Animals of the Crimean mountains. What animals live in Crimea? Plants and animals of the Crimean mountains
If someday scientists still invent a time machine, we will see how Crimea looked 10-12,000 years ago. Judging by the findings of the paleozoologists, he resembled Noah's ark.
Before the Ice Age, ostriches and giraffes lived in Crimea. Along with the glacier, arctic foxes and reindeer came here. Skeletons of foxes, horses, cave bears, rhinos and mammoths are found in caves (these antiquities are preserved due to constant temperature and humidity, and clay acts as a conservative). This year, researchers from the Chernovetsky National University found in the cave of Emine-Bair-Khosar the larvae of flies that flew 40,000 years ago and were no different from modern ones.
The fauna of Crimea is determined by the fact that we live on a peninsula. Many species and subspecies are found, except for the Crimea, only in the Caucasus, the Balkans, the islands of the Aegean Sea or in Asia Minor. Most of all in Crimea there are various insects (from 12 to 15,000 species), and unfortunately there are not so many mammals, they are rarely found in mountain forests or in the steppe. Due to the fact that Crimea is separated from the mainland, there are also endemic animals that do not live anywhere else on the planet.
In southwestern Crimea there are especially many Mediterranean species of insects: ascalafs, praying mantises, rears, tapeworms.
In the mountain forests, you can see very beautiful beetles: barbel, deer beetle, brilliant ground beetles. Of course, only a small part of what an entomologist sees is in the ordinary observer's field of vision. So, in the Crimea there are the most beautiful butterflies: swallowtail, donated, various types of hawthorn, sash. But if podaliriya (it is also called a sailboat), white, large, with black stripes and two luxurious “tails,” can be seen at the height of summer on any decent flower bed, then the hawks fly in the evening, and some of them (for example, a dead head, with patterns on the back, resembling a skull) are rare, and not everyone can boast that he saw this.
The Red Book includes: striped mantis, Crimean grainy ground beetle, Alpine barbel, Polyxena butterfly, oleander hawk and other species.
Many useful and rare insects die from pesticides that are used in fields and gardens, deer beetles, for example, can live only in oak forests, so the area of \u200b\u200boak forests directly affects their number. There are cases when people, seeing a dark blue, iridescent ground beetle and frightened, kill it, instead of showing this rare and completely not dangerous insect to their children, admire and go their own way, leaving the ground beetle to go their own.
There are not many dangerous poisonous insects in the Crimea and, most likely, you will not meet them. Among the many arachnids are the Crimean scorpion, tarantula spiders and karakurt. They live in the steppes, hide from the heat in round minks. In forests and parks, ixodid ticks can be found (2 of them are tick-borne encephalitis pathogens).
Due to the dry climate, Crimea is poor in amphibians. In mountain reservoirs there is a comb newt (some of them are kept in aquariums, because they can live in captivity). A very large lake frog; tree frog frogs are also found, with suction cups on their legs that help them stay on the tree. All amphibians are useful.
Often on stones heated by the sun, small multi-colored lizards. In Crimea there are 6 species: fast, Crimean, rocky, multi-colored foot-and-mouth disease, yellow-bellied, Crimean gecko.
The yellowfuse is sometimes confused with a snake, but this yellow legless lizard only looks like a snake. In place of her legs she has longitudinal folds, her eyes have eyelids, but no teeth. Yellow-bellied insectivore, listed in the Red Book. Lives both in mountainous (southern coastal) regions and in the steppe. Except Crimea, it is not found anywhere else in Ukraine.
There are practically no snakes in the Crimea, except for snakes (ordinary and water). Both types of snakes (four-lane and leopard) are listed in the Red Book; non-toxic. They live mainly on the slopes of the mountains, in the rocks. The only poisonous snake on the peninsula is the steppe viper, but it is rare, bites are not fatal. Recently I came across a letter from a reader in a newspaper. The reader asked what to do if a gray viper settled on his plot. It’s impossible to kill, but if it gets stung? The editorial staff in response told him about the benefits of frogs and snakes in protecting the garden from mice and insects. It is not known whether such an answer satisfied him. I wonder what will happen if everyone gets a small snake instead of a cat on the site to catch mice? How to get pythons in India. Of all the snakes in Crimea, you can see more often than others, but when he meets, he immediately tries to hide.
Nests up to 40% of all birds on the peninsula. The most numerous is a chaffinch, of pigeons - a whirlwind and a blue-throated neck, small egg, owl-owl, warbler, blackbird and blackbird, crossbill, forest horse, siskin, black-headed jay, large spotted woodpecker. In spring, you can sometimes hear an invisible Oriole sing in the crown of tall trees. In the steppe regions larks and hoopoes are common - “steppe parrots”. These rather large reddish birds with black stripes along the body have high crests on their heads, which they cleverly open and fold like a fan. It is difficult to notice hoopoe in reddish dust or among dry steppe grasses, even if it sits almost under your feet. 100 years ago, peacocks lived in the Crimean yards along with turkeys and chickens. Now they are trying to artificially breed quails, pheasants and ostriches.
