Altai Nature Reserve: animals, birds and plants. Fauna of Altai (fauna) Animals living in the Altai region

– The fox is a medium-sized predatory animal with an elegant body on low paws, a narrow elongated muzzle, pointed ears and a long fluffy tail. Winter fur is thick and lush, while summer fur is sparse and short. The main food is rodents. Especially mouse-voles. She even finds mice under the snow. He listens to their squeaks and shovels the snow with his paws (mouses). More often he hunts small hares, catches birds, sometimes even domestic ones. It also feeds on fruits, berries, and vegetables. She lives in a hole that she digs herself. Little foxes look like wolf cubs, only with a white tip on the tail.

– The wolf is a predatory animal. Is a relative domestic dog. Quite a large animal. Poses a danger to humans and livestock. The legs are low and strong. The paws are larger than those of a dog. The head is broad-browed, the muzzle is wide. The tail is long, thick, and carried down. The wolf's fur is thick and quite long. They feed on deer, elk, wild boar, and roe deer. Antelopes. They are very active especially at night. They live in packs. The wolf's home is a lair. The cubs are wolf cubs. Wolves are good parents.

The squirrel is the most dexterous animal of all rodents. They live in our forests red-brown and black squirrels. They have cheerful dark tufts on their ears. Squirrels move from branch to branch in large leaps and climb up and down the trunk. They have sharp claws and a bushy tail, which helps maintain balance when jumping and serves as a blanket when sleeping. The squirrel has big eyes that see everything around. In winter they feed on seeds and nuts, and in summer on mushrooms and berries. In winter they hibernate. They settle in tree hollows, where they place dry grass and moss in their nest. Be sure to stock up on nuts, mushrooms, pine cones and dry berries in the fall. Occasionally on sunny winter days they wake up and take out their supplies from the pantry. In the spring, squirrels give birth to squirrels.

– The brown bear is a predatory animal. The body is powerful, with high withers. The head is massive with small ears and eyes. The tail is very short, the paws are strong, powerful, the claws do not retract. The coat is thick and evenly colored. Usually solitary. Omnivorous, eats plant and animal foods: berries, nuts, roots, tubers, stems, as well as worms, lizards, frogs, rodents, mice, gophers, chipmunks. Less often it hunts deer, roe deer, and fallow deer. Sometimes it even attacks livestock. Most active in the morning and evening. Accumulates by winter subcutaneous fat and lies in a den. His sleep is shallow, he can easily wake up, they are called (rods). Runs fast, swims well, climbs trees. From January to March, cubs are born. The brown bear is under state protection and is listed in the Red Book.

Lynx is a large cat. The tail seems to be chopped off, the ears have tassels of black hair at the ends. The main color of lynxes is from reddish to grayish-yellow. The lynx has a dense and strong body, it is very dexterous, climbs trees and rocks well, runs fast, makes large jumps up to 4 meters, makes long treks, and swims well. But the animal is so secretive and cautious that rarely anyone manages to see it in the wild. The lynx lives in the forests. He loves mountain forests with rocky places. Lives where there is a lot of food. It feeds on hares, roe deer, birds (hazel grouse and black grouse), rodents, as well as young deer, wild boar, and elk. The animal has good hearing, smell and vision. In general, she is a very cautious forest animal. The lynx makes its lair in a windfall, in a dense forest thicket, in a low-lying hollow, under the eversion of the roots of a fallen tree, in rocks. Lynx can live 20 years.

Elk is a large animal. The body of an adult male can reach up to 3 meters in length. This animal has very long legs and a massive hook-nosed head. The elk's ears are large and mobile. The elk's antlers have a short trunk and a wide, slightly concave blade. The body color of elk is black and brown and protective function. Elk is a sedentary animal. Elks rise from their beds only to feed, and then lie down again until the next meal.

– Hares are defenseless animals that are prey to many predators. But thanks to their long ears and excellent sense of smell, they manage to sense danger in time. Their hind legs are longer than their front legs, making hares excellent runners. They move in long leaps. Big eyes see well at dusk and at night. They often warn each other of danger by drumming on the ground with their hind paws. With the onset of cold weather, their coat color changes to white, and in the spring they shed and their fur becomes gray. They look for food at night: these are various grasses, buds, young shoots, thin twigs, seeds, and berries. Bunnies are born in the spring.

