on grass and leaves.
Reproduction: The markhor rut begins in mid-November and ends by January. Having found a receptive female, the dominant male follows her for several days, driving away other applicants. After 5 months, she gives birth to 1-2 kids.
Reasons for population decline: The main reason for the sharp decline in the number of markhors is poaching.
Poachers show particular interest in the luxurious horns of the animal. At the same time, the largest healthy males - the owners of the largest horns - are knocked out of the population.
It also affected the decrease in the population of this species and the development of sheep breeding. Due to livestock grazing, wild goats were forced out of the best pastures. Now markhors are preserved only in nature reserves and hard-to-reach mountainous areas.
The publication "Red Book of Russia" announced its existence in 2001. This collection contains a considerable number of the rarest animals, their photographs and brief data.
The purpose of this publication is to draw public attention to the problem of protecting endangered animals and birds. The following is interesting information about some of them.
It is this "lucky one" who has the largest horns. He is one of a kind.
This is the largest representative of the cat genus, which "chosen" white snows and low temperature air. The process of hunting in such conditions is quite complicated. It is not easy for the tiger, however, he carries out stalking on deer and wild boars. This animal is the “pearl” of Russia. Incredibly unique! The species is quite rare, it is distinguished by expressive beauty: the belly has a five-centimeter layer of fat. Thanks to him, the animal is well protected from cold environmental conditions. Today, its population is growing in its numbers.
The habitat of this representative is the waters of the Barents and Kara seas. The maximum size that the presented individual can reach is 4 meters. Its weight is also considerable - one and a half tons. There were times when this species almost disappeared. However, with the help of specialists, this individual has a slight increase in popularization.
This individual reaches a length of 3 meters, and the weight is one ton. This eared seal lives in Kamchatka and Alaska.
A distinctive feature from other representatives of its kind is the black sides and fins. Arriving at the shores Baltic Sea you can confidently wait for a meeting with this "handsome".
(Amur)
The species has serious risks to complete disappearance. Habitat - Primorsky Krai. Representatives of this species are also found in the northeast of China (in small numbers). In China Special attention is given to the problem of protecting this species from extinction. The highest penalty for killing an individual is the death penalty. The reason for the extinction of these animals - high percent poaching.
It is rightfully considered the largest representative of the "bear family". In terms of size, it bypasses even the well-known grizzly bear.
Bright individual. It has an interesting swimming style: it arches its back. For this feature, and got its name.
In appearance, the animal looks like a fox. Because of its beautiful fiery red fur, hunters shot wolves, so now the predator's population has declined sharply. At the moment, rare flocks, consisting of 12-15 individuals, can be found in the Far East.
The fox of this species is small in size: body length - up to 60 cm. In summer, the animal's coat is short, gray color, and in winter it becomes thicker and longer, acquires a light gray tint. The beast lives in the semi-desert and steppe.
Animals of this species are endangered, because people kill them because of the snow-white fur, from which clothes are sewn by the port. Individuals of the blue fox live on the coast of the Bering Sea.
Snow leopards live in Central Asia, and in Russia these animals belong to rare species. Due to the fact that they live in remote places and harsh climatic conditions, the population has not yet been completely destroyed.
it wild cat with beautiful long hair. He lives in Transbaikalia and Altai. The population of animals has decreased significantly due to human hunting.
This is the largest representative of the lynx genus, and an adult weighs about 20 kg. The coat of the beast is very beautiful, and in winter period becomes soft and thick. The animal lives in dense forests and does not like migration very much.
There are about 10 representatives of this species in the wild, and 23 individuals in zoos. Asiatic cheetahs live in the valley of the Syrdarya river.
These light-footed antelopes are found on the territory of the Altai Mountains. They live in the natural zone of deserts and steppes, have a yellowish-ocher color and long horns.
About 700 individuals of the Amur goral remain in Russia, which move in groups of 7-8 individuals. In particular, they live on the territory of Primorsky Krai.
Previously, bison lived in the forest-steppe, and the population numbered several thousand individuals. Now they are found in reserves, several dozen of these animals have been preserved.
This animal has a coat that changes seasonally from light brown in winter to brown in summer. Both males and females have huge horns. Deer live in northern latitudes- in Karelia, in Chukotka.
Other animals of the Red Book
The animal looks like a donkey, but has much in common with a horse. A representative of this species lives in the wild in the semi-desert and in the steppe.
This insectivorous animal lives in Central Russia, weighs about 0.5 kg, and the body length is 20 cm. The representative is a relic species, as it has existed for about 30-40 million years, but it may disappear from the face of the earth, therefore it is now under state protection.
The rodent is small in size - about 15 cm. The head and back of the animal has a brown-brown coat, and white on the stomach and cheeks. The garden dormouse lives in spruce and beech forests.