In Crimea, several species of owls: from the smallest - splyushki - to a large owl. Other predators - burial eagle, buzzard; scavengers - vulture, vulture and vulture.
On the eggs, a field horse, an ordinary Kamenka, a linnet, a field lark, and a spring nest nest. In the steppe - 4 species of larks, sandpiper-avdotka, very rarely - bustard.
On the coastal cliffs - crested cormorant, dive, cinder, pegans, gulls, and petrels. About 30 species of birds winter in Crimea: black-throated loon, pegans, diving duck, chomga, cormorant, swans, etc. Many species whose reasons for their extinction are not clear are listed in the Red Book: for example, black stork, steppe eagle. A very interesting place, from the point of view of an ornithologist, is to (to the north-west of the peninsula, the shore of the Karkinitsky Bay). Many species of birds nest and winter in this reserve (even pelicans can be found on flights to Crimea). Many birds are in the Karadag reserve. Tourists from the boat show black crested cormorants, because you can’t disturb them.
Of course, everyone is interested: are there many mammals in Crimea? Who can you meet in the woods walking along the path? Most likely, no one, because daytime animals are very careful and will probably try to avoid meeting a person. And yet Crimean forests are inhabited. Here live brown hares, rabbits, martens, foxes, badgers, raccoon dogs, squirrels, weasels, ferrets. I must say that of all the animals, martens and weasels are the most “crazy.” If you have ever been bitten by a wild marten, which the young people for some reason were going to keep in a living corner, you know how martens are fearless and decisive. If she clings to someone, she holds a stranglehold. The same can be said about a small, but courageous affection, which alone can bite the throat of a whole chicken coop in the heat of hunting and crawl into any gap.
The winter of 2006 was very cold, and about 35 wolves came to the Crimean peninsula across the ice from the Kherson region (although there are no wolves in Crimea, they were killed before the war. Most likely, these newcomers will also be destroyed). Sometimes moose come into the Crimean forests.
From insectivores in the Crimea live hedgehogs and 5 species of shrews. Hedgehogs can sometimes be seen in the evenings in the city, somewhere in the park or on a quiet street where there are no cars. It is almost impossible to see the shrew: they are very small, no more than a mouse, and almost do not appear on the surface of the earth. It is easier to meet someone from rodents: a gopher, a hamster, a jerboa or a mouse.
Bats live in caves and grottoes - bats; there are about 18 species in Crimea, but half are listed in the Red Book. Bats really dislike being bothered on vacation. Despite the fact that catching and even making out a bat resting under the arch of the cave is not so easy, they are not enthusiastic about visitors. For example, in a grotto, where tourists are necessarily brought during an excursion to the New World, you can only hear how the bats, “talking” somewhere high in the dark, as if they were setting up a walkie-talkie. In addition, a little litter may fall on you, but you will not see the mice themselves. All these night-lights, bat-bats, long-winged and horseshoes are extremely useful animals, nocturnal and secretive. Naturally, not vampires; feed on insects.
The largest animals in Crimea are artiodactyls: red deer (up to 700 individuals) and roe deer (up to 2,000 individuals), wild boar, bison, Corsican mouflon, fallow deer.
Wild boars were brought to Crimea in 1949 from the Ussuri Territory, and they took root here.
Of the 57 species of Crimean mammals, 17 are classified as extremely rare animals. Unfortunately, no one else will be able to see monk seals in Crimea; they were finally exterminated, although this species was listed in the Red Books of IUCN, the USSR and the Ukrainian SSR. On the Black Sea coast of Crimea, the monk seal was found at the beginning of the 20th century. To restore this species, back in Soviet times, it was proposed to begin the re-acclimatization of seals by, but it is hardly possible to imagine, because these cautious animals did not tolerate the presence of a person, and there are more and more people on Tarhankut every year. Even if seals were preserved in Crimea, they would not like to live in the neighborhood with vacationers and scuba divers. It’s a pity that they are no more ...
In the Black Sea, life boils at a depth of up to 200 meters - where there is light, air and no hydrogen sulfide. In the depths, only bacteria that live on hydrogen sulfide can live. But this does not mean that in the Black Sea there is nothing and no one to look at. 2 species of dolphins live here - the white-cask and bottlenose dolphin. Off the coast of Karadag, Sudak, Balaklava they can sometimes be seen from a boat or even from the beach. Here they are, jumping out of the water, shining their silvery backs in the sun! Where is the fish there. They really accompany the boats, and then they can be seen especially well. Bottlenose dolphins perform in many dolphinariums. There used to be a large military dolphinarium in Balaclava, where dolphins were trained according to special programs for working during the fighting. The phrase “hunting for dolphins” sounds wildly. However, dolphin fishing in the Black Sea was prohibited only in 1966. In Crimea, a new method of treating children begins - dolphin therapy. Children with slow development, suffering from cerebral palsy are happy to communicate with dolphins, talk with them, and dolphins have a positive effect on the nervous system of sick children.
