THE NORWEGIAN FJORDS

AND THEIR WILDLIFE

P 10: WORLD HA
Known as the land of the m i d n i g ~ t sun, Norway is one of the most
naturally beautiful countries in Europe. Its spectacular mountains
and fjords are home to an abundance of wildlife.
ACTION FILE
HOW THE FJORDS WERE CREATED
------------------------------
Glacial deposits Fjords exist in the world
where Ice Age glaciers made
deep ravines down river val-
leys that later flooded with
seawater.
A glacier pushes huge piles of
rock at its head. As it nears the
sea it weakens and its grip on
the valley bed loosens.
These glaciers often en-
larged the course of a river
that followed a fault in the
bedrock, making aU-shaped
valley so deep that many
fjord beds are several thou-
sand feet below sea level.
It deposits terminal moraine
(debris) as a shallow bar across
the fjord's mouth. This means
that a fjord may be very deep
in the inland valley yet shallow
at its coastal end because of
the build-up.
Above: As a
glacier grinds
along a river
valley toward
the sea, it
gouges the
bedrock from
the valley floor,
pushing before it
the loosened
rubble and
boulders.
Above right: There is often a
shallow area below the fjord's
coastal mouth. This is terminal
moraine-rubble deposited by the
glacier-piled on top of solid
shelving bedrock.
Right: At the inland head of the
fjord, a river often spreads into a
delta formed by the silt it washes
down from the hillsides. This is
prime farming land.
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The fertile delta
When the glacier has re-
treated, the valley's original
river continues to flow down
from the steep hills, usually at
a site far inland.
Where this river joins the
head of the fjord it deposits
fertile silt, often cutting the
valley floor into a delta. The
land is rich, with fresh water
and forested slopes.
0160200241 PACKET 24
Most Norwegians live along the shores of
the fjords, where fishing, farming, and forestry
are their major occupations. The climate in the area
is surprisingly mild, enabling many species
of flora and fauna to flourish.
~ FEATURES
Norway is a long, narrow strip
of land situated high up in the
north of Europe. Its long
coastline is pitted with steep-
sided valleys known as fjords,
which hold some of the deep-
est inland waters in the world.
A fjord is a deep ravine
where seawater penetrates far
into the mountainous interior
(see back cover). Fjords are
most common in Norway,
although they are found in
other parts of the world.
The Norwegian coast
stretches 2,100 miles, but
because it is deeply scored
with fjords the actual length of
the coastline is nearly ten
times as long, or more than
half the circumference of the
world.
Front cover inset left: The European
wolf once roamed the Norwegian
forests in large packs.
Right: The hawk owl hunts during
the day. Most other owls are
nocturnal.
Norway is a land of varied
landscapes-thousands of
rocky islands, dense forests of
pine and birch, heaths, and
bogs. The warming Gulf
Stream enables many wild-
flowers, berries, and mush-
rooms to flourish.
The glacier crowfoot holds
the altitude record among Nor-
way's flowering plants. It grows
as high as 7,800 feet above sea
level. The wood anemone is
one of the earliest of Norway's
~ BIRDS
The Norwegian fjord is a per-
fect environment for an abun-
dance of birdlife, from large
sea birds to smaller woodland-
dwelling creatures. The largest
bird refuges are in the north
Norwegian Lofoten Islands.
Here, on 365 small islands,
the black guillemot, puffin,
white-tailed eagle, kittiwake,
fulmar, gannet, and black-
tailed godwit live undisturbed.
Other insect-eating birds,
such as the warbler and the
Left: The fjords have created a
landscape of contrasts: high
mountains, wooded, grassy
shorelines, and deep, still lakes.
flowering mountain plants,
blooming at the end of April,
often before the snows have
disappeared.
The vivid blue color of the
small gentian makes it one of
the most spectacular flowers
in the area.
Another flower to look for is
the Scandinavian primrose,
which grows on rock ledges.
Above: Salmon provides an
abundant food source for humans
and animals.
flycatcher, migrate from the
tropics to the coniferous for-
ests each summer. The white-
tailed eagle, eagle owl, hawk
owl, and peregrine falcon also
make the fjords their home.
Food is plentiful here, and the
long hours of daylight are
ideal for rearing their young.
The coniferous forests are
alive with mammals. Among
the smallest are members of
the shrew family. Other small
rodents, such as voles and
lemmings, are abundant,
providing plentiful prey for
owls and eagles.
Larger animals such as the
elk also inhabit the forest. The
red deer lives on the southern
coast. Reindeer and wolver-
Right: A pair
of courting
kittiwakes
perches on
a rock face.
Below: A
white-tailed
sea eagle with
a salmon.
ines are also common here.
Many mammals live in the
steep-sided mountains that
rise up from the shores of the
fjords. Snow and ice provide
essential water for the ani-
mals, as well as a home for
many beaver and otter who
feed on the abundant fish.
Larger animals often find
survival difficult in the cold,
although certain species, like
the mountain goat, are ideally
suited to the environment.
Rarer, though occasionally
visible in the far north, are the
brown bear, the lynx, and the
European wolf.
Below left: An adult moose and its
calf live in the forest surrounding
the fjords.
Below: The beoutiful but rare
lynx lives in the mountainous
regions of the north.
,THE NILE VALLEY
AND ITS WILDLIFE
The Nile is the longest river in the world. It passes through forest,
marsh, and desert on its long course to the sea, and it is home to
many species-some u ~ i q u e to this great river.
