What animals live in the bottom of Baikal. Unique animals of Baikal. The smallest inhabitants of Baikal

Scientists agreed that the Baikal fauna is the oldest in the world. It is here that more than 2565 species and subspecies of animals and over 1000 plants have been registered, most of which are endemic and are not found anywhere else. But there are also hundreds of species of bottom microorganisms and practically unexplored viruses and phages.

However, of all the endemic animals of Lake Baikal, the only mammal is the seal. These extremely cute seals are the symbol of the lake, and you can see them only here, because nowhere else, except in Baikal, the seal can adapt to life. There were many attempts to bring the Baikal seal to various zoos, but they all ended in failure. The only place where the seal managed to visit is the Baikal Museum in Listvyanka, as well as the sealarium. By the way, the pools and aquariums of these two enterprises receive water directly from the lake and are constantly updated. It was thanks to this seal that they managed to settle in an artificial reservoir for a long time.

But let's not forget that Baikal is still a lake, and its main inhabitant is fish. There are 52 species of fish in Baikal, the most famous of which is the Baikal omul. However, Siberian sturgeon, pike, whitefish, grayling, perch, dace, carp, burbot, taimen, golomyanka are also found here. The latter is an amazing creature, consisting entirely of fat.

Baikal is a unique ecosystem that includes more than 2,500 species of animals and plants that are found only in this region. Scientists agree that this place is home to many relic organisms that have not yet been studied. Several rare species of animals live here.

Below is a selection of some representatives of the Baikal fauna, with a brief description and photo.

Mammals of Baikal

Siberian lynx

A graceful predator from the cat family, adapted to the conditions of the cold Siberian winter. The body length of a lynx reaches 130 cm, and males can be up to 70 cm in height. The average weight of an animal is 25 kg. They have a dense build and a short tail, as well as characteristic tufts at the tips of their ears. Lynxes are distinguished by very large paws - nature has awarded them with them so that it is easier for animals to move through snowdrifts and not fall through. The color of lynxes is smoky or reddish-brown with tan marks.

Brown bear

The largest mammal of Lake Baikal, weighing up to 250 kg. The body length of a brown bear is 150 cm. They feed on berries, fish, and roots. In winter, it is difficult to meet a brown beast - it hibernates.

Fox

The most cunning predator of Baikal, which is not at all afraid of people. Foxes often approach tourists and even allow themselves to be stroked. The weight of an adult animal reaches 15 kg, and the length, excluding the tail, is 80 cm. The fox lives up to 18 years in the Baikal region, while in other regions they rarely live to 10. The predator feeds on small game, fish and even worms.

Mustachioed bat

A rare species of bat is a medium-sized red animal with oblong ears. Settles closer to the mountain zone and goes outside at night. Night bats live in groups of up to 20 individuals. The small animal moves very quickly, and in winter the flocks fly south.

Baikal seal

A true symbol of the legendary lake. Nerpa is found only on Lake Baikal. Due to poachers, the animal is endangered. The fur, meat and fat of this mammal are highly valued, but hunting is not punishable by law. The seal, like seals, loves to swim in the water and get ashore to rest.

Wolverine

A predatory animal from the mustelid class, reaching a length of 100 cm, but not high at the withers. Wolverines love hiking and are often found on different paths. During such a walk, the wolverine looks for future prey. The animal's diet includes rodents, bird eggs, and less often carrion.

moose

Another representative of the largest animals - the weight of the male reaches 500 kg, and the body length is 2 m. Moose most often settle on the coast. They feed on grass and wood bark. The average life expectancy is 30 years. Elk does not like human society, so seeing him is a rarity.

musk deer

Outwardly, the animal resembles an ordinary hornless deer, but it has one feature - huge fangs! Their presence is associated with the nutrition of the mammal. Musk deer prefer to eat lichens, and for this they need to pry them from trees. The animal is under the threat of complete extinction due to the demand for musk. Musk deer are small in size - only 90 cm in length and 15 kg in weight.