As you know, a dolphin is a mammal, not a fish. But many species of fish live in the Black Sea. In the Black and Azov Seas, up to 200 species of fish are found, some living in these seas all the time, while others migrate through the Bosphorus. The Black Sea is fresher than the Mediterranean, so we have no Mediterranean species. Fishes of the Black Sea: red mullet (sultanka), gobies, mullet, stingrays (sea fox, sea cat-tail), flat fish - kalkan, sea tongue, river flounder (glossa). The oldest fish in the Black Sea are sturgeons. They can hunt at all depths, but now there are few of them because of poaching. Off the coast of the Caucasus, the Black Sea sturgeon goes to spawn on the Don, Kuban, and Rioni.
In the 1980s, there was a huge amount of hamsa and sprat in the Black Sea, but uncontrolled fishing, the invasion of ctenophore Mnemiopsis led to the end of the hamsa and sprat. Fortunately, the population is currently recovering, and where there is hamsa, there are also predatory pelagic fish (i.e., living in the upper layers of the sea) - for example, horse mackerel. Large (and rare) predators of the Black Sea - lufari, bonito. Mackerel and tuna no longer enter the Black Sea, for environmental reasons. They say there have been cases when a shark-hammer fish-sword came from the Sea of \u200b\u200bMarmara to the Black Sea, but there are no sharks in the Crimea, except for the katran (it is not dangerous, and its meat is even served in restaurants). In shallow waters, the katran never enters.
About 36 species of fish are found in freshwater reservoirs of Crimea. Most of them were acclimatized, who took root in Crimea after the opening of the North Crimean Canal: crucian carp, carp, perch, pike perch, silver carp, pike. Rainbow trout is found in the Auzun-Uzen River (it can live only in very clean running water). American rainbow trout is grown in a trout farm on the Alma River, and yet it is a rare fish in the Crimea.
It is impossible to tell here about the whole variety of forest, steppe, marine animals of Crimea. If you manage to see any of them, observe, rejoice and take care, as much as you can, so that there are no less animals in the Crimea.
Enjoy your walks around the Crimea!
The animal world of the peninsula very diverse. We already know that Crimea is divided into steppe and mountainous. And also the peninsula is washed by the Black Sea. In the sea depths of this peninsula various species of marine life inhabit.
The steppe peninsula is characterized by a wide distribution of various species of rodents. These include various types of hamsters and gophers, as well as mice. These inhabitants cause great damage to grain crops. The enemies of these inhabitants are the fox, ferret and weasel, which also live in the steppe zone. The common hare is also found here.
The birds of the steppe Crimea are very densely populated, especially many waterfowl, this is due to the presence of abundant food in the area. In the area of \u200b\u200bKarkinitsky Bay there is a bird sanctuary, which is of international importance. In total, about 230 species of birds live here or about 85 species nest. Here are various types of swans and herons. Several types of cranes live in the steppes. 
Tit photo: alona779
Among the birds of prey, a steppe eagle is very rare, which destroys a huge number of rodents. Starlings, titmouse, finches, carduelis settle in the forests.
Of the reptiles in the steppe zone, there is a steppe viper, which is poisonous. Of the lizards, the yellow-bellied, Crimean lizard is found.
Steppe viper photo: Giacomo Radi
In the mountainous Crimea, the animal world is much more diverse than in the steppe. However, many years of human activity has led to the fact that many species of animals have disappeared forever.
The permanent inhabitants of the Crimean forests are deer and roe deer, wild boar and foxes. From rodents, proteins and various species of mice are found. Also preserved are some subspecies of badgers and martens.
More than sixty years ago, the last wolf was exterminated. Currently, wolves are not found in Crimea. Of the birds, tits, black grouse, black vultures live. 
Black Vulture photo: sharadagrawal931978
In the black sea off the coast of Crimea there are a variety of marine life, among which are dolphins who try not to swim to the shore and keep a decent distance from it. Only sometimes in the distance you can see a flock of swimming dolphins. Jellyfish, which can often be seen near the shore. Touching it can cause discomfort in the form of a burning sensation on the skin.
Various species of mollusks live off the coast of Crimea. Small crabs and seahorses are some of the inhabitants of the sea in the Crimea.
Among the fish, herring, flounder, sea bass, gobies, mullet and red mullet live here.
Every year the number of marine inhabitants decreases due to human activities.
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A tourist who went to rest in the Crimea should be aware of what dangers in the nature of this wonderful land can face him. In the sea and in the mountains, an inexperienced person may stumble on trouble.
