Central Asian snow. The fauna of Asia - a list, types, description and photos of the Asian fauna. Giant shilb catfish

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 this 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 are rare species. Due to the fact that they live in hard-to-reach places and harsh climatic conditions, the population has not yet been completely eradicated.

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.

AT wild nature there are about 10 representatives of this species, 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 reside in natural area 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 its body length is 20 cm. protection of the state.

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 Far East. Adults grow up to 8 meters in length, weigh 2-3 tons.

Predators, the hunting of which previously had an independent, mainly sporting interest, are now either under protection in most Asian countries because of their rarity, or they are hunted in order to regulate their numbers. An exception is the wolf: its numbers are large in places, the damage done to agriculture and hunting, as well as to the health of the population, is significant, therefore, a struggle is being waged against it. In the Asian part of Russia, for example, there are at least 40 thousand wolves. In the 1979 season, 18,462 predators were destroyed, including 11,395 in Kazakhstan and 5,590 in the RSFSR.

There are many wolves in Mongolia, where 4-4.5 thousand predators are shot annually, in northern regions China, in the countries of Central Asia, etc.

The number of the jackal almost everywhere has thinned due to the destruction of tugai, cutting down bushes, and draining reed beds. In the USSR, the production of this predator decreased from 36.1 thousand in 1949 to 15,266 in 1979. The main populations of the jackal are in Turkmenistan, where its production exceeds 4 thousand individuals per year.

population brown bears in the Asian part of Russia, as we have already noted, is significant, and they are quite intensively hunted for sport, but since the hunters keep the skins for themselves, it is impossible to establish the actual volume of prey of these predators. In Japan, bears are shot throughout the year as dangerous animals for the forest. Their average annual production for 1953-1974. amounted to 19 814 heads, including 5267 brown, 14 546 black. During the hunting season, 755 predators are hunted, the rest are destroyed during extermination measures. The maximum number of bears is shot in the prefectures of Hokkaido (5267 per year), Gifu (2388), Nagano (1686), Fukui (1135). In Mongolia, 100-200 brown bears are harvested per year.

Many rare species and subspecies of Asiatic bears are protected: the white-clawed bear in the Tien Shan, the black bear in Primorye, the panda bear in southern Asia, and so on.

The situation is unfavorable with most representatives of the cat family, especially with such large and attractive predators for the hunter as the lion, tiger, leopard, snow leopard, cheetah. They are heavily exterminated and are almost everywhere taken under protection. For example, in Iran, until relatively recently, 9 species of cats lived; to date, two of them, the largest - the Persian lion and the Turanian tiger - have disappeared, and the cheetah long time was in danger of destruction. A similar picture is typical for most Asian countries.

The lion survived only in India, in the Gir forest reserve, where these predators were introduced. Their number in the reserve has increased from 177 to 200 in just three years. Two more lion reserves have been created in the vicinity of Hotdarabad and not far from Bombay.

In the last decade, according to scientists, the number of tigers worldwide was 4,000 individuals, compared to 100,000 at the beginning of this century. The smallest subspecies of the tiger, the Balinese, inhabiting the island of Bali, is completely exterminated. Perhaps the Caspian (Turanian) tigers, who once inhabited the expanses of Asia from Afghanistan to Eastern Turkey, lived in the modern territory of the Central Asian republics and Kazakhstan, are no longer left in nature. Several hundred heads of the Sumatran tiger have been preserved, a few of the Chinese, about 250 individuals of the Siberian (Amur). Relatively numerous are Indonesian (2,000) and Indian or Bengal (about the same) tigers.

Many countries are taking measures to protect and restore the number of tigers. True, this task is very difficult, since lately hunting is not the main enemy. large predators, but the destruction of their habitats, the reduction in the number of wild ungulates, the main "food base" of predatory animals. In the Soviet Union, thanks to many years of efforts, it was possible to increase the number of Amur tigers from a few dozen to 200-250 heads.

In India, since 1973, the government, with the support of the international community, has been implementing a tiger conservation project in the country. It includes measures to create nature reserves, protect tiger habitats and increase the number of wild ungulates. As a result, over the past 5 years, tiger populations have increased, their population density has become the highest in protected areas. In 1977, there were 2278 tigers, 628 of them in the reserves. The number of wild ungulates in the main habitats of the predator also increased: sambar from 803 to 1107 heads, axis from 8477 to 14800, wild boar - from 1171 to 2703 heads.

