Unique animals are the rarest animals that live in the most diverse parts of Russia. Moreover, they do not have to be somehow incomprehensible and strange. Some of these animals are generally well known to certain people. However, among them, indeed, there are very extraordinary creatures.
Unique animals of Russia. Musk deer
Musk deer is a small animal that looks a bit like a deer. Musk deer are distinguished from deer and roe deer by the absence of horns and lacrimal fossae, which are located under the eyes of deer. The animal lives in the mountain forests of Altai, Primorye, Transbaikalia. Other places of its habitat are mountains of China and Tibet, impregnable rocks.
A distinctive feature of the animal are long fangs sticking out of the upper jaw and giving this animal a frightening look. In males, these canines reach 7 cm in length, having rather sharp cutting edges. Despite this, the musk deer is a herbivorous creature. The color of the musk deer fur varies from red-brown to yellow-brown and even white.
Musk deer is also known for its special and attractive scent. That is why zoologists classify musk deer as musky animals. The smell (musk) comes from a special bag located in males near the navel. It allows them to lure females into mating. It was this musk sack that became the reason for the barbaric hunt, which several years ago was carried out on these unique animals.
Unique animals of Russia. Bison
Bison and bison belong to the bison genus and are the largest herd animals on the planet. Their height reaches 4 m, and their weight is about 2 tons. However, such parameters did not save the animal from human encroachment on it. These creatures began to die out rapidly. Today bison and bison are an endangered species. For example, in the Old World by 1923 there were only 56 bison.
Fortunately, reserves were established in Belovezhskaya Pushcha and the Western Caucasus on time. This could save bison from complete extinction. Today, more than 2 thousand bison live in the wild, and another 1.5 thousand live in Russian zoos.
Unique animals of Russia. Giant nocturnal
Bats are the only mammals in the world that can fly. Zoologists classify them as bats. Many people disapprove of these animals because they are afraid of them. Apparently, this is due to the ugly appearance and due to the nocturnal lifestyle of bats.
The largest bat in Russia and throughout Europe is the so-called giant nocturnal. This species of bats is listed in the Red Book. The body length of the giant nocturnal can reach 1, 04 m, and the wingspan - up to 46 cm. The color of this unique creature has several shades of chestnut-red. The abdomen is slightly lighter than the back.
The giant nocturnal feeds on large beetles and moths. Scientists who analyzed the blood and droppings of these animals came to the conclusion that they often eat small birds of the passerine order: redstart, robin (robins), warblers, warblers.
Giant noctresses are common in deciduous European foxes from France to the Caucasus and the Volga region. They were also seen in the Middle East. In Russia, these animals can be seen in the Samara, Nizhny Novgorod and Moscow regions, as well as from the western borders of the country up to the Orenburg region.