What to fear in the Crimea?
You need to know each enemy in person in order to bypass him in time or to skillfully avoid the consequences of contact.
Dangerous plants in Crimea
The flora of Crimea is overflowed with plants that can cause harm to human health. Do not pluck your favorite flowers, not knowing their true properties. Even the well-known magnolia is not so harmless. If you put her flowers in a vase with water at home, then you will have headaches, and you won’t know why it’s so bad.
Autumnal or Colchicum
Pale pink colchicum flowers (autumnal or colchicum) grow in open areas: edges, clearings, in the mountains. Tearing beautiful large buds of a plant, you will cause nausea, aching muscles, diarrhea. Once in the body, colchicum leads to paralysis of the respiratory system, heart. Help with poisoning: rinse the stomach with a solution of manganese, call an ambulance.
Aconite Flower
Purple flowers Aconita are found in the forest, in a meadow, meadow. Very dangerous if swallowed. Causes respiratory paralysis, heart. You must also act: rinse the stomach with a sorbent and seek medical help.
The burning bush
Beautiful lilac flowers with dark veins of holostolbikovy ash (indefinable dome) grow in ravines, forests and clearings. Due to the contained oils, the plant ignites in the heat, not scorching itself. In contact with it, you can get a burn that does not heal for a long time. Inhalation of oils from peduncles leads to damage to the mucous membranes of the lungs. If an incorruptible dome suddenly meets you on the way, it is better to bypass it. In contact with the plant, the affected area must be washed with water, treated with soap.
Datura ordinary
White large flowers resembling a gramophone, an ornamental dope ordinary plant are often planted near roads in resort towns. Grows in thickets, blooms in mid-summer, bears fruit in autumn. It is poisonous and leads to severe hallucinations, and subsequently falls into a coma when eating the seeds of a plant or any part of it. Lavage of the stomach with manganese and the use of strong unsweetened tea will save a person from the consequences of the destructive effects of dope ordinary.
Black belena
A poisonous plant growing in clusters near landfills. These are meter flowers of a white hue, having a dark middle. If you take in your mouth any part of the plant (especially seeds), then it can be difficult to poison. The pupils dilate, abundant salivation begins, hallucinations with seizures appear, asphyxiation occurs. Immediate help is needed for the victim, as there is a risk of death. Poison should be removed from the stomach, causing vomiting with a probe. Activated carbon will be required. Call an ambulance immediately.
Belladonna (mad cherry or belladonna ordinary)
A poisonous plant found in beech forests, on river banks. It has dirty purple flowers and dark fruits resembling cherries, so people often pickle it. Belladonna poisoning is manifested by an increase in body temperature, dry mouth, hallucinations. If you do not provide first aid, then paralysis of the respiratory tract develops. The victim needs to drink a solution of manganese, activated carbon and seek medical help.
Raven eye
You can get poisoned with raven-eye berries, which resemble blueberries. They grow in the forests of Crimea and in humid places. After eating such berries, a gag reflex, diarrhea, and abdominal pain appear. You can not independently induce vomiting and drink a laxative after eating the raven eye. You need to drink activated charcoal and call an ambulance.
Hemlock spotted
It is a poisonous plant that grows near landfills and vacant lots. Its leaves look like parsley. The plant has white tall flowers of the umbrella type. The smell is unpleasant. Poisoning after eating the plant is manifested by burning in the oral cavity, the appearance of signs of poisoning, convulsions and seizures. First aid consists in taking potassium permanganate, activated carbon and calling an ambulance.
Hogweed
Outwardly similar to hemlock, but in terms of the effect it differs. It can be found on the slopes of the mountains. It has poisonous juice, which when exposed to the skin makes it highly susceptible to ultraviolet rays. Blisters appear in these places. The burned areas are treated with soap and water. Then Panthenol should be applied to them.
Dangerous insects in Crimea
Scolopendras
In the south of Crimea there are scolopendras resembling centipedes in appearance. They live under the stones. They like to crawl into tents for tourists. The scolopendra has poison on its legs, which can cause burns when the insect comes into contact with the human body. This leads to fever, pain and symptoms of poisoning. Exposure to poison is deadly for children and people with weakened immune systems.
Karakurt
In the steppes of Crimea there is a spider karakurt, which has a black color and long forelegs. There are individuals with red spots. During the day, the insect lives under the stones, and at night leaves the shelter. The first spider does not attack. It can be stepped on or accidentally touched. His bite is painless, but the consequences are very unpleasant: the nervous system with muscle pain and cramps is affected. Relieve pain can 10% calcium chloride (10 ml) and magnesium sulfate (25%). At the first sign of an insect bite, you should immediately consult a doctor.
Tarantula
Everywhere in Crimea there is a southern Russian tarantula spider. It lives in vertical holes. It bites painfully. The affected area swells and hurts. It is necessary to burn it with a match, then the poison begins to decompose.
