Animals of Novosibirsk

Many different species of wildlife can be found in Novosibirsk, a busy city in Siberia, although they are frequently overlooked. Animals have adapted to the special circumstances of this Siberian region, whether they are in the urban parks and green areas or the icy wilderness that envelops the city.

We’ll look at some of the interesting creatures that live in Novosibirsk in this article. The wildlife of Novosibirsk provides an insight into how life survives in one of the world’s coldest cities, whether it is through the hardy birds that withstand the severe winters or the elusive mammals that prowl the outskirts.

Come along as we explore the world of Novosibirsk’s wildlife, learning about the lives and survival techniques of these amazing animals. We hope that this exploration will increase your appreciation of the natural environment in the center of Siberia.

Part II. Large and predatory

Not just cute squirrels and microscopic mice coexist with people. Big and sometimes even deadly animals visit our city.

In today’s review, there are big and small predators as well as large ungulates that are amazing even though they aren’t predators! We’ll start with them right now.

ELE

Moose is one of the largest animals of our region. They live in the forest and forest -steppe zone. But where the forest comes close to the city, animals can go to people. This happens either in a hungry time when, in search of food, they make migrations, then a whole company of moose can go through a short period of time in the same way. Either in winter, in search of salt, they go on the roads that our utilities sincerely sprinkle from ice. Elks feed on plant foods, almost devoid of salts, so to maintain metabolism they need to receive mineral salt. In nature, they know the outputs of salty soils and literally lick such slopes. But they will not refuse easily accessible salt poured by a person either.

Elk The animal is not hostile and won’t initiate an attack. However, if you frighten one of these giants, it can hurt you as well as itself.

These phlegmatic, typically slow-moving creatures can grow to a height of 2.5 meters and a weight of 500–600 kg. Males are not defenseless; their heads are adorned with massive, heavy antlers. Antlers are only worn by males, and only occasionally. Firstly, they are a weapon and a decoration in battles with other men, and they help a female in combat. Additionally, antlers aid in the elk’s improved navigation by picking up sounds, much like locators.

Siberian roe deer

Roe deer, like elks, belong to the deer family, but they are about ten times smaller – they weigh 35-50 kg. Roe deer live in forests with abundant undergrowth, they love grassy floodplains of streams and rivers. There are quite a lot of roe deer living along the banks of the Ob and its tributaries, but they are very timid. In the summer, it is almost impossible to see these charming deer – they hear perfectly well and immediately hide in the grass. But in winter they can come closer to people. It happens that a new construction site or some other unfavorable conditions scare roe deer from their usual routes, and they approach villages in whole herds and even go into the city.

The roe deer’s migration paths have now significantly shifted. They head further south into the forest-steppe from their preferred forest zone. Over the previous 20 years, there has been a noticeable decline in their population in the Tomsk region and Krasnoyarsk Krai.

The population of these deer is only increasing in the Novosibirsk region, and this winter there was a complete roe deer invasion in nearby Omsk. The animals emerged into the city, ran down the streets, and laid in the fields in the private sector.

They are not used to being so close to people; many animals have died of fear after colliding with a car or train. Not all of the roe deer that were captured and released back into the forests by scientists and forestry workers were saved.

Roe deer have exceptional camouflage skills. When summer turns to winter, their fur changes. They are almost gray in winter and reddish-fawn in summer. In order to make it easier to hide among the bushes and grass, the babies are born spotted. The cubs’ nearly complete lack of sweat glands also aids in their ability to conceal from predators, who are attracted to scents. Animals use piercing cries to alert one another to danger, and they also display their running backsides to the herd as a brilliant white patch beneath the tail.

Bear

It’s said that bears roam the streets of Siberia. They are telling the truth; this also occurs. In Nizhnyaya Yeltsovka, there was an incident involving a bear that wandered directly onto the street a few years ago. You can read in the news almost every summer about animals with clubfoot that scuttle around the closest suburbs or summer cottage communities. People do not benefit from these kinds of encounters; bears do not emerge from the forest to live happy lives. These are usually sick or starving animals.