Similarly, the problem of protecting and restoring the population of other large predators - leopard, snow leopard, cheetah - is being solved. Working with the first two species, and especially with the snow leopard, is complicated by the fact that it is very difficult to enforce bans on prey in the high-mountain, hard-to-reach habitats of these predators. Moreover, the snow leopard is most often shot by shepherds, whose herds he allegedly attacks (the actual damage to domestic animals from the snow leopard is insignificant); as early as 1973, leopards were hunted in significant quantities in China. Only one of the southern provinces received 3 thousand leopard skins. Hundreds of skins of this predator, exported from China, were seen in 1974 in Hong Kong. The cheetah has been placed in an almost hopeless situation by a sharp reduction in the number of lowland ungulates - goitered gazelle, gazelles, since it was fed mainly by hunting them.

In the latest report "Facts about furs" mentioned above, it was stated that in 1977-1978. 4,391,625 skins of wild fur-bearing animals were exported from Asian countries, and only 390 thousand skins are indicated by species, the rest are described as “other”. Analyzing these data, it can be established that approximately 93 thousand skins are not included in them. wild cats and 75 thousand ermine skins. According to well-known statistics, more than 9,120 thousand fur skins are harvested in Asia. Of course it is minimum performance, reflecting only a fraction of the actual production of fur-bearing animals in Asia.

Almost all wild cats, from huge and rather formidable to small and adorable, are endangered in one way or another. We offer you to pay attention to these amazing graceful animals, which are a real rare treasure of wildlife.

1. Asiatic cheetah

This magnificent cat once adorned the expanses of the Middle East, Central Asia, Kazakhstan and southeast India.

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Currently, due to the destruction of their habitat, poaching and excessive hunting, approximately 70-110 individuals remain on the entire planet. Asiatic cheetah living in the wild. All of them live in the arid conditions of the central plateau of Iran.

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2. Irbis (snow leopard)

Found in the rocky mountains of Central Asia, Snow leopards perfectly adapted to the cold conditions of the desert landscapes of their habitat.

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Unfortunately, the chic fur of the snow leopard attracts a huge number of hunters. For this reason, there are only 4000-6500 of these beautiful cats left in the world.

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3. Fishing cat (speckled cat)

Unlike many family members who prefer to avoid water procedures, this cat is a professional swimmer living on the banks of rivers, streams and mangrove swamps.

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In 2008, this species added to the list of endangered animals, as the favorite habitats of fishing cats - swamps - are gradually drained and become the focus of people.

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4. Kalimantan cat

Also known as the Borneo cat, this animal can only be found on the island of Borneo. This extremely rare representative the cat family is listed International Union for Nature Protection in the Red Book. The photograph in front of you is one of the few photographs so rare species.

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5. Sumatran cat

This cat with a slender body and an unusual (slightly flattened) head shape loves to feast on fish and walks by itself in the vastness of Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia and Sumatra. It has been listed in the Red Book since 2008 due to habitat destruction. The current number of individuals living on the planet is estimated to be less than 2,500.

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6. Andean cat

Among the two dozen small species of wild cats that exist in the world, one of the rarest, information about which is rather scarce, is an animal called the Andean cat. Alas, while millions of dollars are allocated to preserve the populations of her larger relatives from the cat family, hardly thousands remain from the budgets of protective organizations to support such small cats.

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7. Pyrenean lynx

The Pyrenean or Iberian lynx is considered the most endangered species of wild cats. Also, this species is currently one of the rarest mammals on the planet.

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A disease called myxomatosis in the 1950s wiped out the rabbit population (the mainstay of the lynx diet) in Spain on a massive scale. Now only about 100 individuals of this species of wild cat remain in the wild.

8. Manul

These beauties prefer to spend the morning hours in caves, crevices and even marmot burrows, going hunting only in the afternoon. Due to the depletion of their habitat, declining food supplies and incessant hunting, in 2002 this species was endangered.

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9. Long-tailed cat (margai)

Margai are created by ideal poison dart frogs. Only these cats have the ability to rotate their hind limbs 180 degrees, which allows them to run upside down in trees, like squirrels. Margai can even hang from a branch, clinging to it with only one paw. Every year, people kill about 14,000 long-tailed cats for their skins. This extermination trend is fatal for margays, because it takes them two years to produce offspring, while the risk of kitten mortality is 50%.