Muskrat

Semi-aquatic rodent, the average weight of which rarely exceeds 1.5 kg. It is constantly in the water and is impeccably protected from the cold by special fur. Muskrats do not get wet at all, they are distinguished by a light color of the abdomen and darker fur on top. On each limb there are membranes, thanks to which muskrats quickly move under water. Also, for swimming, animals use a specially shaped tail. Muskrats live up to 8 years and choose areas well covered with vegetation. Muskrats have an amazing natural instinct - they are able to build 2-level dwellings and pantries for storing food.

Reptiles of Baikal

Cotton muzzle

Cotton muzzles are the most common snakes of Lake Baikal. These are medium-sized animals, the length of which reaches 70 cm. They differ from other snakes in their pronounced neck and rounded head. There are 4 subspecies: Ussuri, stony, water and eastern muzzle. All of them are found along the shores of the lake.

Mongolian toad

Another cold-blooded creature is the Mongolian toad, whose body length reaches 8 cm. The color of the toad is white-green, becoming darker with age. Settles in estuaries, in swampy areas. The population of the Mongolian toad is small, so it is quite difficult to meet it.

Birds of Baikal

Many birds live along the shores of the lake, but the most interesting of them are the following:

saker falcon

A unique bird of prey from the falconiformes order, similar in size to crows. The back of the bird is dark brown, and the front is light with circles. It feeds on small game and nests high in trees. The bird is in danger of extinction.

Sandpiper

A small creature from the genus of sandpipers, characterized by a very thin and straight beak, which is shorter than that of other birds. Long legs and their special structure help the sandpiper to move on the ground at incredible speed. The bottom of the bird is painted white, and brown in front.

white-tailed eagle

One of the most beautiful birds living on the shore of the lake. This is the largest predator of Baikal, preferring fish as food.

Many Baikal birds require serious protection and protection from poachers, but the bills have not yet been developed.

The rarest animals of Baikal

Reindeer

In the Red Book you can find reindeer, which is very rare on Baikal. Previously, reindeer inhabited the entire Irkutsk region, but now their numbers have been greatly reduced. This is the only deer species that even females have antlers.

Red Wolf

Another animal that is rarely found anywhere else is the red wolf. A rare predator rarely makes contact with people and prefers to hide. The red wolf is small in size, but incredibly strong - in a fight with a leopard or leopard, he may well win.

Irbis

The snow leopard, the irbis, is also included in the Red Book. The most cautious and mysterious representative of the Baikal fauna. The snow leopard has an amazing hearing - it is able to notice the rustle at a distance of several kilometers. According to scientists, no more than 50 snow leopards live on Baikal. The average weight of a male is 50 kg.

The fauna of Baikal attracts attention and delights no less than the beauty of the lake. However, most of the rare species need serious protection, otherwise their existence on the planet will soon cease.

Geography of Lake Baikal

Lake Baikal is located in the south of Eastern Siberia. In the form of a crescent being born, Baikal stretched from southwest to northeast between 55°47" and 51°28" north latitude and 103°43" and 109°58" east longitude. The length of the lake is 636 km, the maximum width in the central part is 81 km, the minimum width opposite the Selenga delta is 27 km (between capes Goly on the western shore of Baikal and Sredny on the eastern shore). Baikal is located at an altitude of 455 m above sea level. The length of the coastline is about 1850 km (excluding part of the coast north of Yarki Island). More than half of the lake's coastline is included in the territory of nature reserves, reserves and national parks.

The area of ​​the water mirror, determined at the water's edge of 454 m above sea level, is 31,470 square kilometers. The maximum depth of the lake is 1637 m, the average depth is 730 m. Sometimes in the literature there is a statement that the maximum depth of Baikal is 1642 m. Which value is correct? The answer to this question is somewhat paradoxical - both are correct. The point is that the measurement error for such depths is about 2%; 30 meters. Therefore, it is correct to say that the greatest depth of Baikal is 1640 m, but do not forget about a possible error of several tens of meters.

336 permanent rivers and streams flow into Baikal, while half of the water entering the lake comes from the Selenga. The only river flowing from Baikal is the Angara. However, the question of the number of rivers flowing into Baikal is rather controversial, most likely there are less than 336 of them. There is no doubt that Baikal is the deepest lake in the world, the closest contender for this title, the African Lake Tanganyika, lags behind by as much as 200 meters. There are 30 islands on Baikal, although, as mentioned above, there is no unanimity on this issue. The largest is Olkhon Island.