The badger lives in forests and lives in burrows that are very deep, and he digs them along the slopes of hills and forest ravines. The badger is a nocturnal resident, but sometimes it can be seen in the morning. The badger eats frogs, lizards, mouse-like rodents, as well as insects, earthworms, berries, mushrooms, nuts and grass. When hunting, a badger covers very large areas to find insects and worms under the bark of trees and in stumps. A badger can catch more than 50 frogs, a huge number of insects and worms in one hunt. In October - November, the badger hibernates and sleeps until March-April. Badger benefits agriculture, because it eats insect pests.

Reservoirs Altai Territory rich in fish. In the foothill rivers there are burbot and taimen, grayling and lenok, chebak, ruffe, gudgeon, and perch. IN main river The Altai Ob is home to sterlet, bream, pike perch, etc. The lakes of the plains are rich in crucian carp, tench, and perch and pike are found in their waters.

Amazing mesmerizing landscapes of pristine nature, carefully preserved local residents, the cultural and historical heritage with which this region is generously endowed is increasingly attracting tourists from other territories and even from foreign countries.

This is a beautiful Altai region. The nature of the region is surprisingly rich and multifaceted.

general information

This subject of Russia is part of the Siberian federal district(southwest). It borders with Kazakhstan, Kemerovo and Novosibirsk region, Altai Republic. The administrative center is the city of Barnaul.

Until 1991, the region also included the Gorno-Altaisk Autonomous Region, but at the moment it is an independent subject of the Russian Federation.

The Altai Territory is presented in more detail below. The nature of the region and the history of its development are of interest to many tourists and travelers who come here. Today, about 120 nationalities live in the region. Most of all - Russians (93.9%). Ukrainians, Germans, and Kazakhs are also well represented here.

How did it all begin?

Russians began to populate the foothills of Altai and the Upper Ob region in the second half of the 17th century. The development of Altai began after the Beloyarsk and Bikatun fortresses were built here, respectively, in 1717 and 1718, for protection from the Dzungar nomads.

In order to explore ore deposits, prospecting parties began to be sent to Altai. It is believed that their discoverers were the father and son Kostylevs; later Akinfiy Demidov, a Ural breeder, took advantage of these results.

Geography, relief

Before we describe the rivers of the Altai Territory, let’s consider it geographical position. The region is located in Western Siberia. In the south and west, its territory borders on the regions: East Kazakhstan and Pavlodar, in the northeast and north - on Kemerovo and Novosibirsk. It borders on the Altai Republic in the southeast.

Territory area - 167850 sq. kilometers. From west to east the length is 600 km, from south to north - 400 km. The distance from Moscow to Barnaul by direct air is 3 thousand 600 km.

The relief of the Altai region is the most diverse. Its territory belongs to two physical countries - the Altai-Sayans and West Siberian Plain. Her mountain zone covers a flat surface on the southern and eastern sides. These are the foothills of Altai and the Salair Ridge. Central and western part The territories are mainly represented by plains - the Kulunda steppe, the Biysko-Chumysh upland and the Priobskoye plateau.

The region is represented by almost all natural zones of Russia - mountains, taiga, steppe and forest-steppe. Moreover, the flat surface is characterized by steppe and forest-steppe territories, with pine forests, ravines, ravines, ridges and lakes.

Rivers

Water resources in the region are represented by both underground and surface sources. The most large rivers Altai Territory: Ob, Katun, Biya, Charysh and Alei. Their total number, including small watercourses, is 17 thousand. There are about 13,000 lakes here, the largest of which is Kulundinskoye (area - 728 sq. km).

The Ob River is the main water artery. It is formed by the confluence of two rivers: Katun and Biya. Its length is 493 kilometers. It should be noted that the pool of this great river occupies an area equal to 70% of the entire territory of the region.

The diversity of zonal landscapes of the region contributes to the diversity and species composition animal world. There are lynxes, brown bears, and wolverines. Muskrats and river beavers. Approximately 90 species of mammals and 320 species of birds live in the Altai Territory.