KEY FACTS
THREATS TO THE NILE
People have altered the Nile
Valley for agriculture for more
than 5,000 years. Since the
late nineteenth century, dams
and barrages have been built
to prevent flooding and pro-
vide water for irrigation and
power. The largest, the Aswan
High Dam, was constructed
in 1959.
The Nile water below Cairo
is used for industry and irriga-
tion in the heavily populated
Right: The
dam at
Aswan in
Upper
Egypt has
disrupted
wildlife
habitats
in the area.
THESUDD
In southern Sudan, the Nile
flows through 11,580 square
miles of swamp, in an area
known as the Sudd.
Antelope species such as the
sitatunga, reedbuck, white-
Nile Delta area. Little wildlife
of the lower Nile has survived
industrial pollution, irrigation
schemes, and fertilizers and
pesticides from farming.
Relatively untouched by
humans, the upper Nile is
threatened by overgrazing
and poaching of hippos and
crocodiles. If the Jonglei ca-
nal is completed, it will divert
river water from the Sudd,
drying out these wetlands.
eared kob, mongalla gazelle,
and Nile lechwe live here. The
most common large mam-
mal, the topi antelope, mi-
grates in herds of thousands.
Buffalo, elephants, and gi-
raffes inhabit the area. Lions
live here mostly during the
dry season, as do leopards
and spotted hyenas.
In the dry season, huge
flocks of glossy ibis, open bill
storks, spurwinged geese, and
marabou storks appear. In the
wet season from May to Oc-
tober, flooding provides small
pools for nesting sites for the
shoebill and crowned cranes.
Left: The sacred ibis is rare in the
5udd while the glossy ibis is common.
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0160200311 PACKET 31
For most of its course the Nile provides its wildlife
with a fertile range of habitats. Many different
species thrive in the untouched areas of the river,
but the presence of humans along parts of
the Nile has led to the destruction of plants
and animals that were once widespread.
THE NILE
The Nile measures a record
4,150 miles from its source,
Lake Victoria in Uganda. The
great river passes through the
tropical forests, grasslands,
and savannahs of Uganda,
the vast reed swamps of the
Sudd in Sudan, and the arid
deserts of Egypt.
In the north, humans have
forced out the wildlife, culti-

Many of its more than 100 spe-
cies of fish are found only in
the Nile. People near the river
eat the small, brightly colored
cichlid and common tilapia.
The predatory Nile perch, often
as long as three feet, is the larg-
Right: The
African catfish's
gills absorb
oxygen from
the water.
Front cover
insets: The
saddlebill
stork eats
fish from
the Nile.
The marsh
mongoose
lives in
swamps
around the
Nile.
vating the land for crops. The
sacred ibis, a wading bird
considered sacred by ancient
Egyptians, is now rare. Even
papyrus, the tall sedge plant
that was once used for rafts,
cloth, fuel, and the first paper,
no longer grows in Egypt.
Right: The sitatunga is a species of
antelope common in the Sudd, a
wetland area of Sudan.
est fish in the Nile.
The African labyrinthic catfish
is almost as large as the perch.
It has special gills for absorbing
oxygen from standing water
and a special breathing organ
for moving over land.

Huge flocks of flamingoes feed
in lakes along the Nile valley,
sieving the water with their
upside-down bills. Their pink
color comes from eating large
quantities of shrimp.
The thick-crested hamer-
kop's name comes from the
Afrikaans word meaning
"hammer head." It travels the
river on the backs of hippo-
potamuses, dipping into the
water for frogs and other
aquatic animals.
Left: The
aggressive
Nile crocodile
basks in the
sun to keep
ns body
temperature
regulated.
The rare shoebill, a large,
blue-gray stork with a heavy
boat-shaped bill, eats small
crocodiles, frogs, and turtles.
It uses its bill to scoop up
food such as the lungfish,
which hibernates in mud dur-
ing the dry season.
The saddlebill stork darts its
black, red, and yellow bill into
the shallows to catch fish.
Other fish-eating birds of the
Nile include kingfishers, fish-
ing owls, and ospreys.
LARGE ANIMALS
The 16-foot Nile crocodile is
the largest and most feared
Nile inhabitant. It basks in the
sun on the riverbanks to keep
an even body temperature. It
warns off predators by baring
its teeth. Sliding into the wa-
ter, the crocodile catches fish,
birds, and mammals. Unable
to chew its prey, it bites and
twists it violently to break off
chunks of flesh.
The soft-shelled turtle, an-
other aggressive water preda-
tor, has many blood vessels in
its shell to absorb oxygen
from the water.
At night the hippopotamus
emerges from the water to
Left: An
aggressive
predator, the
soft-shelled
turtle is easily
injured if
attacked.
feed on grass. It looks gentle
in the water with only its
eyes, ears, and nostrils show-
ing, but on land it may
charge if disturbed.
The marsh mongoose lives
in the swamps and marshes,
feeding on frogs, fish, shrimp,
and crocodile eggs along the
banks. Many mammals get
food and water at the river,
depending on it for their sur-
vival. But the sitatunga ante-
lope grazes only on marsh
plants. It can walk on soft
ground with its wide hoofs,
blending into the reeds with
its brown coat and pale verti-
cal stripes.