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10. Serval (bush cat)

These cats love to roam African savannah. The serval is the owner of the longest legs in relation to the body in comparison with any other representative of the feline genus. Unfortunately, in pursuit of their elegant skin, hunters do not skimp on bullets and traps, subsequently offering tourists serval fur, which is passed off as leopard or cheetah.

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11. Caracal

Also known as the desert lynx, this cat is capable of making barking sounds as a warning signal. The caracal is considered an endangered species in North Africa and is regarded as rare in Central Asia and India.

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12. African golden cat

Only relatively recently have people been able to obtain photographs of this rare nocturnal resident in its habitat.

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The golden cat is only twice the size of the domestic cat we are used to. Life span in vivo in individuals of this species has not been established, but it is known that in captivity they can live up to 12 years.

13. Temminka the cat

This cat lives in tropical and subtropical moist evergreen and dry deciduous forests. Deforestation, as well as hunting for skin and bones, have become the reasons for finding this species under the threat of total extinction.

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14. Dune cat

This unique cat features an extended head shape and fur that grows between its toes to protect it when walking on hot surfaces. The sand cat is listed as a threatened species, and therefore hunting for it is prohibited in many countries.

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15. Far Eastern leopard

The Amur (Far Eastern) leopard is endangered due to the destruction of its habitat, as well as the constant danger posed by people. According to the latest data, in the wild on this moment the presence of only 30 individuals of this species was recorded.

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16. Sumatran tiger

The Sumatran tiger is the last species of tiger in Indonesia to survive in the wild.

Despite the active policy of protective organizations in the fight against poaching, these tigers are constantly hunted, dooming them to extinction. World markets are continuously replenished with products made from these wild cats. Under these circumstances, fewer than 400 Sumatran tigers remain in the world.

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17 Clouded Leopard

Clouded leopard is considered an intermediate evolutionary link between large and small cats. This species has been placed under conditions of gradual habitat loss as a result of large-scale deforestation. Also contributing to the extermination of this species is commercial poaching aimed at the trade in wild animals. Total population Clouded leopard populations are currently thought to be less than 10,000 adults.

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18. Marble cat

This cat is often mistaken for a marbled leopard, but its size is much more graceful, and the tail has a high degree of fluffiness. The destruction of the habitat conditions of this species in the forests of Southeast Asia, as well as the reduction in the food supply, lead to a rapid decrease in the population of marbled cats in the world.

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19. Bengal cat

The color of the skin of a beautiful Bengal cat can vary from gray to red with white with a very light chest. This is the first species to have successfully crossed wild and domestic cats. The result was a beautiful and rather friendly beast.

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20. Maltese (blue) tiger

This view in the East is considered almost mythical. Most of the Maltese tigers belong to the subspecies of the South China tiger, which is endangered due to the frequent use of parts of the body of this animal in traditional medicine. Individuals that are distinguished by their "blue" skin at the moment may have already been completely exterminated.

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21. Golden striped tiger

"Gold striped" is not the name of a species, but the definition of a color deviation.

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As a rule, such individuals are the result of directed breeding of animals in captivity, however, in India there is evidence of a meeting with a golden tiger dating back to 1900.

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22. White lion

White lions are not albinos. They are the owners of a rare genetic set that was distributed only in one place on Earth, the Kruger National Park in South Africa. Two decades before the creation of the White Lion Protection Society, this species was almost completely exterminated, so a unique program is now underway to restore the population in their natural environment a habitat.

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23. Anatolian leopard

For the past 30 years, this Turkish leopard species was thought to be completely extinct. However, in 2013, a shepherd in the southeastern province of Diyarbakır killed a large cat that attacked his herd. Later, biologists determined that it was an Anatolian leopard. Although this story has such a sad ending, it still gives hope that the rarest species may still exist.

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24. Rusty cat

A rusty or red-spotted cat, whose length, including the tail, is only 50-70 cm, and its weight is about 2-3 kg, is the smallest wild cat in the world. A person knows practically nothing about this species, whose representatives are extremely secret life. Unfortunately, despite this, the rusty cat has already managed to get into the list of "vulnerable" species, since most of its places natural habitat has now been turned into farmland.

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25. Scottish Forest Cat

Known as the "Highland Tiger" in the UK, the Scottish Forest Cat is now critically endangered, with a recent population estimate of less than 400 individuals.

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26. Black-footed cat

The smallest of all African wild cats, the black-footed cat has black fur on the soles of its paws to protect it from the hot sand of the desert. These animals are no strangers to scavenging for food, and this habit exposes them to great danger because in this way they fall into the traps set for other animals.