Age of Lake Baikal

The age of the lake is usually given in the literature as 20-25 million years. In fact, the question of the age of Baikal should be considered open, since the use of various methods for determining the age gives values ​​from 20-30 million to several tens of thousands of years. Apparently, the first estimate is closer to the truth - Baikal is indeed a very ancient lake. If we assume that the age of Baikal is indeed several tens of millions of years, then this is the oldest lake on Earth.

It is believed that Baikal arose as a result of tectonic processes that are still ongoing, which is manifested in the increased seismicity of the Baikal region and in a large number of thermal springs.

origin of name

Numerous scientific studies have been devoted to the problem of the origin of the word "Baikal", which indicates a lack of clarity in this matter. There are about a dozen possible explanations for the origin of the name. Among them, the most probable is the version of the origin of the name of the lake from the Turkic-speaking Bai-Kul - a rich lake. Of the other versions, two more can be noted: from the Mongolian Baigal - a rich fire and Baigal Dalai - a large lake. The peoples who lived on the shores of the lake called Baikal in their own way. Evenks, for example, - Lamu, Buryats - Baigal-Nuur, even the Chinese had a name for Baikal - Beihai - the North Sea.

Baikal water

Baikal water is unique and amazing, like Baikal itself. It is unusually transparent, pure and saturated with oxygen. In not so ancient times, it was considered healing, with its help, diseases were treated. In spring, the transparency of Baikal water, measured using the Secchi disk (a white disk 30 cm in diameter), is 40 m (for comparison, in the Sargasso Sea, which is considered the standard of transparency, this value is 65 m). Later, when a massive algae bloom begins, the transparency of the water decreases, but in calm weather, the bottom can be seen from a boat at a fairly decent depth. Such high transparency is explained by the fact that Baikal water, due to the activity of living organisms that live in it, is very weakly mineralized and close to distilled.

The volume of water in Baikal is about 23 thousand cubic kilometers, which is 20% of the world and 90% of Russian fresh water reserves. Every year, the Baikal ecosystem reproduces about 60 cubic kilometers of clear, oxygenated water.

Climate

The climate in Eastern Siberia is sharply continental, but the huge mass of water contained in Baikal and its mountainous surroundings create an unusual microclimate. Baikal works like a big thermal stabilizer - in winter it is warmer in Baikal, and in summer a little cooler than, for example, in Irkutsk, located at a distance of 70 km from the lake. The temperature difference is usually around 10 degrees. A significant contribution to this effect is made by forests growing on almost the entire coast of Lake Baikal.

The influence of Lake Baikal is not limited to the regulation of the temperature regime. Due to the fact that the evaporation of cold water from the surface of the lake is very small, clouds cannot form over Baikal. In addition, the air masses that bring clouds from the land heat up when passing the coastal mountains, and the clouds dissipate. As a result, the sky over Baikal is clear most of the time. This is also evidenced by the numbers: the number of hours of sunshine in the region of Olkhon Island is 2277 hours (for comparison - on the Riga seashore 1839, in Abastumani (Caucasus) - 1994). You should not think that the sun always shines over the lake - if you are not lucky, you can get one or even two weeks of disgusting rainy weather even in the sunniest place of Baikal - on Olkhon, but this is extremely rare.

The average annual water temperature on the surface of the lake is +4°C. Near the coast in summer the temperature reaches +16-17°C, in shallow bays up to +22-23°C.

wind and waves

The wind on Baikal blows almost always. More than thirty local names of winds are known. This does not mean at all that there are so many different winds on Baikal, just that many of them have several names. The peculiarity of the Baikal winds is that almost all of them almost always blow along the coast and there are not as many shelters from them as we would like.

Prevailing winds: northwest, often called mountain winds, northeast (Barguzin and Verkhovik

He is also an angara), southwestern (kultuk), southeastern (shelonnik). The maximum wind speed recorded on Lake Baikal is 40 m/s. Large values ​​are also found in the literature - up to 60 m/s, but there is no reliable evidence for this.

