The wildlife of Russia inhabits terrain that extends across 12 time zones and from the tundra region in the far north to the Caucasus Mountains and prairies in the south, including temperate forests which cover 70% of the country. Russia's forests comprise 22% of the forest in the world[1] as well as 33% of all temperate forest.[2]
According to the data furnished in the Red Data Book of the Russian Federation, as of 1996, there were 266 mammal species and 780 bird species under protection.[3] Some of the threatened plant species are the Siberian cedar pine, Korean cedar pine in the far eastern part of the country, wild chestnut in the Caucasus.[1] In the Russian Far East, brown bears, Eurasian lynx, and red deer, Amur tigers, Amur leopards, and Asiatic black bears are reported. There are also about 350 bird species and 30 percent of Russia's endangered species are found.[4] Carnivores under threat include the Siberian tiger, numbered at 400, and the Amur leopard of which only 30 remained as of 2003.[1]
- ^ a b c "It's Europe's lungs and home to many rare species. But to Russia it's £100bn of wood". The Guardian. Retrieved 28 November 2015.
- ^ "Russia". U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Retrieved 28 November 2015.
- ^ "The list of animals for Red Data Book of Russian Federation (1 November 1997)". A Centre for Collaborating with UNDP. Archived from the original on 28 April 2016. Retrieved 28 November 2015.
- ^ Slaght, Jonathan; Maher, Julie Larsen (5 September 2015). "The Rare and Exotic Animals of Russia's Far East (Photos)". Livescience.com. Retrieved 28 November 2015.