About 2,000 different higher vascular plants grow here (2/3 of the species in all Western Siberia). Especially valuable: Rhodiola rosea, peony, red root, maral root, St. John's wort, oregano, Ural licorice, elecampane.

Forests occupy 26% of the region's territory. The Altai region is rich and beautiful.

Nature

Currently natural landscapes regions are experiencing a negative impact from the results of economic activity. In order to preserve the diversity of fauna and flora, today it is planned to create protected natural areas: reserves, national parks, reserves, natural monuments.

There are currently only 33 reserves on the territory (area 773,100 hectares), occupying 5% of the entire territory, which is not enough to maintain ecological and landscape balance in the biosphere of the region.

In any case, the Altai region is magnificent. The nature of the region is protected by law. Numerous natural monuments have been created. These are protected irreplaceable natural objects, representing both scientific, cultural and historical value (mineral springs, caves, waterfalls, geological outcrops, paleontological objects, ancient centuries-old trees).

In total, there are 100 monuments in the region, 54 of them are geological, 14 are botanical, 31 are water and 1 is complex.

Conclusion

The Altai region is beautiful and rich. The nature of the region includes habitats rare plants and habitats of animals that are endangered species and are especially protected. Therefore, a decision was made in the region to create the Tigirek and Kulundinsky state reserves. Unfortunately, the organization of work in in this direction delayed by lack of funding.

other presentations on the topic “Animals of the Altai Territory”

“Diversity of animals” - Art workshop. Herbivores Carnivores Insectivores Omnivores. Variety of animals. They feed on ready-made organic matter; limited growth; movement. Basic characteristics and diversity of animals. Lesson objectives: Pets. Signs of animals: Hare tiger swan zebra wild boar bison wolf.

“Social protection of the Altai Territory” - Resources of the social service system for families and children. Network of social service institutions for families and children. Social protection families with children in the Altai Territory. Work technologies. Innovative work technologies - focused on mobilization internal resources families. Institutional specialists. Collaboration with the National Foundation to Protect Children from Abuse.

“Animals in Space” - In astronautics, animals have become testers of space technology. On earth, all objects have weight, they are attracted to earth's surface. Spaceship- it's complicated technical system. Life expectancy of rats that have suffered space flight, has not changed. The first experiments with sending dogs into space began in 1951.

“Study of Animals” - Similarities and differences between animals and plants. Greek scientist Aristotle (IV century. General information about the animal world. Basic terminology. Zoology (according to classification criteria). Comparison Historical comparison. Hunting techniques were passed on to descendants. The nature of animal movement. Features of keeping animals.

“Animals 1st grade” - Perch. Mosquito. Goat. Fly. Ladybug. Butterfly. Parrot. Bumblebee. Squirrel. Swan. Dragonfly. Hare. Horse. Owl. Wolf. Raccoon. Tiger. Panda. Rhinoceros beetle. Duck. Bee. Fox. Cow. Rooster. Crucian carp. Pike. Grasshopper. Turkey. Bear. Rabbit. Cat and dog. Sheep.

"Altai Nature Reserve" - ​​Teletskoye Society of Hunters and Fishermen. Rural Council of Deputies of the Artybash rural settlement. Go sailing on Lake Teletskoye. The ecotourism development program provides for the following at key sites of the reserve: Visit points Altai Nature Reserve. Founders. Lake Teletskoe. Working meeting on site.

1 of 14

Presentation on the topic:

Slide no. 1

Slide description:

Slide no. 2

Slide description:

sable The sable is a fur-bearing animal of the mustelid family, whose homeland is the forests and mountains of Eastern Siberia. The body length of the sable is up to 56 cm, and the tail is up to 20 cm. Weight is about 1.5 kg. The sable is a predatory animal. It attacks all animals it can handle, especially squirrels and hares. By character he is brave, cunning, cruel and wild. Good at climbing trees. It is very difficult to tame a sable. Among other countries, sable is found only in Mongolia, northeast China, Korea and the northernmost island of Japan - Hokkaido. Previously, sable was found throughout the Siberian taiga and Kamchatka. Hunters paid taxes with sable skins, and in exchange for them they purchased all the necessary goods from traders. Sable fur is thick, soft, and fluffy. In winter it is very lush, lighter than in summer, covering the pads and claws on the paws. The sable has very valuable fur, so it was exterminated everywhere, but now it is protected. Sables are bred in the Pushkin State Animal Farm, but in captivity the birth rate and survival rate of sables drops sharply.