Tick-borne Encephalitis
Everywhere in the forests of Crimea and in the bushes on the roadsides encephalitis ticks live. The beginning of summer and autumn are periods of insect activity. The tick first clings to clothes, and then painlessly digs into places behind the ears, on the back. After a few days, the first signs of a nervous system disease appear - this is an increase in temperature, cramps, muscle pain. It is necessary to prevent the spread of infection in time, and for this you should immediately consult a doctor. Before walking, cover all areas of the body as much as possible, and after them, look everywhere and make sure that there are no ticks.
Dangerous inhabitants of the sea
In the Black Sea live poisonous fish:
Sea ruff (scorpion) with dangerous spikes, touching which pains appear throughout the body for about a day.
Variegated sea dragon, causing local inflammation when touched. Stingray-stingray (sea cat) with a spike on the tail, causing pain for a long time.Jellyfish in the Crimea are not dangerous. Only a few can sting, but it feels no more painful than touching nettles. If you come in contact with a jellyfish with the cornea of \u200b\u200bthe eye, then they must be washed immediately under fresh water. A bit about the jellyfish of the Black Sea:
Snakes
In Crimea, you can often meet a snake even in parks of resort towns, but no poisonous species were found here. The most dangerous are the steppe viper and the yellow-bellied snake. If the snake attacks and bites painfully, then the viper venom can provoke a person’s disease with an increase in body temperature. In any case, you need to see a doctor.
Animals of Crimea - inhabitants of forests - who are they? The real masters of the animal world are mammals (or animals). They have a constant body temperature, many of them are protected by wool. Females carry their cubs inside their body, and this is more reliable for the embryo than development in a laid egg, even under a strong shell. And finally, in full accordance with the name of the class, mammals nourish children with milk, the composition of which has been worked out by nature itself for millions of years - this is an ideal food for a newborn.
What animals lived in the Crimea in ancient times?
Over the long history of development, the fauna of the Crimean peninsula has seriously changed. In the Tertiary period (about 20 million years ago) in the territory of modern Crimea, which had a slightly different look, there was a hot tropical climate. Elephants, mastodons, extinct ancestors of camels, a three-toed horse, a hipparion, a horse of Stenon were found in the steppes. Surely there were many small animals and birds, but time grind the remains of their bones. Only heavy skeletons of ostriches were found. In the sea (even remotely similar to the Black) were the ancestors of modern whales.
About 1 million years ago, the tertiary period gave way to the Quaternary. In Crimea, it sharply colder. Mammoths appeared. On the plateau of the Crimean Mountains, in deep karst wells, bones are still found, or even whole skeletons of a giant and reindeer, wild horse, saiga, bison, cave lion, cave hyena, cave bear, woolly rhino ...
Who lives in the Crimean forest?
Today in Crimea there are 58 species of terrestrial mammals. We’ll start with the more primitive and smaller ones, ending with the “king” of the Crimean forest - the Crimean red deer.
Bats in Crimea there are 18 species, we call them bats. The shoulders, forearms, along with the elongated fingers of the forelimbs, sides of the body, hind limbs, and the stomach of bats are covered by leathery membranes that serve as wings. Bats prey in the evening and at night, when daytime birds sleep. Having very poor eyesight and good hearing, bats are guided with the help of an echolocation apparatus (in the horseshoe-bones, the horseshoe-shaped growth near the nose serves as its part). Animals constantly send ultrasonic waves into space and, picking up response signals, distinguish objects around them.
Eight species of bats winter in the Crimea, while the rest, like migratory birds, fly south. Flies especially well common winged, even a silhouette in flight resembling a swallow.
Teleutok Protein brought in 1940 in the Crimea from the Altai Territory. Here they multiplied and settled in all forests and parks. Protein food is diverse: mushrooms, berries, grass seeds, insects; the squirrel does not mind climbing into a bird’s nest, stealing an egg or curling its neck to a weak chick. Nevertheless, she prefers hazelnuts, acorns, beech nuts, pine seeds (ordinary and Crimean), and on the South Bank she loves pineols - edible nuts of Italian pine.
Sometimes she happens to drop a two hundred gram cone from a high pin. Well, if at this time people do not walk along the paths of the park! Fur on squirrel skins greatly thinned in the warm Crimea, lost the Altai beauty and strength, so this funny animal does not have commercial value.
When he crosses the road hare, the caring driver usually slows down, inviting everyone who has time to look at the long-eared sprinter.
The hare looks like a domestic rabbit, but its body structure is better suited for life in open spaces, for fast running with unexpected, confusing jumps. Newborn rabbits are sighted; they are covered with soft wool and are able to move around from the first day of life.
