Wild Wild Life in Life in

DagestaDagestann

Vegetation and animal life in Vegetation and animal life in Dagestan depend on the landscape Dagestan depend on the landscape and climatic conditions. With the and climatic conditions. With the comparatively mild climate and comparatively mild climate and varied soils, Dagestan has diverse varied soils, Dagestan has diverse pattern of vegetation.pattern of vegetation.

Therefore the whole republic can be Therefore the whole republic can be divided into three main parts:divided into three main parts:

Lowland DagestanLowland Dagestan Foothill DagestanFoothill Dagestan Highland Dagestan.Highland Dagestan.

Lowland Dagestan

Foothill Dagestan

Highland Dagestan

Lowland DagestanLowland Dagestan

The lowlands in the north are The lowlands in the north are semi-desert, droughty zone and semi-desert, droughty zone and the soils are sandy and salty the soils are sandy and salty there. Therefore the vegetation is there. Therefore the vegetation is rather poor and the fauna is rather poor and the fauna is composed mainly of the reptiles – composed mainly of the reptiles – lizards, snakes, etc. and some lizards, snakes, etc. and some mammals, such as foxes, mammals, such as foxes, badgers, antelopes –saigaks, etc.badgers, antelopes –saigaks, etc.

Sarykum Sand Dune Sarykum Sand Dune

•Near the capital city of Makhachkala to the south, there is a small section of the preserve guards the Sarykum Sand Dune, a miniature island of desert amidst the North.

A Sandy SnakeA Sandy Snake

A LizardA Lizard

Antelopes - SaigaksAntelopes - Saigaks

A Herd of Cows in the A Herd of Cows in the SteppeSteppe

SheepSheep

A Wild CatA Wild Cat

A FoxA Fox

A RaccoonA Raccoon

A FerretA Ferret

A HedgehogA Hedgehog

A TurtleA Turtle

A MeercatA Meercat

A BustardA Bustard

A TurkeyA Turkey

A PheasantA Pheasant

A HawkA Hawk

A ShchurkaA Shchurka

A SwiftA Swift

A SwallowA Swallow

A SparrowA Sparrow

A CrowA Crow

RooksRooks

A MagpieA Magpie

A TitA Tit

A WagtailA Wagtail

PigeonsPigeons

In Kizlyar Bay, a secluded nook In Kizlyar Bay, a secluded nook in the Caspian Sea's in the Caspian Sea's northwestern shore, a nearly northwestern shore, a nearly impenetrable broad band of tall impenetrable broad band of tall reeds separates the water from reeds separates the water from the mainland.  A hundred species the mainland.  A hundred species of birds of birds - - coots, geese, herons, coots, geese, herons, and pelicans to name a few and pelicans to name a few -- congregate in these reeds along congregate in these reeds along fertile coastal waters for nesting, fertile coastal waters for nesting, wintering, and stopover during wintering, and stopover during long migrations.  long migrations. 

In the rich seawater offshore, In the rich seawater offshore, millions of carp, herring, and millions of carp, herring, and other fish are spawned each other fish are spawned each year, helping to replenish year, helping to replenish populations of highly sought populations of highly sought after commercial species.  A after commercial species.  A significant portion of this significant portion of this fertile bay is protected in fertile bay is protected in Dagestansky Zapovednik, the Dagestansky Zapovednik, the only strictly protected area in only strictly protected area in Russia's Dagestan Republic. Russia's Dagestan Republic. 

Agrakhan BayAgrakhan Bay

A HeronA Heron

A Heron –Mother isFeeding Her Babies.

A GooseA Goose

DucksDucks

A PelicanA Pelican

A SwanA Swan

CormorantsCormorants

The Seagull isFighting With theCormorants

Sea GullsSea Gulls

A StorkA Stork

A A HoopoeHoopoe

A JayA Jay

The Caspian Sea is rich in The Caspian Sea is rich in sturgeon, beluga (white sturgeon, beluga (white sturgeon), sprat, herring, sturgeon), sprat, herring, seals, and many other species seals, and many other species of fish and sea animals. Many of fish and sea animals. Many species of freshwater fish are species of freshwater fish are found in the lakes and rivers of found in the lakes and rivers of Dagestan. The high mountain Dagestan. The high mountain lake Kazenoiam, on the border lake Kazenoiam, on the border with the Chechen republic is with the Chechen republic is famous for its trout. famous for its trout.

Caspian Sprat

HerringHerring

CatfishCatfish

White SturgeonWhite Sturgeon

SturgeonSturgeon

Caspian SealCaspian Seal

FrogsFrogs

Foothill DagestanFoothill Dagestan

The forests in Dagestan The forests in Dagestan remained only in some isolated remained only in some isolated areas: in foothills and in the areas: in foothills and in the highlands. highlands.

These forests are natural These forests are natural habitats of such kinds of animals habitats of such kinds of animals as bears, deer, wild boar, goat, as bears, deer, wild boar, goat, wolf, wild cat, fox, lynx, est. wolf, wild cat, fox, lynx, est.

A LynxA Lynx

A DeerA Deer

A HorseA Horse

A Wild BoarA Wild Boar

A WeaselA Weasel

A WoodpeckerA Woodpecker

TurtledovesTurtledoves

HawksHawks

A Mountain GoatA Mountain Goat

BearsBears

A WolfA Wolf

An EagleAn Eagle

Highland DagestanHighland Dagestan

Dagestan Ibex (tour)

Snow PantherSnow Panther