Slide no. 3

Slide description:

weasel Weasel is a mammal, Characteristic Features Weasels have a thin, elongated, surprisingly flexible body with a fairly short tail (the tail is no more than 9 cm) without a black tip (the black tip of the tail is in the ermine). In summer, the back of the weasel is light brown, the belly is white or yellowish; in winter, in the north of its range, the animal is covered with snow-white fur. The male is larger than the female. The length of its body without a tail sometimes reaches 28 cm, weight 115 g. The length of the female without a tail is about 20 cm, and weight 69 g. It is found where mouse-like rodents are especially numerous - in fields, among weeds, bushes, in overgrown clearings, along the edges, on the outskirts of villages, in stacks of straw, haystacks, but only in the absence of its competitor - the ermine. The weasel often runs around tall grass among bushes or over rocks. She moves in short leaps, periodically standing on her hind legs to carefully examine the surroundings. The weasel is not shy and does not avoid meeting people. If you are lucky enough to meet her in the forest, you need to behave quietly and not make sudden movements. Having noticed a person, the animal releases the victim and hides. But it is enough to stand motionless for a few minutes, and the weasel will return for its prey. Sometimes it is possible to attract a small predator by imitating the baby rabbit’s voice, which is like a quiet squeak. The weasel is a brave and curious predator. It is solitary and hunts mainly at night. It feeds mainly on voles and mice, which it catches with amazing ease and energy, chasing them even in holes and shelters and, on occasion, killing more than it can eat. In this way, caress brings invaluable benefits to humans. She also hunts water voles and can climb trees, where she looks for chicks or bird eggs in nests. However, it can also catch a larger animal, such as a rabbit.

Slide no. 4

Slide description:

snow leopard Rare, small in number, endangered species. The dimensions are quite large - body length 103-130 cm, tail - 80-105 cm, weight - 22-39 kg. By body size Snow Leopard slightly inferior to the leopard, but in general appearance it is similar to it. This is a large, strong animal with a typical cat appearance. It has a thin, long, flexible body, short legs, a small head and a very long tail. Among other large cats, the snow leopard stands out for its long, thick and soft fur, but despite the lushness of its fur it looks like a slender, graceful animal. It is not as massive as a leopard, it has a less muscular body. Adult snow leopards are from 100 to 130 cm long and weigh up to 40 kg. The tail reaches 105 cm.

Slide no. 5

Slide description:

maral These are large and strong animals: the height of an adult deer reaches 160 cm, weight - 300 - 350 kg. The fur of the deer is brownish-gray; in spring, after molting, it turns reddish-red. Little deer, like fawns, are spotted. Deer usually live in small groups, a deer and 3-5 deer, the so-called “harem”. Young deer rarely play; More often than not, real boxing fights are observed among them. Two deer rise on their hind legs and beat each other with their front legs until the weaker one gives up. By the way, despite the impressive size of the horns (in an adult deer they reach a length of up to 120 cm, with 5-6 shoots of 25-30 cm each, and weigh up to 10-12 kg), deer are not capable of seriously injuring the enemy or each other. The ends of all the long and sharp processes are bent steeply upward, and a blow can only be delivered by bending the horn. So the front hooves are a more terrible weapon. An angry deer is quite capable of driving a wolverine, lynx or wolf away from its cub. Enough large predators prefer not to mess with the huge fury. A wolf or bear can generally crush a deer only by driving it onto the ice of a stream or river, or into a deep snow blow, where the deer is helpless. In other cases, it is easier for predators to look for easier prey. Most of all, deer are afraid of humans.