Squirrel in Crimea they call a stone marten with white wool on the throat and on the chest. Elegant, graceful, she, as they say, caresses the look. At the same time, the beautiful white-haired woman is a brave, cruel, bloodthirsty, gluttonous and incredibly agile predator, not alien, however, to vegetarian food. In summer and autumn, the marten eats thorns, hawthorn, pears and grapes. The little whale does not climb trees, but the pine marten even catches up with a squirrel! And if he gets into a house hen house (usually in the middle of the night), then in a few minutes he will strangle there the whole bird family that is restless with horror.
It is amazing that such a beast can be tamed. In one of Karadag’s cordons, a forest ranger was kept in the forester’s family. Raised from a nipple, she grew up on the knees of the hostess and her children and caressed the guests like a kitten! Without touching the domestic animals, the white-haired girl perfectly copes with cleaning the yard of the usual among chicken coops and pigsties, invincible rat flocks. Where are the lazy, weary cats!
BadgerPerhaps the most noble representative of the bloodthirsty marten family, to which such indomitable taiga predators as mink, otter, sable, ermine, wolverine belong, and from the Crimean - ferret, weasel and marten. “Familiar” energy and courage are manifested in an omnivorous badger not in bloody robberies, but in painstaking useful work. He digs himself holes in several floors, to match the caves; the total length of the underground "halls" and "galleries" can reach twenty meters. Each relative has its own purpose, and the floor is always lined, for disinfection, with fragrant herbs. Harvesting is carried out daily; twice a year badgers completely change the litter. This tireless builder is constantly expanding, deepening, landscaping the hole, and this well-groomed dwelling surrounded by the burrows of its neighbors eventually becomes part of a large badger town.
For food, the badger collects mushrooms, nuts, acorns, wild berries, root vegetables, feasts on snails, mice, gophers. For honey, he climbs into the nests of wild bees. They sting the robber, but he suffers, because he loves sweets very much.
Mountain Crimean fox Settles in the mountains, among the rocks, in karst caves and grottoes. She is smart, cunning, impudent, agile, unclean and often occupies the burrows of other animals.
The main fox food is of animal origin, commensurate with the growth of the predator and the size of its teeth. Typically, these are mice, gophers, hamsters, hedgehogs, bird eggs, and if you're lucky, then the birds themselves, hares and wild rabbits. When there are no dogs nearby, the fox overcomes fear and violates the sacred border of human habitation. But, unlike other lovers of delicacy and contrary to folk tales, he does not rob very much in chicken coops. And already without pleasure, just from hunger, eats insects, frogs, lizards, carrion.
A rare beast will be compared in bloodthirstiness with a tiny, cute and very funny, at first glance, affection. It can be tamed if grown in the house, and the weasel will sleep on a pillow near the owner’s head, make friends with a cat and a dog, bring fun to the family with its playfulness and tireless curiosity.
The house where the tamed weasel lives will be absolutely clean from rodents and insects. It is a pity that in captivity this animal rarely lives up to five years. And here is what A. Bram tells about the behavior of affection in the forest:
A small animal, only eight inches long, but his courage and audacity are exorbitant. Seeing a man, he does not think to run, on the contrary, standing on his hind legs, he looks around with a defiant look. More than once it happened that a weasel even attacked a person herself, and a lot of effort was worth getting rid of her sharp teeth.
And yet not affection, but wild boar - the only truly dangerous beast of the Crimean forest. Seeing or sensing a person, he prudently leaves, but does not forget the insults and does not know fear.
Wild boar is an omnivorous beast. Its main food is roots, acorns, mushrooms, all kinds of fruits and nuts. In addition there are insects, their larvae, rodents, bird eggs, and even when very hungry, the wild boar does not disdain carrion. Climbing into vegetable gardens, especially potato, wild pigs dig them up conscientiously than any owner - not a single root crop will remain in the ground!
In November-December, single adult males join the hogs of wild pigs with young animals. Fierce battles break out between choppers. The front part of the boar’s body is protected by a “trap” - a layer of fat and connective tissue, so strong that not every bullet pierces this natural shell! The stomach, however, is not protected, so for a weak opponent, a duel can end in death. But the winner collects a small "harem" - and already in the early spring he becomes the father of the family.
The female feeds, warms the piglets, and, if necessary, hides the kids, covering them with leaves. At this time, she is extremely dangerous. If you find a hidden pig in the forest and try to pick it up, the pig will come running immediately, and then - look for a tree higher!
The largest, most noticeable of the inhabitants of the Crimean forests - crimean red deer. There are males weighing up to 260 kilograms and a height at the withers of up to 140 centimeters. The deer is light-footed, slender, it has a proud head landing and wide branched horns. It is this noble article that he owes his name. The age of the Crimean deer is 60-70 years. Every year in February-March, the old deer horns fall away, and instead new ones grow, initially very tender, covered with skin and penetrated by blood vessels. These are antlers. Since ancient times, people hunted deer also for the sake of a valuable medicine extracted from these panties - pantocrine.