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The fauna of Asia includes all animals living on its territory and adjacent seas and islands. Since there is no natural biogeographic boundary in the west between Europe and Asia, the term "fauna of Asia" is somewhat arbitrary. Asia is located in the eastern part of the Palaearctic, and its southeastern part belongs to the Indomalayan zone.

This part of the world is famous for its diversity of habitats, with significant fluctuations in precipitation, elevation, temperature and geological history, which directly affects the wealth of the animal and .
This article provides a list of some species of mammals, birds, amphibians, reptiles and fish that are typical of the Asian fauna.

Subfamily big cats:

• tiger;
• smoky leopard;
• leopard;
• Snow Leopard.

Subfamily small cats:

• caracal;
• cheetah;
• common lynx;
• marble cat;
• representatives of the genera: catopums (Catopuma), cats (Felis)(excluding black-footed cat), oriental cats (Prionailurus).

Red Wolf

Rhinos are characterized large sizes, a plant-based diet, thick protective skin, 1.5-5 cm thick, a relatively small brain (400-600 g) for a mammal of this size, and a large horn. As a rule, they eat leaves, although they are adapted to digest more fibrous vegetation.

Two species belong to the genus of orangutans: which live respectively on the island of Kalimantan or Borneo, and the island of Sumatra. Orangutans, whose name means "people of the forest," live in tropical and wetland forests. These shaggy red monkeys are the largest arboreal mammals in the Asian region.

Long, curly, reddish coat covers most gray skin of orangutans. They have a stocky body, flexible pelvis, thick neck and bent legs. The arms of the orangutan are longer than the legs and almost reach the level of the ankles when the animal is standing. Orangutans spend most of their lives in the trees, moving confidently from branch to branch, but they look a bit clumsy on the ground. Adult male orangutans are larger than females.

Saiga

Saiga belongs to the subfamily of true antelopes. The geographical habitat includes: Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Turkmenistan, Russia and western Mongolia. They live in steppes, semi-deserts, and feed on various types vegetation.

The saiga weighs from 26 to 69 kg, has a body length of 100-140 cm and a height at the withers of 61-81 cm. A characteristic feature of these antelopes is a pair of closely spaced, swollen nostrils directed downwards. They have long ears (7-12 cm). During summer migrations, their nose helps filter the dust that the herd kicks up and also cools the animal's blood. AT winter time, the nose heats up cold air before it enters the lungs.

Chamois

This representative of the goat subfamily lives in Asia Minor. Chamois occurs on moderately high altitudes and adapted to life in rocky terrain. They can be found at altitudes up to at least 3600 m. In winter, they descend to lower places (about 800 m) and live in forests, preferring pine trees.

Adults reach a height at the withers of 70-80 cm and a body length of 107-137 cm. Sexual dimorphism is pronounced, males weighing 30-60 kg more than females, which weigh 25-45 kg. Both sexes have short horns that curve back slightly at the tips, with the males having thicker horns. The fur is a rich brown in summer, turning to light gray in winter. There are light contrasting stripes on the head, and black under the eyes.

black-backed tapir

The black-backed tapir is the largest species of tapir and the only representative of the genus in Asia. Prefers dense tropical forests and night image life.

This animal is easy to identify by its characteristic color: the back, sides and belly, as well as the tips of the ears are light in color, and the rest of the body is black. Black-backed tapirs grow from 1.8 to 2.5 m in length, not counting the short tail, 5-10 cm long. The height at the withers is 90-110 cm, and the weight is 250-320 kg, although some adults can weigh up to 540 kg. Females are usually larger than males. Like other types of tapirs, they have short and flexible proboscises.

Birds

Big Indian kalao

The Greater Indian Kalao is one of the largest members of the hornbill family. The species is distributed in the Indian subcontinent and the South East Asia. In captivity, it can live up to 50 years. It is predominantly a frugivorous bird, preying on small mammals, reptiles and birds.

The body length is 95-130 cm, the wingspan is 152 cm, and the weight varies from 2.15 to 4 kg. It is the heaviest, but not the longest, Asian hornbill. Females are smaller than males and have bluish-white eyes instead of red ones. Most characteristic feature This species has a bright yellow beak with black spots, on top of which is a U-shaped helmet.

Siamese lofur

The Siamese lofur is a relatively large representative of the pheasant family, with a body length of about 80 cm. This bird is common in the lowlands of the evergreen forests of Cambodia, Laos, Thailand and Vietnam. The Siamese Lofur is the national bird of Thailand.