Where there is wind, there, as you know, there are waves. I note right away that the opposite is not true - the wave can be even with complete calm. Waves on Lake Baikal can reach a height of 4 meters. Sometimes values ​​​​of 5 and even 6 meters are given, but this is most likely an estimate “by eye”, which has a large error, as a rule, in the direction of overestimation. The height of 4 meters was obtained using instrumental measurements in the open sea. The excitement is strongest in autumn and spring. In the summer on Lake Baikal, strong excitement is rare, and calm often occurs.

currents

As in any sea, there are currents in Baikal. They are caused by various reasons: atmospheric pressure drops, winds, the flow of rivers flowing into Baikal, the Coriolis force.

The current velocity is only a few centimeters per second, rarely exceeding 10 cm/s, it depends on many factors and decreases with distance from the coast and with depth.

The surface current near the western shore of Lake Baikal is almost always directed from north to south, and near the eastern shore - from south to north. In other words, in general, the current along the Baikal coast is counterclockwise. There is also a current along the coast of Olkhon Island. With the exception of the Olkhonskiye Vorota strait and the nearby areas of the island, it is directed clockwise. In the Olkhon Gates Strait and near the western coast of the Small Sea, the current is so strong that in calm weather the ship's drift is clearly visible.

Fauna and flora of Baikal

There are more than 2600 species and subspecies of animals in Baikal (2682, as of 2008) and more than 1000 species of plant organisms. New species are discovered from time to time. There is reason to believe that at present only 70-80% of the species of living organisms inhabiting the waters of Lake Baikal are known to science. In the old days, when science was not yet in a coma, an average of 10 new organisms were discovered per year. About 40% of plants and about 85% of animal species living in open Baikal are endemic; found only in Baikal. Living organisms in Lake Baikal are distributed from the surface to maximum depths.

There are 58 species and subspecies of fish in the lake. The most famous are omul, whitefish, grayling, taimen, sturgeon, golomyanka, lenok. About 2000 species of plants grow on the coast of Lake Baikal. 200 species of birds nest on the shores. In Baikal there is a unique, typically marine mammal - the Baikal seal. It is assumed that it came to Baikal from the Arctic Ocean during the ice age along the Yenisei and Angara. Currently, there are several tens of thousands of seals in the lake. In summer, in the central and northern parts of the lake, they can be seen quite often.

Besides the fact that Baikal is the deepest lake on the planet and a reserve, it is also a delightful world in which many different animals live.

Many plants and animals that are the inhabitants of Baikal are listed in the Red Book. Moreover, they do not live anywhere else in the world, since Lake Baikal is the only habitat for these creatures.

Let's find out who was lucky enough to live on the shores of a unique lake.

seals

Seals are the brightest representatives of the animal world of Baikal. Tourists love to take pictures of them. But not everyone knows the amazing facts about these animals:

Elk

musk deer

Interesting inhabitants of Lake Baikal are small deer - musk deer, which are sometimes called "saber-toothed". Indigenous people tell a legend about how a deer fell in love with a lynx, and as a result of this love, a musk deer was born.

• These animals, like seals, are on the verge of extinction. The reason is poaching. Males are the source of musk, which is the basis of many recipes in perfumery and medicine, and poachers hunt for it, and therefore for musk deer.
• The maximum weight of a musk deer is 18 kg, and the length of the body is 1 m. There are no horns, but the males have fangs, with which they deftly pry lichens from the trees - the deer's favorite food.
• The race starts at the end of October. Fawns are born 190-200 days later.

Live in the world of Baikal and wolverines - at first glance, defenseless, clumsy creatures. In fact, they are fast, agile and merciless predators belonging to the weasel family. In appearance, they resemble a miniature bear. On average, a wolverine grows in length up to 1m.

This tireless hunter and traveler can travel 40-50 km during the day in search of prey. They serve him food:

• birds;
• rodents;
• eggs;
• carrion.

A predator can attack a dying or injured deer.

Indigenous people tell many tales about the cunning and deceit of the wolverine, which can easily deal with moose.

There is no specific mating time, but the female wolverine produces offspring, as a rule, in winter, in a tunnel she has made in the snow. It is interesting that the fathers somehow find out about what is happening and come. They take care of the family - they bring food to the female and cubs.

Female can give birth twice a year, but observations since 1969 show that this phenomenon is very rare.

The life expectancy of wolverines is 10-15 years. On the lake they have only one enemy - the wolf.