Horns are the weapons of a deer. In Crimea, the noble beast has no enemies (except for hunters), so the horns serve only for tournament fights in the September mating season. At this time, usually before sunrise, the forest is announced by the invoking roar of males. Opponents fight under the gaze of two or four females, which should go to the winner.
The number of deer in the Crimean forests was constantly changing, and at the beginning of the 20th century they were almost completely exterminated. Since 1923, with the formation of a reserved-hunting economy, shooting was reduced, and already in 1941 more than two thousand deer bred in the forests of Crimea. during the war there were four times less of them, and in 1990 the population again increased to several thousand. Today, as huntsmen say, the number of deer is “adjusted” by itself, by licensed and poaching shootings.
Once cloven-hoofed - deer and roe deer - lived in forests and in the steppe of the peninsula. People drove them to the mountain-forest areas. Now most of the roe deer live on the slopes of the Main Mountain Range.
Meeting in the forest with this gentle, graceful animal is not so rare. Seeing a person, the animal freezes, and realizing that it has been found, it is carried away deep into the forest, shining with a “mirror” (white wool around the tail). "Mirrors" are necessary so that young animals do not lose sight of the fleeing herd.
Belonging to the same family, roe deer look like deer, like smaller brothers. Both of them feed on herbaceous plants, tree shoots, buds, leaves and bark. Like deer, roe males wear branched horns, hold mating tournaments in August and September, and then lose their weapons so that in spring, preparing for the next season, they will begin to grow new ones. Foresters (and hunters too) are affectionately called roe deer goats. And here is what A. Bram writes about roe deer:
She effortlessly jumps through high fences and bushes, swims and climbs just as well; perfectly hears, feels and sees; she is cunning and careful. It grows fast, but in adulthood it constantly remains a stubborn, capricious creature, especially males who behave like the most wayward goats ...
Crimean animals on video
Crimea is one of the most amazing peninsulas on planet Earth. The nature of Crimea inspired many great writers, poets, artists to create works of amazing beauty. The famous Russian playwright Sergei Naydenov compared the Crimea with a small piece of blue sky that fell to the ground. Nikolai Nekrasov said: "The sea and the local nature subjugate and touch." It was here that he spent the last few years of his life.
So why is the Crimean peninsula so immersed in the soul of every person who has been there? The answer is simple - Crimean nature, climate, sea are the product of an amazing combination of various climatic and natural zones on such a small piece of the planet.
Plants in Crimea
When snow still lies on the mountain peaks, the southern part of the peninsula is covered with blooming tulips. In Crimea, you can see the majestic cypress trees brought by the inhabitants of Hellas to the peninsula, hazel, dogwood ash and more than 77 species of trees. In beech and pine forests you can find some species of yew berry - the oldest relic breed. Part of the territory of the sunny peninsula is covered with thickets of bushes - Spanish gorse, tamarisk, hen, and the other part is covered with herbs and flowers.
Animals in Crimea
The fauna of Crimea is no less diverse. Traveling along the Crimean deserted roads, you can see the columns standing in the steppe - gophers froze. In the evening, you can hear the familiar snort of a hedgehog or see a bat flying out to hunt. And you can also meet all of us with the famous hare or rabbit, which was once brought to the peninsula by travelers.
Until 1922, a wolf could also be found in Crimea, but the last individual was destroyed near Chatyr-Da Mountain. But foxes, martens, ferrets still live on the peninsula and feel great. Speaking about the animal kingdom of Crimea, one cannot fail to say about dolphins - amazing animals that love to communicate with people and, of course, about the noble Crimean deer - the pride of the peninsula. Graceful roe deer, bison, mouflon live in Crimea.
The location of the Crimea allows the peninsula to be used as a transshipment base during the flight of birds to warmer countries. The birds of the peninsula are represented by more than 300 species of various birds. Among them - a black vulture, a vulture, partridges, mullets, a wand and many other bird representatives. Speaking about the unique nature of the Crimean peninsula, it is impossible not to say about nature reserves, in which all the natural phenomena of the peninsula are carefully protected.
Nature of the North of Crimea
Endless steppes, an abundance of diverse herbs and flowers - this is what characterizes the landscape of the northern part of Crimea. It is especially beautiful here in the spring when tulips and poppies bloom. Just imagine an endless carpet of flowers that stretches from your feet to the horizon, and the bitter-tasting air smells like wormwood! In many cities of Crimea hold whole festivals of flowers and plants. For example, in Simferopol - the lavender festival, the Krasnogvardeisky festival is popular Crimean tulips.
It is in the North of Crimea that you can find amazingly beautiful "wild" places to relax. Here is the famous Swan Island, which migratory birds use as a backup "airfield" for long-distance flights for the winter. It is always noisy from the bird's hubbub. Approximately 20 species of bird tribe live permanently on Swan Island.