Left: The rare
shoebill
stork's
spadelike bill
digs up
lungfish
hibernating
in the mud
during the
dry season.
THE MEDITERRANEAN
COAST AND ITS WILDLIFE
GROUP 10: WORLD HABITA
Much more than just a beach resort, the Mediterranean shore
yields a broad variety of habitats, containing wildlife that
ranges from the commonplace to the rare and exotic.
__________________________
THE COAST'S FRAGILE ECOLOGY
The Mediterranean is the
world's largest and busiest
inland sea. Factories pump
half a million tons of sewage
into it each year. Nearly 100
million tourists visit each year,
and that figure will double in
the next 40 years. Tourist
facilities cover much of the
coast, but some wild areas
still exist.
Right: The beach and delta at
Oalayan, Turkey. Tourism
threatens this beautiful nesting
site for the loggerhead turtle.
Below left: Thin vegetation grows
on the stony coast of Poras Island.
Below right: Rock strata can be
seen in this forested cliff on Corfu
Island.
THE MOUFlON- WllD SHEEP OF THE MOUNTAINS
The mouflon, a large, sturdy
wild sheep, has a short, rusty
brown blotched coat and
white underparts, muzzle, and
legs. The adult ram has large,
curving horns; the ewe has a
shorter pair.
Once found only on the
islands of Corsica, Cyprus, and
Sardinia, it now lives in parts
of Italy, mainland Europe, and
the United States. Europeans
hunt it for sport, but it breeds
successfully in captivity.
Rarely seen, it is active at
dusk and night. It grazes on
grasses, shrubs, and other
coarse vegetation in open
mountainsides and scrub.
Right: The mouflon ram has
large, curving horns.
1'lMr.MXr.1 IMP 1f\1r. WII nl p M PRINTFn IN I J S A
The Mediterranean coast stretches west
to Spain, east to Turkey, north to Italy,
and south to Libya, encircling an inland sea
of more than 965,000 square miles. It includes
an endless variety of shoreline habitats, each
supporting a unique range of wild species.
THE SANDY BEACH
The sand on a typical Mediter-
ranean beach has three sepa-
rate areas of natural activity.
The sand at the top of the
beach is dry and loose, making
it an unsuitable habitat for
SHELLED CREATURES
Gastropod mollusks, shelled
animals that slide over the
sand on one mucus-covered
foot, live in waterlogged sand.
The needle shell, or common
cerith, gathers in large num-
bers, giving the sand a ri ch
golden olive color.
most marine wildlife. The
damper sand in the middle
of the beach supports more
species. The waterlogged
shoreline sand is home to
many burrowing animals.
Another mollusk, the dye
murex, has a spiky, fawn-
colored shell. Ancient Greeks
and Romans extracted purple
dye from it.
Front inset left: The red-legged
chough nests on a coastal cliff.
BURROWERS
The bristle worm, a typical
wet-sand dweller, has a pink-
ish purple body that is point-
ed at the front for burrowing.
Its tough skin keeps the sand
from wearing it down.
Some fish, such as the
greater and lesser weevers,
wait for prey by burying
themselves in loose sand,
exposing only their eyes,
mouths, and dorsal fins. Their
venomous spines protect
them from predators.
Unlike other burrowers, the
urchin sea potato builds a
permanent, mucus-lined
home under the sand, with a
chimneylike channel leading
to the surface. Sometimes the
sea potato's delicate heart-
shaped shell can be found
buried on a Mediterranean
beach.
Front inset right: The cushion-
star clings to a submerged rock.
THE ROCKY SHORE
The Mediterranean's higher
cliffs provide safe homes for
birds such as the red-legged
chough, who performs aero-
batics over the rocky coves.
Shy birds such as the Manx
shearwater and gannet live on
remote island cliffs while the
lesser black-backed gull scav-
BELOW THE SEA
Seaweeds, anemones, worms,
sponges, crustaceans, and sea
squirts carpet the rocks, sur-
rounded by fish and other
small grazers and predators.
Slender sea-spiders cling to
KEY TO SPECIES
1 Lesser black-backed gull
2 Blue starfish
3 Cuttlefish
4 Common cerith
5 Dye murex
6 Bristle worm
enges for garbage in towns.
The storm petrel, the
smallest European seabird,
nests on isolated cliffs in
Corsica, Sardinia, and Tunisia.
It preys on plankton, fluttering
low over the waves. On land,
it walks on its lower legs
because its feet are so weak.
anemones, while purse spon-
ges attach to seaweed, suck-
ing in water to sieve food.
Shelled animals-limpets,
mussels, starfish, crabs-live
on the Mediterranean rocks.
7 Sea potato
8 Greater weever fish
9 Cory's shearwater
10 Red-legged chough
11 Turkish gecko
12 Mouflon
MAMMALS & REPTILES
The few surviving large mam-
mals of the Mediterranean
include the rare mouflon
sheep (see back cover) and
goats that graze many coastal
hillsides. The smaller rock
mouse, a sandy gray rodent,
lives on Yugoslavia's rocky
shores.
Lizards, especially the Turk-
ish gecko, live on the rugged
Mediterranean shores. Adhe-
sive pads on its fingers and
toes help it to climb up vertical
surfaces. It feeds on insects
at night, making a soft "tic-
tac" noise.
THE BRITISH PINE WOOD
The few 'native pine woods that remain in Great Britain
are home to such uncommon species of wildlife as the
capercaillie, crested tit, pine marten, and red squirrel.
