The Pasvik State Nature Reserve. Animals of the Pasvik Nature Reserve

This is the third largest reserve in the Murmansk region. It was established in 1992 in accordance with the resolution of the Government of the Russian Federation for the study and conservation of pine forests located in the northern limit of distribution. In addition, general monitoring of northern ecosystems should be carried out in the reserve. An important argument in favor of creating a protected area was the history of these places.

In some areas, archaeologists have discovered traces of the ancient man's stay . In ancient times in these places lived the Sami, who were engaged in fishing, reindeer breeding, roamed the valley of the river. Much later, Russians, Norwegians, Finns appeared here. This land until 1918 belonged to the Arkhangelsk province, then it passed to Finland and returned to the Soviet Union after the Second World War.

The Pasvik Nature Reserve is a protected area for the water areas of numerous waterfowl - swan-swans, geese, ducks and wading birds, as well as the preservation of the Paz river bed.

This region has a rich culture and history. The Pasvik Reserve is the result of joint work of Norwegian and Russian specialists. It consists of two unequal parts occupied by the area. They lie on either side of the border running along the Paz River.

Pasvik: State Natural Reserve

Marshes and lakes occupy most of this territory. Pine forests occupy 40% of the protected area. In the center, above the plain, mountain ranges of up to 380 meters rise.

Pasvik is a nature reserve with untouched nature. This is a natural geographical place of contact of western species of animals and plants with the eastern. Here, mountains and plains, marshes and taiga, as well as tundra, are mixed.

The Paz River and the Lake

The Pasvik Reserve is located along this river. It flows through the entire protected area. The river originates in Inari (Finland) and flows into the Varanger Fjord (the Barents Sea). Its length is 147 km, the maximum elevation difference is about 119 meters. Previously, the river consisted of large lakes, united by rapids and waterfalls. Then they built 2 Norwegian and 5 Russian power stations. Only in a small area the natural river bed was preserved. Today it is considered an ideal place for waterfowl. This site is called Fjærvann, which translates from Norwegian as a "downy lake".

Lakes occupy most of the territory of Pasvik, a significant part of them is concentrated in the north of the reserve. Most of them are shallow, have muddy, sandy or peaty beaches. There are lakes in the mountain basins. The largest of them is Kaskamajärvi. It is located in the heart of the reserve. Its area is 188 hectares, the maximum depth exceeds 20 m, the banks are stony.

Varlama Island

On this site of the reserve there is a small island. More than a hundred years ago Hans Schonning, an ornithological student from Norway, worked and lived here. He was the first to introduce this region to world science and wrote a book about the time spent on the island. This work brought him worldwide fame. The book was so popular that many aspired to come to these regions.

Recently, the house of H. Skonig was rebuilt on the lake. Today it is used as a field base for observing nature. In addition, on the island in 1995 the old border tower was reconstructed and converted into an ornithological one, which allowed to observe the birds. At the inauguration of its opening came Prince Philip - President of WWF.

Pasvik Nature Reserve - Animals

Most of the fauna of the reserve is represented by species typical of the taiga. The number of mammals in this territory is 34 species, 14 of which are rare. A large proportion of them are rodents.

For these places are typical animals such as squirrel, ermine, fox, hare, marten, brown bear, elk. The population of the muskrat is quite numerous in reservoirs. Brown bear and elk are found in territories belonging to two neighboring countries. Wolverine, weasel and otter are found, but quite rare.

"Pasvik" is a nature reserve with its native species of animals. This is a reindeer - it is home to its domesticated species. Wild deer can be found in the center of the Kola Peninsula. Reindeer herding is widely developed in Lapland (Finland) and Finnmark (Norway). In these regions it was preserved in a radical form.

The invertebrate fauna of the reserve is only being studied. By the beginning of the last century, 776 insect species have been officially registered here, which belong to 8 detachments. To date, the most studied are Hymenoptera and Diptera.

Species of spiders reach 68 species from thirteen families. It should be noted that this is not the final data. Research scientists continue.

Birds

The Pasvik Nature Reserve, the photo of which we have placed in this article, is rich in birds. They are registered here 229 species.

The Paz River, as well as the nearby wetlands, is an important habitat for such birds as the swan swan and the black-throated diver, the loutok and the gogol, the long-nosed crouch and mallard. In the marshes are common waders (fifi, snipe, dandy) and gray crane.

Predators include the white-tailed eagle, osprey, goshawk, kestrel, buzzard buzzard, swamp owl. To forest species nesting in the reserve, include a forest horse and a woodpecker, a redstart and a Thrush-Rowanberry, a chiffchaff and a yurok, an oatmeal and a flycatcher.

Such birds as the black grouse, capercaillie, hazel grouse, partridges, sparrows, tits and many others, spend the winter in the woods. In the mountain tundra, you can see an ordinary stove, a meadow hobby, an average curlew.

Vegetable world

Reserve "Pasvik" is located in the zone of the northern taiga, passing into the forest-tundra. On the banks of the Paz River, the northernmost pine forests grow in Europe.

Siberian spruce is widely distributed in the Pechenga district. It is found in the center of the reserve near Mount Kalkupya. There is also a site of a unique pine forest, which has not been touched by felling, its age exceeds 200 years.

The second most common in the reserve is the birch. On the banks of rivers and streams are common shrub birch forests. On the plains you can see a birch tree. In the countryside, birch is meandering. Rarely, but there is a birch dangling, mainly along the banks of streams, rivers and lakes.