Males are characterized by gray plumage, crimson legs, a head crest of black feathers, red skin around the eyes, and long, curved dark tails. The color of the feathers of the female is brown, with blackish wings and tail.

Argus pheasant

Argus pheasant is one of the largest birds of the pheasant family, living in the jungles of Southeast Asia. Males are larger than females and have a more impressive appearance. The body length is 160-200 cm, the tail is 105-143 cm, and the weight is 2.04-2.72 kg. The tail feathers are very long. The most impressive features of the males are the huge, wide and highly elongated middle wing feathers, adorned with large eyes. Females are smaller and duller than males, with shorter tails and smaller eyes. The length of their body is 72-76 cm, the tail is 30-36 cm, and their weight is 1.59-1.70 kg.

Helmeted Hornbill

The helmeted hornbill lives on the Malay Peninsula, the islands of Sumatra and Borneo. This species has a helmet, which is located at the base of the beak. The head together with the helmet weighs about 11% of 3 kg of body weight. Unlike other hornbills, this bird has a hard enough helmet, and it is used in fights between males.

The helmeted hornbill has blackish plumage except for the white underbelly and legs. The tail is white with a black stripe near the tip. The body length is 110-120 cm, excluding the length of the tail feathers, which are about 50 cm. Males weigh an average of 3.1 kg, and females - 2.7 kg. This species has a hairless, wrinkled neck that is pale blue to greenish in females and red in males. Helmet and beak painted in yellow, however, due to the secretions of the coccygeal gland, there is a reddish tint.

Japanese crane

The Japanese crane is a rare species of large birds from the crane family, native to East Asia. In some parts of its range, this crane is a symbol of good luck, longevity and fidelity. Adults have red bare skin on the crown that becomes brighter during the mating season. In general, they white color with black flight feathers on the wings, which may appear as a black tail when the wings are folded. Males are black on the cheeks, throat and neck, while females are pearl grey. The beak is olive-greenish in color, the legs are greyish-black, and the iris is dark brown.

This species is one of the largest cranes, with a height of 150-158 cm and a body length of 101.2-150 cm (beak to tail tip). The wingspan is 220-250 cm, and the body weight ranges from 4.8 to 10.5 kg, with males slightly larger and heavier than females.

Amphibians

Far Eastern toad

Far Eastern toad- a representative of the class of amphibians from the family of toads. It is common in East Asia. This species avoids dense forests, but is found in most other habitats, including grasslands, open forests, and crop areas. The Far Eastern toad prefers humid areas and is rarely found above 800 meters. The diet consists of insects.

Body length varies from 56 to 102 mm. On the entire surface of the body there are skin growths and spikes. The color of the back includes dark gray and olive brown, and the belly is yellow or gray.

Zagros newt

The Zagros newt is a very colorful species of amphibian from the salamander family. It is distributed in the southern part of the Zagros Mountains in Iran. It can be found in mountain rivers as well as in ponds and pools. Water is absent from its habitat for much of the year, and the newt migrates into the surrounding forests. As you know, this species spends the summer in hibernation.

Semirechensky frogtooth

Salamander is common in Central Asia, in the mountains of Dzungarian Alatau, on the border of China and Kazakhstan. His natural places habitats include temperate forests, tundra, temperate grasslands, rivers, freshwater swamps and freshwater springs. The species is threatened due to habitat loss. Its diet consists of aquatic and terrestrial invertebrates.

The body length, including the tail, is 21.3 cm. The head is flattened, the body is strong and the tail is strong. The color is yellow or olive, sometimes with small spots.

reptiles

combed crocodile

Salted crocodile is considered the largest modern reptile from the family Crocodylidae. Males can grow up to 7 m in length, but usually individuals are about 6 m and weigh 1-1.2 tons. Sexual dimorphism is pronounced, the body length of females often does not exceed 3 m. This species is adapted to life in sea ​​water, but is more common in salty mangrove swamps, estuaries, deltas, and lagoons. It is distributed from east coast India to most of Southeast Asia.

This crocodile is the most dangerous reptile to humans due to its extensive distribution, aggressiveness and large size.

Other species of the order of crocodiles common in Asia are:

• Philippine crocodiles;
• New Guinea crocodiles;
• Swamp crocodiles;
• Siamese crocodiles;
• Gangetic gharials;
• Gharial crocodiles.