KEY FACTS
CHANGING PINE WOODS
After the glaciers of the last Ice
Age retreated from the British
Isles 10,000 years ago, expan-
sive pine forests grew in areas
once covered with ice and
snow. As the climate grew
warmer broad-leaved trees
began to displace the pine.
The only place in Great Britain
where the ancient pine forests
remain is Scotland. In the late
eighteenth century the de-
mands of an increasingly in-
dustrialized society caused
most of the pine forests to be
felled.
Efforts to replant the forests
earlier in this century have
been successful for commercial
use. But little wildlife was at-
tracted to the uniform rows of
trees. Recent planting is less
rigidly organized, so the new
growth more closely resembles
natural forests. Wildlife such as
capercaillies (the largest Eu-
ropean species of grouse) and
pine martens have now begun
colonizing the forests.
VIEWING THE SPECIES
Scotch pine
Birch
Aspen
Heather
Bilberry
Bracken
Lady's tresses
orchid
Twayblade
Coral root orchid
Common
wintergreen
Twinflower
False chanterelle
MCMXCI IMP BV/ IMP INC WILDLIFE FACT FILETM
The light and airy native forest
(top) contrasts strongly with the
dark, ordered rows of a planted
forest (above).
Spring Summer
-
8aeosphora
myosura
Pine beauty moth
Eyed ladybug
Wood ant
Black grouse
Siskin
Willow warbler
Crested tit
Goldcrest
Crossbill
Long-eared owl
Buzzard
Red squirrel
PRINTED IN U.S.A
THE RED SQUIRREL
The red squirrel is native to
Great Britain. Once common
throughout its range, it has
become increasingly rare
because of epidemic diseases
earlier this century and the
widespread destruction of its
forest habitat. Today the red
squirrel is still found in the
newly grown pine forests of
North Wales, in the county of
Cumbria in northwestern
England, and in Scotland.
Fall Winter
- -
01602001 71 PACKET 17
Once covering vast areas of Great BritaJn
the forests of Scotch pine, yew, and juniper receded
in the warmer climate that followed the last great Ice
Age. Today the only forests to survive unchanged
are in the Scottish highlands; they are only
a fraction of their original size.
~ PLANT LIFE IN THE PINE WOOD
The ancient pine woods are
dominated by the stately
Scotch pine trees. Saplings
(young trees) grow among
tall, mature trees and fallen
trunks. Older trees may grow
more than 100 feet high. Their
bark is thick, cracked, and dark
near the base of the trunk. The
crown (top) of the pine trees
becomes flat as the trees age.
Birch, aspen, and rowan
grow between the pines, and
below them grow clumps
of heather, bilberry, juniper,
and bracken. Mosses carpet
the forest floor, through
which grow the lady's tresses
orchid.
Several species of winter-
green are found as well. The
rare twinflower blooms in the
shade of the tall trees, while
fungi grow on fallen trunks
and among needles on the
ground.
~ UP AMONG THE BRANCHES
The Scotch pine woods are the
only place where the increas-
ingly rare pine marten and red
squirrel live. Birds found here
year-round are the crossbill,
siskin, crested tit, long-eared
owl, and goldcrest. The willow
DID YOU KNOW?
Wolves, wild boars, brown
bears, lynx, and elk once
inhabited the pine woods.
The crossbill's beak is adap-
ted for feeding on seeds. Its
mandibles (jaws) move from
side to side, allowing the
bird to pry open pi ne cones
to get at the seeds.
Pine forests once covered
three million acres in the
highlands. Today they cover
little more than 20,000 acres.
warbler spends the summer
in the forest. B'uzzards, gold-
en eagles, and osprey fly
above the forest canopy.
Caterpillars and aphids
feed on the pine trees's
needles.
~ UNDER THE TREES
The pine forest is the habitat
of a variety of animals. Caper-
caillies perch in the tall trees,
and the black grouse lives on
the edge of the woods. Red
deer frequently graze through
the undergrowth.
Various types of beetle live
throughout the ground veg-
e t a t i o ~ . And wood ants gather
pine needles from the forest
floor to enlarge the mounds
that cover their nests.
1 Scotch pine
2 Bi rch
3 Aspen
4 Heather
5 Bi lberry
6 Bracken
7 Twayblade
8 Coral root
orchid
9 Common
wi ntergreen
10 Twinflower
11 False
chanterelle
12 Baeosphora
myosura
13 Pi ne beauty
moth
14 Eyed ladybug
15 Wood ant
16 Black grouse
17 Siskin
18 Willow warbler
19 Crested tit
20 Goldcrest
21 Long-eared
owl
22 Buzzard
23 Red squi rrel
24 Pi ne marten
25 Red deer fawn
26 Red deer
WILDLIFE OF THE WHITE CLIFFS
The white cliffs of the British coastline appear barren. Yet many
plants and animals can be found, clinging to tiny ledges or living
in the cliff-top grasses.
WHITE CLIFF RARITIES
The white cliffs in Great Britain are
home to some rare plant and ani-
mal species. Wild cabbage clings
to the steep cliffs. The late spider
orchid blooms in colonies along
cliff tops and on ledges. The
Glanville fritillary butterfly is a cliff
dweller. It is found only along the
southern cliffs of the Isle of Wight.
