The immense Russia: the middle band and the animals that live on it

Russia is rich in its expanses! The middle strip of our country is a truly unique territory, full of variety of coniferous and deciduous forests, clean rivers and crystal lakes, untouched civilization. In addition, the local mild climate creates excellent conditions for the dwelling of numerous and unique animals, as well as for the growth of certain plants here.

What is the middle band of Russia?

The middle stripe of Russia is called the territory of the European part of our country, characterized by a temperate continental climate. Another name for it is the Central Russian region. That's how it was called in the days of the Soviet Union. The nature of the middle zone of Russia is diverse and surprising. Some animals and plants inhabiting European territory, almost no longer occur in remote regions of our country.

What is the prevailing climate in the central part of Russia?

On the European territory of the Russian Federation there is a temperate continental climate. Birds of the middle zone of Russia and other animals feel very cozy here. And it's no accident, because the winter here - snowy, but moderately frosty, and the summer - warm, but rather wet. For example, according to the hydrometeorological center of Russia, average winter temperatures are from -8 degrees Celsius in the south-west (in the Bryansk region) to -12 in the northeast (in the Yaroslavl region). Summer temperatures can be named values from +22 degrees Celsius (north-west, Tver region) to +28 (southeast, Lipetsk region).

Geography

What are the boundaries of this area? How wide is Russia? The middle section of our vast country begins from the borders with Belarus (in the west) and stretches to the very Volga (in the east), and also from the Arkhangelsk region and Karelia in the northern direction to Chernozem (sometimes to the Caucasus) - in the south. It should be noted that in the north the European territory is bordered by the taiga strip. This boundary lies in the Yaroslavl, Pskov, Kostroma and Kirov regions. In the south, the middle belt borders on the forest-steppe in the Kursk, Voronezh, Lipetsk, Orel, Penza and Tambov regions. As a rule, mixed Russian forests are allocated to the so-called sub-taiga zone.

What is rich in European Russia?

The middle stripe of our country, of course, is rich in its unique flora. As already mentioned above, mixed and broad-leaved forests with a variety of animal and plant life are typical for these places. The latter is represented here by various types of trees:

• Lime tree;
• Birch;
• Oak;
• Ash;
• Maple;
• Alder;
• Elm.

In the territory occupied by mixed forests, coniferous species are added to the above-mentioned species of deciduous trees : pine, fir, spruce, and larch-trees, without which Russia is not Russia. The middle zone of the Russian Federation is famous for its diversity of meadows. The main representatives of meadow grass are:

• fescue;
• foxtail;
• clover;
• The bent;
• Timothy;
• sedge;
• Mouse polka dots.

Animals of middle Russia

The local places are a real find for zoologists and naturalists in all areas of our life! It should be noted that about 50% of the species diversity of fauna is found here. Many animals inhabiting the European territory of Russia were able to survive and adapt in this natural area only due to its mild climate. A great number of these or those steppe and forest tracts serve as a quiet quay for such hoofed animals as:

• Bison;
• Moose;
• Marals;
• Sheep;
• Wild boars;
• Noble European deer;
• Roe deer.

However, the animals in the central part of Russia are not limited to its hoofed representatives. And roe deer, and wild boar, and maral, in turn, serve as food for large predators - brown bears, raccoon dogs, wolves, wolverines and martens. Small animals (shrews, moles) live in large numbers here, which is food, for example, for foxes and other birds of prey. Scientists note that the European territory of our country is inhabited by the largest in Russia population of hare-hare, ordinary hedgehogs, squirrels, voles, etc.

Ponds inhabit such fish as pike, roach, sterlet, crucian, ide. The European territory of our country has more than 170 species of birds, being the historical habitat of most of them. In large numbers here you can meet bullfinches, hazel grouses, woodpeckers, thrushes. Here are the most common birds in the middle zone of Russia:

• Crows;
• partridge;
• swallow;
• sparrow;
• nightingale;
• landrail;
• Gray heron;
• pastor;
• bustard;
• lapwing;
• toadstool;
• duck;
• Siberian Crane;
• Wading owl;
• Steppe eagle;
• buzzard.

Despite the fact that over 40 species of birds are hunting and commercial and are harvested annually, many of their natural populations remain intact due to the absence of deliberate, destructive impact on nature by humans.