Just a unique inhabitant of our wonderful world. Very rare. His appearance seems to combine jackal, wolf and fox traits. Once upon a time, the red wolf lived in Russia throughout the Altai, Buryatia and Primorsky Territory. Now the population on Baikal is being restored artificially, with the help of animals from Northern China.

On the territory of Russia they became rare due to hunters and poachers. The shooting of red wolves was carried out because of their tails from 50 cm long and very similar to foxes.

Bear

Brown bears living in the beautiful world of Lake Baikal grow up to 2.5-3m in length, and at the withers they have a height of 1.5m and above. This unhurried beast leads a sedentary life, although, if necessary, it can travel up to 300 km in search of food and return.

• Baikal bears are omnivorous, but prefer fish.
• They can hibernate for up to six months.
• Dens are built more solidly than European bears.
• There is no fixed mating time.
• At a time, the bear brings 1-4 babies, who spend their first hibernation with their mother.
• Bears live in the reserve for 20-25 years.

Lynx

This lone predator treats tourists calmly, but it is not easy to meet him, as he prefers to live in hard-to-reach places.

They do not breed every season, usually 3-5 cubs are born, the male does not take care of the family.

Lynx food is:

• foxes;
• hares;
• deer;
• eggs.

Attacks from ambush. To wolverines remains neutral.

The legendary snow leopard. This beast cannot be killed, even if it attacks. Tourists are allowed to defend themselves with the help of darts with sleeping pills. This animal is so rare.

white hare

The fate of this animal is not easy, because the white hare serves as food for many Baikal predators.

• The weight of the beast is 2.5-5 kg, and the body length reaches 0.5 m.
• They dig deep holes - 8-9 m.
• They feed on plants, in winter they eat bark and branches.
• In a year, a hare gives 3-4 litters of 2-6 rabbits.
• White hares live in large "families". They often come to the aid of their own kind.

Unique foxes live on the shores of Lake Baikal. Only here red foxes quite calmly react to people. Seeing a group of tourists, they do not leave, but begin to “pose”, stretching their muzzle in a smile. In return, tourists leave food for them, so the benefits of filming are direct for the foxes.

This graceful beast is somewhat different from its relatives in European forests.

Animals of Baikal are closely interconnected both with each other and with the lake. It catches the eye. Many tourists strive to get into these reserved places, and those who have been here certainly want to visit this wonderful world again!

According to Buryat legends, Lake Baikal is connected with all existing oceans, seas and fast rivers, it has no bottom, and in its depths full of secrets you can see the silver palace of Erlik Khan. Taiga, constantly changing its shades, colorfully painted lichens, endless expanses of skies - everyone who finds himself on the shores of Baikal for the first time will certainly experience an extraordinary feeling of delight and fear from the majesty and silence of the surrounding nature. Bottomless depths, venerable age, former connection with the ocean, crystal clear waters, their high oxygen saturation - all these factors contributed to the development of the unique flora and fauna of modern Baikal.

Baikal gives nature lovers not only peace of mind, but also the enjoyment of science. The diversity of the flora of the lake delights the botanists of the most famous scientific centers. Its rocky bottom is covered with a carpet of diatoms, branched shrubs, cylinders about 1 m high, tubes, which together form a fabulously beautiful underwater world. To date, descriptions of more than 600 plant species of the lake are known. Among them are a large number of various algae: benthic blue-green algae, a few groups of golden and pyrophytic algae, widely distributed in fresh water plankton. Reeds and water lilies grow on the shores of the bays.

Animals

The high oxygen content was the reason for the abundant population of Baikal with living organisms. About 2,600 species of animals live here, most of which are endemic. One of the endemics is the epishura crustacean, which acts as a filter and is an important link in the food chain of the lake. At the bottom of the reservoir grow, or rather live, whole groves of Baikal sponges, the branches of which reach a height of 60-70 cm. There are a lot of fish in the water depths. The most common among them are grayling, whitefish, burbot and the famous Baikal omul. In summer it is caught in an open lake, in winter - under the ice. Baikal is inhabited by viviparous golomyanka fish, which can descend to a depth of 1000 meters. Another interesting representative of the fauna of Baikal is the seal.

Baikal sponges