WHITE CLIFF EROSION
The cliffs undergo constant
change from the erosive activi-
ties of sea, wind, and rain. Made
of hard, solid white chalk, these
cliffs erode slowly. Along less
rugged coastlines-where the
chalk is mixed with clay and
sand, the process may be more
dramatic. The sea's constant as-
sault, along with the water that
MCMXCI IMP BV/ IMP INC WILDLIFE FACT FILp M
Above: Wild
cabbage grows
lower down the
cliff, where salt
sproy deters
most plants.
Left: Despite
frequent
erosion, pltmts
will quickly
colonize the
cliff slopes.
Right:
Kittiwakes use
the ledges on
the cliff face to
build their
nests.
PRINTED IN U.S.A.
Left: The
Glanville frit-
illary is seen
only on the
slopes of the
Isle of Wight.
Front cover:
A fulmar
soars high
above the
steep cliffs.
is held in the soil after heavy
rains, can cause avaianches: as
the cliff tumbles and slides
into the sea, it sometimes
breaks off in huge chunks.
In spring following an ava-
lanche, plants colonize the new
slopes created by the erosion.
Daisies and coltsfoot are quick to
take root. The grasses appear
more slowly, but after a few sea-
sons the grassy and flowery
slopes of the cliff are restored-
until the next avalanche.
0160200271 PACKET 27
The British chalk cliffs near the sea can be
steep and dramatic; sometimes they slope
gently from beach te cliff top. They provide a
variety of habitats, including bare rock,
cracks and ledges, grasses, and
thick vegetation.
~ BIRDS & MAMMALS
Seabirds can often be seen
near the white cliffs, and
some species nest there. Ful-
mars and kittiwakes, for ex-
ample, can breed on the tiny
ledges. Herring gulls nest on
the cliffs, as well as on the
buildings of seaside towns.
The rock pipit makes its nest
in a well-hidden place among
thick vegetation or deep in a
cleft in the rock. The rock
pipit is easiest to see during
the spring mating season,
when the male performs his
song flight over the cliffs, then
drops suddenly back to his
perch. Where a cliff is soft
enough, sand martins bore
nesting holes into its face.
The white cliff's most typical
unter is the kestrel,
PLANTS & FLOWERS
The chalk diffs are very difficult
for plants to colonize. The
sheer slopes are an obstacle,
and the chalk itself is in a con-
st ant state of erosion. But
wherever there is a crack in the
rocks or a tiny ledge where de-
bris can collect, plants take
root. Samphire, thrift, and rock
which hovers as it searches for
prey such as voles and young
rabbits. The small mammals
also fall prey to weasels and
stoats. These fierce and effi-
cient predators also catch
much bigger animals, such as
adult rabbits .
In among the thicker veg-
etation, small birds such as
sea lavender are all tolerant of
the sea's salt spray.
On gentler slopes, a more
abundant group of wild
plants thrives-especially
where the chalk is mixed with
other soils. Grasses like red
fescue grow, along with yar-
row, bird's-foot trefoil, carline
build their nests. Hedgehogs
search here for invertebrates.
Up on the cliff top and on
the grassy slopes below, rab-
bits thrive. They dig their war-
rens into the softer soils of the
grasslands. The grazing rab-
bits keep the grasses short,
and jackdaws sometimes nest
in old rabbit burrows near the
brow of the cliffs.
thistle, common centaury,
and bee orchid. Eventually
the grass is taken over by
shrubbery, and thickets of
hawthorn, sloe, gorse, and
ash develop. On the cliff top,
a similar sward (portion of
ground covered with grass)
forms, followed by shrubbery.
KEY TO THE SPECIES
~ INVERTEBRATES
The grasslands are the best
spots on the white cliffs to
find invertebrates. The red ad-
miral and painted lady butter-
flies arrive in spring and sum-
mer. The burnet moth, com-
mon blue butterfly, meadow
grasshoppers, and bumble-
bees are also found here.
1 Fulmar
2 Bird colony
3 Herring gull
4 Kestrel
9 Red admiral
10 Painted lady
1 7 Willow warbler
18 Rabbit
5 Jackdaw
6 Kittiwake
7 Yarrow
8 Bird's-foot trefoil
11 Glanville fritillary
12 Gorse
13 Weasel
14 Sloe
15 Kittiwake colony
16 Dunnock
19 Meadow grass-
hopper
20 Bumblebee
21 Hawthorn
THE HIMALAYAS AND
THEIR WILDLIFE
The Himalayas are the world's longest, highest mountains.
One third of all mountain animals live here. The range
is home to many endangered species.
ACTI ON FILE
THE ENDANGERED HIMALAYAS
The Himalayan mountain
range is one of the most en-
dangered environments in the
world. Mankind is gradually
encroaching on the wilder-
ness, building, polluting, and
destroying. Although steps
are now being taken to pre-
serve this important habitat, it
is a case of too little, too late.
The elusive snow leopard
has a beautiful, thick coat that
is soft gray on top, paling to a
pure white underside. This
has made it a target for hunt-
ers, and poachers; despite the
species' being protected, sev-
eral are killed each year.
The musk deer used to be
common in the Himalayas.
Musk from the male's scent
gland is in demand from per-
fume manufacturers. Conse-
quently, the species is in dan-
ger of extinction, despite
protection within preserves.
Other endangered Hima-
layan species include the
brown bear, Tibetan blue
bear, red panda, and black-
necked crane.