A small animal is found in Russia in the region Western Siberia and Ural mountains lives on the banks of water bodies.
The seal is small, and the adult grows up to 1.5 m, has a light gray coat, and it has well-developed sense organs. Occurs in the waters of the Baltic Sea and Lake Ladoga.
The marine cetacean is found in the waters of Kamchatka and the Far East. Adults grow up to 8 meters in length, weigh 2-3 tons.
To big cats are the largest members of the cat family. And yet the main criterion for belonging to big cats is not size, but structure.
So, big cats include the lion, tiger, jaguar, leopard, snow leopard and clouded leopard, but not such species as the cougar and cheetah.
Let's get to know these most beautiful and graceful predators in the wild.
a lion
A lion. King of beasts. One of four representatives of the genus Panthera, belonging to the subfamily of big cats. It is the second largest cat after the tiger - the weight of males can reach 250 kg. But in terms of shoulder height, the lion is the champion among all cats.
This species originally evolved in Africa about 800,000 - 1 million years ago.
The appearance of a lion is very characteristic: males are much larger than females and have a luxurious mane up to 40 cm long. No other cat has anything like it. The mane visually enlarges the lion, and also helps to intimidate other males and attract females who prefer "men" with more luxurious hair. 
Both the lion and the lioness have a fluffy tuft at the end of the tail - a “tassel” about 5 cm long. At birth, it is absent and begins to appear at about 5 months of age. 
The color of the lion is usually yellow-gray in various shades, the mane is the same color as the skin, but it can be dark, even black. 
At the end of the 20th century, evidence of the existence of white lions appeared. Before that, for hundreds of years, they were considered the fruit of legends wandering around South Africa: 
These are very rare cats: 
Lions are super predators, i.e. occupy the top position in the food chain. However, besides humans, there is another predatory animal that can pose a threat to a lion - this is a crocodile. In a collision, these two species are capable of inflicting very serious injuries on each other. Lions are able to attack crocodiles when they crawl out onto land, while ancient reptiles attack the lions when they enter the water. 
Unlike other cats, they do not live alone, but in special family flocks - prides. Hunting and getting food is usually done by females, who act in groups. Males are engaged in the protection of the territory, expelling uninvited guests from them. Another reason why males do not hunt is the mane, which can interfere with camouflage. The fangs of a lion are 8 cm long, so these cats are able to kill fairly large animals. Despite the fact that lionesses are very sharp teeth, prey in most cases is killed by strangulation 
In nature, lions live from 10 to 15 years, in captivity they can live more than 20 years. True, males rarely live more than 10 years, since constant fights with other lions significantly reduce their life expectancy. 
Unfortunately, these big cats are classified as vulnerable species due to the irreversible decline in their population. Over the past 20 years, the number of lions in Africa has decreased by 35-50%. 
Jaguar
This is the third largest cat in the world, and the largest cat in the New World. One of four members of the Panthera genus. The body length without a tail is usually 120-185 cm, and in some cases the weight is up to 120 kg. The record in nature is 158 kg. In the Guarani language, yaguara means "a beast that kills with one leap." 
The oldest remains of the jaguar date back to the late Pliocene (about 2 million years). By morphological features the jaguar is most closely related to the leopard, very similar to it, but larger and heavier. 
The main body color of the jaguar is closer to sand. Spots are scattered over the body, which are darker than the general background of the body: solid, rings and rosettes. There are also completely black jaguars that look like panthers: 
Unlike lions, the lifestyle of jaguars is solitary. Like all cats, jaguars are territorial predators; The hunting area of one jaguar occupies 25-100 sq. km, depending on the landscape and the amount of prey, and is usually a triangle. 
The jaguar is a crepuscular predator. He hunts after sunset and before dawn. The main prey of the jaguar are capybaras and ungulates like deer, bakers, although it also hunts turtles: its powerful jaws can even bite through the shell. When attacking, this cat tries to injure the victim with the strongest blow at the time of the fall. This is a one-shot hunter: if the prey takes off running, the jaguar never pursues it. 
The jaguar's main hunting method is ambush in a tree or in tall grass. Also, prey will not be able to escape in the water - jaguars are excellent swimmers. 
In a significant part of its former range, this species is almost or completely exterminated. The jaguar is included in the international Red Book. 
Snow Leopard
The irbis, or snow leopard, lives in the mountains of Central Asia. This is a rather large cat, but smaller than a leopard, with a long, flexible body, relatively short legs and very long tail. Length with tail - 200–230 cm, weight - up to 55 kg. Recent studies show that snow leopards were distributed probably from 1.2 to 1.4 million years ago. 