Soft, whitish in color (from small particles of shells) sand stretches along the Bakalskaya spit. A feature of the spit is considered different coastal characteristics: the right - gently sloping with long shallow water, the left - more abrupt with high waves.
From North to East runs a ridge of Crimean mountains covered with beech and pine forests. It is worth mentioning separately about such a miracle as the Crimean Grand Canyon, which is located on the slope of the Ai-Petrinsky Massif. The slopes of the canyons are formed by gray and pinkish limestone and are covered with islands of Crimean pines, and below the plants form impenetrable bushes.
Northern Crimea is beautiful not only in summer but also in winter. In the mountains you can find many places where you can relax in the winter, skiing, sledding, snowboarding.
The nature of the south of Crimea
High mountains, warm sea, mild climate - this is what the South of the Crimean peninsula is. Its territory is quite small, about 150 km in length and from 2 to 8 km inland. Here you can find picturesque cliffs that will appeal to rock climbing lovers, and high mountains, and cozy bays with magnificent sandy beaches.
It is in the south of Crimea that the mountain Ayu-Dag is familiar to many from literary works. And far from the shore there is a lonely rock called the Sail. In the southern Crimea is located the Yalta Reserve with beech and oak forests and an evergreen shrub. In the south of Crimea there are many lakes - small and large, but Lake Tobechik occupies a special place. The bottom of the lake is covered with a thick layer of silt and in its composition it is close to the famous healing Crimean mud.
The subtropical climate of the South of the Crimean Peninsula is due to the presence of a natural barrier - the ridge of the Crimean Mountains, which prevents the penetration of cool air from its northern part. This explains the many tropical and subtropical vegetation in the Crimean South.
The nature of the Eastern coast of Crimea
The east of Crimea is an accumulation of small bays and peninsulas, for example, the Kerch Peninsula. It is characterized by a smooth transition from the Crimean mountains to the steppe. The beauty of sheer cliffs and mysterious grottoes, the blue of the sea, the majestic thickly forested mountains with beautiful waterfalls and lakes are admired. The Kara-Dag mountain, which is translated from Turkic as “Black Mountain”, admires with its severe beauty. At the foot of the mountain, near Koktebel, a unique dynotherium was created in the form of two large white balls. Here you can see most of the flora and fauna, and not only the Crimea, but the whole planet. Animals walk outside the cages, and the birds are free to fly wherever they want.
The charming Tikhaya Bay is located between Koktebel and the village of Ordzhonikidze. It is notable for the fact that blue clay is dissolved in the bay water, and as you know, it has a beneficial effect on human skin.
From the western side of the bay you can see Cape Chameleon or Toprak-Kaya, which in translation from the Turkic language means Clay Rock. It consists of clay slates, which change color during the day. That is why he got his modern name - Chameleon.
Western Crimea and its nature
The variety of species of trees, shrubs, herbs and, of course, flowers characterize the plant world of the West of the Crimean coast. An amazing sight is the western steppe of Crimea in the spring! At this time, it looks like a colorful flower sea! And what air is hovering over you! In it you can hear the bitter notes of wormwood, the scents of flowers and the sea.
An interesting Uzunji Canyon, which conquers with its unusualness. A small river called Uzundzha winds along the bottom of the canyon. It is to her that this canyon owes its appearance. View of the slopes of the canyon, overgrown with undersized shrubs or small trees, allows you to imagine yourself in some fantastic country. Cape Tarkanhut is known for an unusual rock bowl - the bowl of Love. This is a small lake with sea water, which appeared in a rocky depression. According to legend, if lovers jump into the Lake of Love, holding hands, and do not open them while immersed in water, then their life together will be happy and long.
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Center of Crimea. Nature
In the Center of Crimea there are several mountain ranges - Dolgorukovskaya Yaila, Karabi-Yaila which stretch in a narrow ridge to the East.
In the mountains there are many karst caves (Krasnaya, Soldatskaya and others), rocks, magnificent waterfalls.
Not far from the village, Generalskoye rolls the waters of Ju-Dzhur - the largest and deepest waterfall in Crimea. Jur-Jur is also known for its bowl-lakes, which have their own names. There is a belief that plunging into the bowl of “Love” you gain Love, and if in the bowl of “Health” - a healthy body and spirit.
On the slope of Chatyr-Dag Mountain there is a unique cave, which is famous for colored calcites, they are also called "cave flowers". When examining the cave, the bones of a mammoth, a cave bear and other prehistoric animals were found. Based on these findings, a paleontological museum was organized in 2000 in the Emine-Bair-Khosar cave. The nature of Crimea is diverse and amazing. Due to its location, you can find a variety of types of vegetation and animals. Many mountain ranges are covered with shrubs and islands of groves, in which there are unique, relict specimens. Nowhere else in the world there is such a wonderful and affectionate land and to feel it, you must definitely visit here!