The Marco Polo sheep, a
rare subspecies of the argali,
a sheep of the Himalayan
plateaus, is widely hunted
despite protection.
Right: Secluded valleys still
preserve an unspoiled way of life
for villagers and wildlife.
THE HIMALAYAN MOUNTAIN RANGE
10 10 YOU KNOW? l
The Himalaya-Karakoram
mountain range contains
96 of the world's 109
peaks over 24,000 feet.
Mount Everest, the
world's highest peak at
29,141 feet, was named
after Col. Sir George
Everest.
The spiralling horns of
the Himalayan markhor
can grow to a length of
five feet.
Right: The Himalayas form a nat-
ural barrier between Tibet and
India and between Bhutan and
Nepal.
flMCMXCI IMP BV/ IMP INC WILDLIFE FACT FILpM
.'
..
) PAKI CHINA
.. \', .... M.t: ..
INDIA
PRINTED IN U.S.A.
Left: The
Chinese were
the first to use
the musk deer's
scent in per-
fume. This
deer is now
very rare in
the wild.
China
0160200221 PACKET 22
The Himalayan mountain range is over 7,500 miles
long and 250 miles wide and includes most
of Nepal and Bhutan, south Tibet, and the extreme
north of India. It is divided into three zones:
the Greater, Lesser, and Outer Himalayas. Since the
range is so long with so many varied climates, the
wildlife of the Himalayas is remarkably diverse.

The Himalayas were created
about 70 million years ago
when two continental plates
collided, pushing up the mas-
sive mountain range where
they met. In this way India and
Eurasia were joined together,
which accounts for the wide
Front cover inset: The tragopan
belongs to the pheasant family.
Right: The markhor is a moun-
tain goat of the Himalayas.
VEGETATION
Four different types of vege-
tation live in the Himalayas:
tropical, subtropical, temper-
ate, and alpine.
The foothills of the Outer
Himalayas are blanketed in
dense tropical rainforests of
bamboo, oak, and chestnut.
Further west, as the altitude
Right:
The male
monal, or
Impeyan
pheasant, has
iridescent,
multicolored
plumage that
he displays
when court-
ing his mate.
This national
bird of Nepal
is widely
hunted for
sport.
variety of wildlife found here.
Species from Asia, Africa, and
the Mediterranean all con-
verged here.
Even today, various species
of the eastern Himalayas have
a west Chinese influence,
while the western range has
Euro-Mediterranean elements.
Fossil records show that ani-
mals such as the giraffe and
the hippo once lived here.
increases, the forest thins, and
evergreen oaks, cedars, pines,
and firs become the dominant
species.
In the alpine zone, which
begins at about 12,000 feet,
grows great amounts of moist
vegetation, including juniper
and rhododendron.

The forests of the Himalayan
foothills are an ideal home for
insects, including bumblebees
and crane flies. Higher up the
slopes, where the nights are
colder, many insect species
have dark bodies to absorb as
much heat as possible.
Many butterflies live at
surprisingly high altitudes:
apollos, blues, vanessas, and
The bird life of the Himalayas
includes Asian, European, and
Indo-Chinese species. The
forests are filled with magpies
and woodpeckers; above the
timberline live the snow cock,
desert chat, and Hume's
ground jay.
For birds of prey the Hima-
layas are a rich feeding
ground. The griffon vulture,
lammergeier, and golden
eagle all soar on updrafts,
scouring the terrain below for
papilios are common up to
14,000 feet . Even higher than
this are other tiny insects. No
one is sure how they survive
at such high altitudes; they
likely feed on pollen, seeds,
and other organic debris
swept upward by drafts.
Right: The snow leopard is a
solitary predator of the high
Himalayan slopes.
Above: The
domestic yak
supplies rural
nomads in
Tibet with
meat and
hides. It also
serves as a
pack animal.
small mammals and ground-
living birds. The golden eagle
has been known to take musk
deer fawns and lambs.
Himalayan birds are colorful.
The pheasant family, for ex-
ample, contains many beau-
tiful species, including the
crimson tragopan and the
blood pheasant.
Right: The Himalayan griffon
scavenges carrion from a red
deer carcass.
More sheep species live in the
Himalayas than in any other
mountain range in the world.
They include the Marco Polo
sheep, which, because of the
market for its long, spiralling
horns, has been hunted
almost to extinction.
The largest wild sheep in
the world, the great Tibetan
sheep, also live here. They can
withstand extreme tempera-
tures ranging from scorching
summers to freezing winters.
Three species of mountain
goat live in the Himalayas: the
ibex, the markhor, and the
wild goat. Three species of
goat antelope live here too.
The takin is the national ani-
mal of Bhutan.
The massive yak is the
largest animal of the moun-
tains, and one of the highest-
dwelling animals in the world.
Its long shaggy coat enables it
to inhabit the coldest areas of
the Himalayas.
The brown bear and the
Himalayan black bear scav-
enge mammal carcasses,
although they also eat fruit.
One of the rarest bears in the
world, the Tibetan blue bear,
also lives here.
Cats and dogs live in the
Himalayas: the wolf, the
wild dog, and the hill fox
are common. Among the
cats are: the tiger and leop-
ard, as well as the jungle cat,
lynx, and Pallas' cat. The
beautiful snow leopard rang-
es throughout the Himalayas;
its prey consists of wild sheep
and goats.