The color of the fur of the snow leopard is light smoky gray with circular and solid dark spots. Since the irbis is an inhabitant of the high rocky mountains of Central and Central Asia, its coat is very thick, its length on the back reaches 55 mm - it provides protection from cold, harsh habitat conditions. So, in the Himalayas, the snow leopard was met at an altitude of 5400-6000 meters above sea level. 
Snow leopards lead a solitary lifestyle. In a territory with a low amount of prey, an area of \u200b\u200b1,000 square kilometers, only up to 5 cats can live. The snow leopard's lair suits in caves and clefts of rocks. 
The snow leopard is able to cope with prey three times its mass. He hunts in most cases before sunset and at dawn, attacking from behind a shelter. big booty the snow leopard tries to grab by the throat, and then strangle. 
Currently, the number of snow leopards is catastrophically small. In the XX century, this cat was listed in the Red Book International Union Nature Protection (IUCN) and in the Red Book of Russia. 
Leopard
The leopard is another representative of big cats, significantly inferior in size to the lion and tiger, one of the four representatives of the panther genus. Outwardly, it looks like a jaguar, reduced in size. Body length without tail - up to 190 cm, weight - up to 75 kg. According to fossil remains, the first ancestor of the leopard appeared in Asia as early as 3.8 million years ago. 
The skin of the animal is a golden background, on which black spots are randomly scattered or in the form of rings. Usually the color of the fur is paler and duller in winter than in summer. As in the case of the jaguar, in nature (usually in Southeast Asia) there are melanistic leopards, which are called black panthers. Leopard is perhaps one of the most graceful and beautiful cats. 
The leopard is a solitary and nocturnal animal. He climbs trees so deftly that sometimes he even catches monkeys. However, the leopard hunts mainly on the ground, using two techniques: sneaking up on prey and waiting in ambush. 
To prevent the prey from getting to the hyenas, the leopards drag it into the trees. The area of the hunting area of a leopard can reach 400 sq. km. depending on the region, topography and abundance of prey. 
Like lions and tigers, there are cannibals among leopards; usually these are old or sick individuals, unable to hunt their usual prey. Man for this predatory cat is a very easy target. So, in the 20s of the 20th century, the “Rudraprayag cannibal” was operating in India. On account of this leopard was 125! cases of officially registered murders of people. 
For many nations, the leopard is a symbol of cruelty, ferocity, aggressiveness, fearlessness. Unfortunately, the leopard is an endangered species. In the XX century, it was included in the IUCN Red Book, in the Red Book of Russia. 
clouded leopard
Clouded leopard belongs to the big cats, lives in South-East Asia and vaguely resembles a leopard. It's pretty ancient view, as well as a possible ancestor of the current large felines. 
The clouded leopard is the smallest big cat”: its size corresponds approximately to the size of a shepherd dog. Body length - 80–100 cm, weight - up to 21 kg. characteristic feature this cat is a long tail.
Small but toothy: 
Clouded leopards are found in southeast Asia and live alone. Among cats, clouded leopards are the best at climbing trees, even better than the leopard itself. They wait for their victims (deer, wild boars, monkeys and birds) on the branches and suddenly attack from above.
The pattern on the coat of a smoky leopard is unusual: large, unevenly shaped black spots are scattered on a yellowish background. The entire species is classified as endangered. 
Tiger
The tiger is the largest and heaviest cat and one of the largest land predators, second in mass only to the white and brown bear, one of the four members of the Panthera genus. Already about 2 million years ago, tigers were widespread in eastern Asia. 
Tiger subspecies vary greatly in size and weight, but the largest are the Bengal and Amur. Males can reach up to 2.4–2.8 meters in length without a tail and weigh up to 275 kg, and in some cases up to 300–320 kg. Record in captivity - 423 kg Amur tiger. For comparison, the weight of lions usually does not exceed 250 kg with approximately the same length. 
The entire body of the tiger is covered with stripes that vary in color from brown to completely black, and the tail always ends with a black tip. 
Due to mutation, there are very rare animals in nature - white tigers. The frequency of their appearance is one individual per 10,000 with normal coloration. These are Bengal tigers with black and brown stripes on white fur and blue eyes. Zoos now contain 130 white tigers: 
An even more rare discoloration is gold. There are only 30 golden tigers in zoos around the world: 
Tigers are solitary and territorial predators. The territory of one male is usually 60–100 sq. km. During the hunt, tigers use two techniques: sneaking up on prey, moving with short cautious steps, often falling to the ground, and waiting in ambush. 
During the attack, the tiger can reach speeds of up to 60 km / h on almost any terrain, as well as jump to a height of up to 5 meters and 9-10 meters in length. Sometimes the prey weight of this powerful cat is 6-7 times higher than its own. 
These majestic cats are also endangered species. In the XX century, it was included in the IUCN Red Book, in the Red Book of Russia. 