Slide no. 6

Slide description:

The appearance of the kolin is characteristic: this small animal is easily recognized by the reddish coloring of its entire body and its fluffy tail. Body length up to 39 cm, weight up to 800 g. The limbs are shortened, the head is small, the tail is about half the length of the body. The bright reddish-buff winter fur is very thick, soft, and lush, especially on the tail. On the front of the head there is a dark field (“mask”) of brown color, sharply outlined in the area of ​​the lips by a narrow whitish stripe. In summer fur, the animal looks more slender: the fur is close-fitting and not at all lush. Kolonok lives in the valleys of small rivers, the banks of which are covered mixed forests, dead wood, windbreak; among rocky areas overgrown with bushes. In the forest-steppe, the animal most readily inhabits the riverine floodplains, pine forests, reed fields around lakes, outskirts of swamps. In the taiga hinterlands, the Siberian weasel willingly settles along the edges of fields where mouse-like rodents are concentrated; there it can often be found in villages and even small towns.

Slide no. 7

Slide description:

badger reaches 90 cm in length, tail - 24 cm, weight up to 24 kg. The shape of the massive body is peculiar, resembling a wedge facing anteriorly, because it, being thick at the back, sharply tapers towards the end of a thin, elongated muzzle. The legs are short, massive, plantigrade, with long claws adapted for digging. The tail is short. The coat is coarse, with a long sparse awn and short, soft underfur. The badger is found in the forest belt and in the mountains, and in the south it settles in steppes and semi-deserts. The badger is perfectly adapted to digging deep holes in which it spends a significant part of its life. Most often, he arranges them on the slopes of forest ravines, river valleys or hills with dry, sandy soil, and places the nesting chamber under the protection of an aquifer, which prevents the seepage of rain and groundwater. The badger feeds on a wide variety of foods: small animals, frogs, lizards, birds, their eggs, insects and their larvae, mollusks, earthworms, berries, fruits, nuts, grass. Sometimes in one hunt a badger gets 50-70 and more frogs, hundreds of insects, their larvae or earthworms. However, he eats only about 0.5 kg of food per day and only by autumn he eats up heavily and gains several kilograms of fat, which serves as his source of subsistence during his long winter sleep.

Slide no. 8

Slide description:

polecat In general appearance, structure and habits, it is completely similar to the forest polecat, but a little larger and lighter. Body length in males is most often 32-56 cm, weight up to 2 kg; females are not much smaller in length than males, but almost twice as light. The head is quite long, with a pointed muzzle and short ears. The tail is about a third of the length of the body, and looks rather thin due to the adjacent hair. The secretion of this ferret's large anal glands has a particularly pungent odor. Winter fur is fluffy and very soft. The general very light yellowish-whitish tone of the animal’s color (as reflected in the species name) is determined by the color of the down. The guard brown hairs are quite sparse, creating only a dark moiré coating throughout the body. The belly is brownish-yellow, and the chest, groin area and legs are almost black. The head is variegated: both eyes are covered by a transverse dark (coffee-brown) “mask” or “band”, surrounded by a whitish or pure white field that extends from the end of the muzzle through the cheeks to the forehead. The ears are entirely white, but between them and the white band on the forehead there is a teThis is true carnivore: plant feed is simply not digested by the steppe polecat’s body and is therefore not included in the diet. The main food source is small rodents - primarily ground squirrels, as well as hamsters and pikas. But in some places the ferret hunts even more big catch. Thus, in the mountain meadows of southern Siberia, this predator specializes in hunting marmots, which partly explains its particularly large size: after all, in order to catch an animal weighing several kilograms, the hunter himself must be a good match for him.

Slide no. 9

Slide description:

squirrel Body length of squirrels is 20-32 cm, tail length 19-31 cm. Weight from 180 to 1000 g. Color varies not only from species to species, but also within one species depending on the area, season, age or simply on individuality of the animal. It is enough to indicate that usually Proteins temperate latitudes They shed twice a year, but the tail sheds only once during this period. The winter fur of squirrels from cold areas is very different from the summer fur. All squirrels feed on a variety of plant foods: tree seeds, berries and fruits, nuts, mushrooms, buds and shoots, bark and lichens. TO plant foods animal food is added: insects and other small invertebrates, eggs of birds, lizards and snakes, chicks and even small rodents and lizards. Common squirrel, like other species of this genus, is a typically arboreal animal. She climbs branches perfectly and easily jumps from one tree to another. If necessary, a squirrel can jump from the top without harm to itself tall tree to the ground. She makes a nest in hollows or tree branches. The nest of branches has the shape of a ball with a side entrance. The inside of such a nest (gut) is lined with soft plant material. The squirrel can be red, ashen, almost black, etc.