A healthy bear will not approach humans and generally has little interest in hunting. Seventy percent of the food in its diverse diet is plant-based. Bears consume roots, berries, grass, and mushrooms. They try to capture fish. However, they are more fond of carrion-based meat. Even in cases when a bear obtains fresh meat, it typically obtains it from other predators rather than by hunting them down. It then "dries" the meat for a few days before starting to consume it.

The habitats of bears are vast. Although each has a territory of its own, it spans tens or even hundreds of kilometers and naturally intersects with neighboring territories. A bear’s daily walking distance can reach up to 50 km, and it can cover 300–400 km in a year. It searches for a partner in some areas, stores fat in others, and can hibernate for the winter in a third.

Bears are long-distance walkers who can run quickly. They can reach up to 40 km/h; no running champion can match that. These large, seemingly awkward guys can swim quite well. They enjoy swimming on hot days in addition to swimming across large rivers.

Examining Novosibirsk’s varied animal population reveals the rich natural surroundings of this energetic city. The fauna of Novosibirsk provides an intriguing window into the ecological balance of the area, ranging from hardy organisms that flourish in the severe Siberian climate to unusual species discovered in nearby parks and reserves. Knowing these animals makes it clear how adapted they are to harsh environments and emphasizes how crucial conservation efforts are to protect their habitats for coming generations.

Fox

Foxes are the most common predators in our country. They happily settle near cities, can steal garbage or hunt rodents attracted by these garbage. Foxes are very curious and quite fearless, so they often approach people. But you shouldn"t try to pet them, and just go close to the red beauty – it"s still a predatory animal. They can carry infections – and not only rabies, which everyone talks about, and from which, if necessary, you can get a series of painful but effective vaccinations. There are also many other infections that are not so easy to predict. And just an attack by a wild animal is not what you expect from a walk in the city park.

Although you don’t often see the fox itself, you can see its tracks in the snow during the winter months. They resemble the footprints of a small dog, but the fox only places its paws very narrowly, almost in a straight line. These kinds of chains of tracks encircle the reservoir’s whole bank.

Foxes form lifelong pairs and live in families. The female selects a partner, the males perform a unique mating dance, and the two of them prepare a hole. For the next two months or so, the male assists in raising the cubs. Following this, the couples split up and go their separate ways into hunting areas, but they reunite at the hunting hole in the spring.

"If the woman passes away, the man stays a widower for the remainder of his life without looking for a new partner. However, the woman may find another partner.

Pine marten

This predator is about the size of a cat, considerably smaller than the others. But it can hunt big game like hedgehogs and hares, and it can catch up to a hundred small rodents a month. Despite the warm season, the marten still likes to eat cones and berries.

Trees are the only habitat for martens. They dig nests in the crevices. They leap between the trees up to four meters away as they travel along the branches until they reach the thinnest tops. The same trees provide them with food, and they can even hunt squirrels and steal bird nests. A squirrel may find its way into a marten’s nest. You cannot hide beneath or inside the trees from these sly, small predators.

Martens are not afraid of people because they are aware of the advantages that come with living in a neighborhood like this. Not only do they capture mice that venture close to human habitations, but they also retain memories of particular locations and even individuals who provide them with food; they visit hunting and fishing grounds and can even track hunters back to their residences.

In addition, martens are nearly hard to tame, have a short lifespan in captivity, and barely adjust to new environments.

Investigating Novosibirsk’s animal population reveals an amazing diversity that captures the essence of the area’s special environment. The diversity is unexpected and delightful, ranging from the hardy urban wildlife to the more elusive species in the surrounding natural areas.

Knowing these animals can help us better understand how wildlife adjusts to urban environments and how animal behavior is influenced by natural habitats. One gains a greater understanding of the harmony between urban development and nature by seeing them in their native environments or those to which they have adapted.

Taking the time to understand and value Novosibirsk’s wildlife, whether you live there or are just visiting, strengthens your bond with the area. It serves as a reminder of how crucial it is to protect natural areas and wildlife for upcoming generations.

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