Bison and other large animals of Europe

The largest continent on the planet is Europe. It is rich in diverse scenic landscapes, extraordinary plants and an amazing animal world. But some of the inhabitants of this territory are on the verge of extinction. For example, a bison is an animal of the Red Book from the first category.

Description of the animal

Bisons belong to the genus of bison. In appearance they resemble huge and powerful bulls. It is believed that Europe 's largest animal is bison. The weight of this beast can sometimes reach 1000 kilograms, and at the withers they grow up to two meters. Female individuals are much smaller than males. The constitution of the bison is quite powerful. His front body is much larger and larger than the back. It is worth noting that these huge animals of Europe are very fast, and their gallop seems easy. They are able to jump over a barrier two meters high.

Bison differ in the withers, which resembles a hump, as well as a long dense mane and beard. The animal has short, but thick and sharp horns. The most developed of the senses are the sense of smell and hearing. At the same time they do not see very well. It should be noted that this powerful and largest animal of Europe is in danger, the bison is threatened with extinction. His future depends entirely on how the person reacts to this.

Habitat

Many years ago bison lived on the prevailing part of Europe. They inhabited the forest-steppe and deciduous forests. But gradually the development of man pushed the animal into untouched forests. Also, people hunted for the beast for the sake of "sports" interest. In the eastern part of Europe, the bison was lost in the 17th century. Today it lives in reserves in the North Caucasus and in the central part of Europe.

Life of bison

These animals of Europe live in a herd. But they change the number depending on the time of year. In the winter, bisons combine into large groups, in which there are one hundred or more individuals. By spring they are divided into small herds of 10-15 head. In such a family there are several mature females and young males that have not yet reached sexual maturity. Bulls that are ready to mate join these communities, they usually stay apart from the rest of the males. In 3-4 years the females are ready to bring the first offspring. Bulls begin to have offspring in 5-6 years. Gon lasts from August to October. In May-June there is a posterity. Usually the female has one calf. In exceptional cases, two babies appear. In nurseries and zoos, the animal brings offspring every year. At large, pregnancy occurs every two years. These animals of Europe lead a sedentary life, but young bulls can sometimes roam. Female bison survive to 24 years, males are slightly smaller - to 20. Among them may be longevity, at times female individuals survived to 28 years.

Feeding a Bison

As a food, the bison select grass, leaves, shoots and bark. Their diet can include about 400 species of different plants. But, naturally, their diet is dominated only by the vegetation that grows in the habitat of bison. During the cold period, these animals visit solonetz and use artificial fertilizing. For grazing bison choose evening and morning hours. At lunchtime, animals lie in the forest and chew the cud. If the weather is hot, they visit the watering place twice a day.

The Bears

But the bison are not the only animals in Europe, which have a huge size and impressive appearance. Brown bear is ranked among the most dangerous land animals. This animal lives in Russia. But it can be found in Finland, Scandinavia and Asia. This beast is a predatory mammal. He has a powerful physique. The largest representatives live in Kamchatka. In these places the weight of the animal fluctuates between 500 and 1000 kilograms. Adult males are one and a half times larger than female males. Their ears and tail are small, with massive claws reaching 10 centimeters on their massive paws. It can be noted that the bear stands confidently on its hind legs. The animal's wool is very thick.

Bear - an animal that prefers to dwell in the taiga and dense forests. Sometimes he can go into the tundra. The animal tries to choose a lair for a place on the old forests, located near the mossy marshes. Deep in the woods he is looking for a mountain of brushwood or a big stump to prepare for hibernation. Brown bears are omnivorous. They eat leaves from trees, and can also graze for a long time in the meadow, tearing up the grass. The bear is very fond of such treats as nuts and berries. In addition, this beast is famous for its fishing skills. And sometimes he does not refuse even the carrion.

Elk

An animal moose lives on the territory of Europe. This large beast in this area is second only to the bison, but larger males can surpass even it. At the withers it grows to 230 centimeters. The adult weight reaches 570 kg, the female is much smaller - 400 kg. The front part of the body is higher than the back, the head is elongated, the nose has a peculiar bump. On the lower part of the neck, the moose has a fold, which is called the "earring". The legs of the animal are very long, and in comparison with them the trunk does not seem so big. The males, starting with the second year of life, grow horns. Each year closer to winter, they drop them, but at the beginning of spring the horns again grow. In August, you can see the moose already with grown horns. Every year the branches of the horns become more and more branching and become shovel-like. But to old age they again look like pipes. These animals are poorly developed eyesight, so they rely on hearing and scent.

Moose are very cautious and even timid. But if in the area they are not hunted or chased, these animals begin to trust people and may even go into cities.