Slide no. 10

Slide description:

bear Despite intensive hunting, bears weighing up to 750 kg and a body length of 2.5 m are still found; rearing up, so the most typical habitats brown bear are dense forests with windbreaks, interspersed with swamps, lawns, and ponds. The bear finds shelter under the forest canopy, and open areas serve as feeding grounds. Great importance The bear has fields of oats for food. In the summer, the bear settles down to rest, lying down directly on the ground among grass, bushes, or in moss, as long as the place is sufficiently secluded and safe. It’s a different matter in winter, or rather in autumn, when the animal has to take care of a reliable shelter for several months until spring. However, even here, bears often limit themselves to open lying in dense young spruce trees, near a tree or even in an open clearing, having dragged there a bunch of moss and spruce branches in the shape of a large bird's nest. Very often, dens are located in holes protected by windbreaks or roots of fallen trees. In some areas, animals dig deep dens in the ground, and in the mountains they occupy caves and rock crevices. The top of the den is covered with snow, so that only a small hole remains for ventilation, the so-called brow. IN very coldy its edges are covered with frost. For a den, the bear chooses the most reliable, remote corners, somewhere on an island of forest in the middle of a vast moss swamp. The animal sometimes comes here from several tens of kilometers away and, approaching the target, confuses the tracks in every possible way, so that a whole crush of them arises. These giants reach 3 m.

Slide no. 11

Slide description:

Elk In general appearance, the elk differs well from other deer. He is very tall-legged, with a powerful chest, a relatively short body and a heavy, hook-nosed head. The upper lip is swollen and hangs heavily over the lower lip. Very large, wide and mobile ears. Under the throat, a soft, leathery outgrowth hangs down - an “earring”, reaching 25-40 cm. An elk’s antlers consist of a short trunk and a wide, flattened, somewhat concave shovel. From the shovel, shoots extend forward, outward and backward, more or less evenly framing the shovel (on the antler it can b) Forests with swamps, quiet rivers, streams and lakes, where they feed on aquatic vegetation, are of great importance for elk. In winter, mixed and coniferous forests are necessary for elk with dense undergrowth or good regrowth of young growth, especially pine, aspen or birch, rowan and dig up to 18 shoots). However, during the day, in the heat, they rest more often, and they like to go into cool places, where there are fewer midges, into the thicket of young coniferous trees, dense bushes, in swamps, on the banks of rivers and lakes. They like to lie on the shallows or in shallow water, sometimes going into the water up to their necks. On the contrary, at night they feed most of the time.

Slide no. 12

Slide description:

gray wolf GRAY WOLF - the main and major representative canine family. In the past, the wolf was widespread on Earth and had, and still has, a serious impact on people's lives. Finally, it was the wolf who became the ancestor of a large tribe of domestic dogs, which became for primitive man true friends and assistants and still playing important role in our life. Gray wolves are most similar to German shepherds, and can be larger in stature. The main difference from dogs is the tail. The wolf never twists it into a ring, but keeps it lowered down or extended parallel to the ground. Compared to dogs, wolves are more restrained in their movements and are not fussy. Wolves love steppes, semi-deserts, tundras, small forests, interspersed with open spaces. Wolves live in pairs or families. In winter, several families can unite in a flock. In the spring, the flocks break up, and married couples rush to improve the den. The main prey of wolves is ungulates: deer, elk, wild boars, but if there are a lot of small animals around - lemmings, mice, voles, wolves eat up on this food, and in the deserts, having discovered a swarm of locusts, they feast for several days. Wolves destroy mainly sick and weak animals, acting as orderlies. Nature cannot exist without predators.