THE WILDLIFE OF CARD 17
THE SCOTTISH HIGHLANDS
The Scottish Highlands exist in one of the world's harshest climates,
yet this natural and untamed setting provides a unique habitat
for some of Great Britain's rarest wildlife.
KEY FACTS
THE GOLDEN EAGLE
The golden eagle, the second
largest bird of prey in Great
Britain, is sometimes spotted
soaring effortlessly on the
updrafts along the edge of a
cliff. In Great Britain, it is
found only in Scotland.
Although it is dark brown in
color, the golden eagle gets
its name from the gold-
colored feathers that
develop on the bird's head
overtime.
DID YOU KNOW?
The deepest lake in Scotland is
Loch Morar near Inverness-over
1,000 feet deep at its deepest
point.
Loch Lomond, more than 22
miles long, is Scotland's largest
lake.
Reaching a height of almost
A silent and solitary hunter,
the golden eagle catches its
prey by swooping low, and
then, by partially folding its
large, powerful wings, drop-
ping rapidly. It uses its talons
to kill the prey and its curved
beak to rip open tough skin
or hide. But despite its great
size and spectacular hunting
skills, the golden eagle relies
as much upon carrion (dead
animals) for its food as it
does upon killing other birds
or mammals itself.
Scottish farmers, fearing
that eagles would prey on
their lambs, killed many ea-
gles with poisons and pole
traps. But observation later
showed that eagles general-
ly attacked lambs that were
already close to death from
sickness or starvation. It is
now illegal to kill the gold-
en eagle in Scotland.
4,500 feet, the highest longest river in Scotland.
mountain in Great Britain is The tallest waterfall in
Ben Nevis, in Scotland. Great Britain, with a drop of
Scotland has more than 160 about 2,500 feet, is in
mountain peaks over 3,000 Sutherland, Scotland.
feet high. The coldest place in Britain
The River Tay, which is is Braemar, with an average
almost 75 miles long, is the annual temperature of 43F.
-slMCMXCI IMP BV/IMP INC WILDLIFE FACT FILETM PRINTED IN U.S.A. 0160200201 PACKET 20
The dramatic setting of the
Scottish Highlands, with its beautiful islands,
lochs, mountains, and craggy coastline, provides
a vital habitat for wildlife. From the golden eagle
to the wildcat, the animals of the Highlands
remain remote, even today, from
the interference of humans.
~ GEOLOGY OF THE HIGHLANDS
The clearly identifiable bound-
ary of the Scottish Highlands
was produced by a series of
dislocations in the earth's
crust, known as the Highland
Boundary Fault. It runs from
Stonehaven on the north-
east coast of Scotland to the
northern section of the Isle
of Aran.
The craggy rocks of the
Highlands create a rugged
and inhospitable contrast to
the Midland Valley and the
Scottish Lowlands to the south
and east.
The rocks forming the High-
lands are among the most an-
cient in the world. Thrown up-
ward by the heavings of the
earth more than 600 million
years ago, granite and other
rocks formed mountains that
were once as high as the Hi-
malayas. The carving action
of glaciers during the ice
ages, along with millions of
years of weathering and ero-
sion, have shaved these peaks
to their present height.
Coarse-grained rocks
underlie the far northwest,
including the islands of the
Outer Hebrides. These rocks
are thought to be 2.6-billion-
year-old remnants of a con-
tinent that once attached
Canada to Scandinavia.
left: The
Grampian
Mountains
are among
the most
ancient in
the world.
Right: The
catlike pine
marten
inhabits the
remote
wilderness of
the Scottish
Highlands.
~ HIGHLAND WILDLIFE
The wildcat, one of Great
Britain's scarcest animals, is
now confined mainly to the
Scottish Highlands. Resembling
Front cover inset: The rock
ptarmigan's plumage serves as
camouflqge in the Highlands.
Below: The Scottish wildcat is
one of the fiercest members of
the animal kingdom.
a heavily built tabby cat, it is
a fierce animal, hunting rab-
bits, mice, and other small
mammals. The wildcat feeds
mainly at dawn and dusk; it
hides away during the day to
avoid contact with humans
or their dogs.
Another rare, cat-sized
hunter found in the Scottish
Highlands is the pine mar-
ten, a member of the weasel
family and thought to be
Great Britain's rarest mammal.
Found in the mountains and
forests of the western and
central Highlands, the pine
marten uses its agility to hunt
animals such as the indige-
nous red squirrel.
Above: Mountain hares lose the
blue tint to their fur and turn
completely white in winter.
The ptarmigan, a bird
slightly smaller than the
more common red grouse,
lives on the heather moors
and peat bogs of the High-
lands. Its mottled plumage
turns white in winter.
Below: The red grouse feeds on
heather, berries, and insects.
THE WELSH MOUNTAINS
AND THEIR WILDLIFE
The rugged Welsh mountains rise more than 3,000 feet
above sea level. Wet, wind-raked, and wild, they are home to
a host of fascinating and rare species.
KEY FACTS
THE LANDSCAPE FEATURES OF THE WELSH MOUNTAINS
The Welsh mountains have
intricately faulted, or cracked,
layers of sediment riddled
with volcanic rock, providing
Great Britain with rich miner-
ai deposits and beautiful
mountain scenery.
The last Ice Age shaped
the mountains when ice
scoured over the mountains,
leaving wide valleys, sharp-
edged crags, and cwms
(deep, basin-shaped lakes).