Indian roof turtle

Indian roof turtle - a species of reptile from the Asian family freshwater turtles. Distributed in major rivers South Asia. It feeds on aquatic and terrestrial vegetation, as well as small aquatic animals.

The length of the shell is 23 cm. The turtle has an oval, streamlined shape and a greenish-brown color. The head is small. hallmark species is dentate top part shell.

Chinese alligator

The Chinese alligator is a very rare species of alligator (no more than 200 individuals live in the wild), endemic to Eastern China.

An adult alligator reaches a body length of 1.5 m and a weight of 36 kg. Usual environment The habitat of this species includes low altitudes and the presence of fresh water sources: swamps, lakes, rivers, ponds. Wetlands are extremely important to Chinese alligators due to their biodiversity.

King Cobra

King Cobra found mainly in the forests of India and Southeast Asia. This view is the longest poisonous snake in the world (from 5.6 to 5.7 m). Despite the word "Cobra" in common name, this snake is not a member of the genus Naja(real cobras), which includes most species of cobras, but stands out in a separate genus Ophiophagus. The king cobra mainly preys on other snakes, and some small vertebrates such as lizards and rodents. This snake has gained fame as a dangerous reptile, although it avoids collisions with people whenever possible.

Striped bald eye

The striped naked eye is a small lizard whose body length does not exceed 5-6 cm (excluding 7-8 cm of the tail). It is distributed in Armenia, Azerbaijan, Turkmenistan, northwestern Iran and Turkey. Prefers to live at an altitude of 2300 to 3300 m.

The body color is olive brown or brownish brown, with stripes. On each side are wide brown stripes. In males, during the breeding season, the belly becomes pinkish or golden-orange.

horned agama

The horned agama belongs to the agama family. The species is endemic to the island of Sri Lanka and is distributed in mountain forests. Its diet consists of arthropods.

The head of this lizard is oval. Above upper lip there is a small process, light in color, similar to a horn. The back is brownish-green or yellowish-brown. There are 10-16 dark brown stripes on the tail. The belly is light or brownish-gray.

Fish

Amur pike

The Amur pike is native to the Amur River in East Asia. It reaches a body length of 115 cm and a weight of 12.5 kg. The color is silvery with small black spots. Her body is elongated, covered with scales. This species has a large mouth, the lower jaw protrudes slightly forward. The Amur pike is a typical predator that switches to a carnivorous diet when it reaches a body length of 5 cm. Its diet consists of carp in lakes, and minnow with minnows in rivers.

Ganges shark

The Gangetic shark is a critically endangered species that lives in the Indian rivers Ganges and Brahmaputra. It is often confused with the more common gray bull shark, which is also found in the Ganges River. Unlike bull sharks, which must migrate to salt water to breed, the ganga shark is a true river dweller. It grows up to 2 m in length. It is a typical shark in appearance, with a stocky body and two spineless fins: dorsal and anal.

Giant shilb catfish

The giant shilb catfish is a large, critically endangered species of catfish that lives in the Mekong River basin in Southeast Asia.

With a color from gray to white, without stripes, antennae and teeth, the giant shinba catfish is different from other large catfish that live in the Mekong River. This is one of the largest freshwater species fish in the world, with a maximum body length of about 3 m, and a mass of more than 250 kg.

Currently, the IUCN Red List classifies the giant shilb catfish as an endangered species; The number of individuals living in the wild is unknown, but data indicate that the population of these fish has declined by 80% over the past 14 years.

Far Eastern catfish

Far Eastern or Amur catfish is one of the species of fish of the catfish family. This large freshwater fish lives in East Asia and Japan. Prefers slow flowing rivers, lakes and irrigation canals. Adult fish have only two pairs of antennae. This species grows up to 130 cm in total length and weighs up to 8 kg.

snakehead

Snakehead - view freshwater fish, originally from China, Russia, North and South Korea, found from the Amur River to Hainan. It has also been introduced to other regions where it is considered invasive.

The body length of the snakehead ranges from 85-100 cm, but sometimes there are specimens up to 150 cm. The largest recorded international association Game Fish snakehead weighed 8.05 kg, although a specimen caught in 2016 weighing 8.36 kg broke this record.

We bring to your attention several rare shots snow leopards that were made in the mountainous regions of Central Asia, in their natural 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, the snow leopard is the rarest and also one of the most solitary and secretive of the 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 the staff of the National Protection Agency 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 the director of the 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 do not stop as much as possible. 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.