Slide no. 13

Slide description:

Slide no. 14

Slide description:

The nature of the region fascinates with its beauty, attracting tourists from all over the world.

Let's understand the concept of "Altai"

Geographically, Altai is large territory in the very center of Asia. It is located on the territory of 4 states at once (Russia, China, Kazakhstan and Mongolia). The generally accepted name is Altai Territory. The nature of the region is very diverse, contains such climatic zones like taiga, forest, forest-steppe, steppe and mountains.

From the point of view of administrative division in the vastness of our country, this territory is divided into 2 subjects of the Russian Federation - the Altai Republic with its capital in the city of Gorno-Altaisk and the Altai Territory, the capital of which is the city of Barnaul.

Thus, the concept of Altai Territory can mean both an administrative unit of the state and a special natural area on the planet. This article will focus specifically on the natural area.

Altai region

The nature of the region is very diverse. The terrain is divided into:

• Plains located in its western and central parts, occupying the outskirts of the West Siberian Plateau.
• Mountains occupying the north, east and south of the region. The nature of Altai is incredibly beautiful. Russia is the country on whose territory it is located most of hills. The peaks of the mountains along their entire length range in height from 500 to 4500 m.

On the flat part there is forest-steppe and steppe. Coniferous and deciduous forests rustle in the mountain valleys and plateaus.

Many rivers flow throughout the region, most of which are not navigable, but are decorated with picturesque waterfalls. The main water arteries are the Katun (688 km long) and Biya (280 km long) rivers, from which the mighty Ob River originates. Water resources are also represented by numerous lakes, about 20 thousand in total. The most significant - Teletskoye - a huge storage facility fresh water, mountain lake Aya, sacred reservoir Julukul.

Altai Mountains - a complex system ridges, dotted with caves, gorges and cliffs with hanging glaciers. The highest part of the Altai Mountains is the peak 4506 m.

Flora and fauna

The Altai region and the nature of the region amaze with the diversity of its fauna. The territory is inhabited by squirrels, chipmunks, sables, otters, wolverines, foxes, wolves, musk deer, deer, goats, hori, manul cat, even reindeer and antelopes. In total there are more than 100 species of mammals and reptiles, many of which are protected and listed in the Red Book. More than 260 species of birds live in these parts: tundra partridge, golden eagle, hawk, owl and eagle owl, lark, wheatear and others.

The fauna is represented by such tree species as larch, spruce, pine, fir, birch, aspen, poplar and others. The pearl of the region is cedar.

IN steppe zone Valuable medicinal plants, such as marin root, valerian, morality, adonis spring, Kuril tea, golden root, ginseng, sea buckthorn, horse sorrel, edelweiss.

Sights of Altai

They abound in picturesque places, many of which are unique in nature. Here are the only ribbon forests in the world - unique natural monuments of the Altai Territory.

In the Altai Territory, 33 nature reserves and sanctuaries have been created, which occupy 5% of the territory of the region. They were created to protect unique amazing landscapes and unique biological complexes in which rare animals live and grow unique plants. Many territories have a pristine appearance and are untouched by civilization.

The most beautiful and interesting places Altai Territory has been declared a UNESCO heritage site. Among them is the Altaisky Nature Reserve with Lake Teletskoye, natural Park on the slope of Mount Belukha and the total territory of the protected zone is 1.64 million hectares.

Altai caves - another amazing creation of nature

Among the most significant:

Geofizicheskaya is one of the most beautiful caves in the Altai region. It is 500 m long and goes 130 m deep into the rock. The “Royal Grotto” with 4-meter stalactites and stalagmites is especially impressive.
. Denisova Cave is one of the most interesting caves scientific point vision. They've been going on here for a long time archaeological excavations. 20 cultural layers have already been studied, the oldest of which is about 300 thousand years old.
. Ecological - the cave has the deepest shaft in Siberia - 340 m, the length of the cave is more than 2 km.
. Tavdinskaya - for the unusual beauty of through corridors and arches, the cave was named a natural monument of republican significance.
. Altai - goes 240 m deep, its length is about 2.5 km. It is interesting because in the depths of the cave, speleologists discovered a lake with unique calcite flowers and cave pearls.