A Valley in Disguise
The highest peak in England
and Wales, the Yr Wyddfa, or
Snowdon, towers 3,600 feet
above sea level . The summit
was once the bottom of a
depression until the sur-
rounding rocks eroded away.
Because the rock once cov-
ered an ancient ocean bed,
fossilized sea shells can b-e-
found allover the summit.
One of the wettest areas in
Great Britain, the Snowdon
has an annual rainfall of 200
inches. The Welsh mountains
receive more than 80 inches
during an average of 225
rainy days a year.
The highest northern moun-
tains receive the season's first
snow in Great Britain. The
snow does not stay on the
ground permanently, but it
MCMXCI IMP BV/ IMP INC WILDLIFE FACT FILETM PRINTED IN U.S.A.
left: In Snow-
donia, the
landscape is an
example of the
power of the
glaciers that
once covered
the region,
carving out the
mountains,
valleys, and
lakes. The rock
itself is volcanic
and has held up
over time as less
durable rock
surrounding it
has eroded.
has been known to stay on
the ground as late as July.
The Changing Landscape
A treeline of sessile oaks once
reached up to 2,000 feet until
people in Neolithic times cut
the trees down for fuel, build-
ing materials, and space for
agriculture. Today sheep live ,
in the mainly treeless habitat. '
Mat-grass mostly covers the
thin, acid soils of the higher
ground while sheep's fescue
grows lower down. On the
high moors, heather and
bilberry flourish in the drier
parts, and sphagnum bog
moss grows in wet areas.
left: Most of Snowdonia is a
national park, such as this bird
refuge.
0160200331 PACKET 33
From the Black Mountains in the south
to the jagged peaks of Snowdonia in the north,
the Welsh mountains contain almost every kind of
upland habitat-from heather moors and peat
bogs to deep, icy lakes and rocky crags.
Welsh mountain sheep keep
grass closely cropped and
make wi nding trails around
the peaks. Because t hey stay
warm in their weather-proof
fleece, t hey can feed on grass
and herbs year-round.
Feral goats live on high
ground in central and north-
ern Wales. The males, with
thei r heavy horns, are espe-
cially striking.
The largest flesh-eater in the
area is a fox smaller and more
timid than the lowland fox. It
feeds on sheep carrion and
small mammals.
Now only found in Wales
and border countries, the
polecat hunts voles and other
small mammals at night.
In Wales' northwest hills the
tree-cl imbing pine marten
feeds on rodents and birds.
~ I N S E C T S & SPIDERS
Migrating red admiral and
painted lady butterflies some-
times fly over the mountai n-
tops. Species like the large
and small heath, the pearl-
bordered fritillary, and the
antler moth live in highlands.
MOUNTAIN BIRDS
Flying over the highest hills,
the raven makes a frogl ike
"croaking" call. The largest of
the crows, it feeds mainly on
carri on. The buzzard also flies
high over the crags, search-
ing the ground for food.
On western hills, the rare
chough searches for insects,
seeds, and worms in grassy
hillsides and pastures. It is
easily identified by its red legs
The rainbow leaf beetle, the
rarest mountain invertebrate,
only lives near t he top of
Snowdon. Rare species of
spider, incl uding Fyphocrestus
simoni and Micaria alpina also
live in the Wel sh mountains.
and bill and acrobatic flight.
A fast-flying falcon, the
merlin preys on pipits and
other small birds. Now rare,
it has fewer breeding pairs in
the area than t he better-
known red kite. This fork-
tailed predator circles the hills
searching for small mammals,
birds, and carrion.
Down below, the red and
black grouse picks through
heather while the wheatear
bobs on a rock, flashing its
white rump and tail feat hers.
The ri ng ouzel, a white-
t hroated relative of the black-
bird, also lives here.
~ REPTILES & AMPHIBIANS
Several reptile and amphibian
species live in the cold, damp
bogs and mountain pools. In
warmer months, the com-
mon adder and common
lizard sunbathe along the
mountain paths.
KEY TO SPECIES
1 Merl in
2 Ring ouzel
3 Pearl-bordered fritillary
4 Antler moth
5 Common frog
6 Pine marten
7 Red squirrel
8 Wheatear
9 Red kite
In spring huge masses of
spawn (jelly-covered eggs)
develop into common frogs.
The palmate newt, the most
numerous of the three
species of British newt in the
region, breeds in pools.
10 Welsh sheep
11 Stonechat
12 Vole
13 Mountain hare
14 Raven
15 Polecat
16 Feral goat
17 Chough
18 Peregrine falcon
Front inset left: The feral goat is a rare
sight on the Welsh mountains.
MADAGASCAR AND ITS
WILDLIFE
Madagascar, the fourth largest island in the world, broke away
from the east coast of Africa 100 million years ago. As a result,
a unique collection of animals and plants developed.
KEY FACTS
THE LEMURS OF MADAGASCAR
Madagascar split off from
mainland Africa before
monkeys and apes appeared,
so the lemurs took hold in
their habitat. Now 19 species
of lemur live on the island.
Their name, meaning "spirits
of the dead," reflects their
nocturnal (nighttime) lifestyle
and their terrifying screams.
Lemurs have long been
studied on Madagascar. The
smallest, the lesser mouse
lemur, is about the size of a
mouse. The largest living
today is the indris, which is
about the size of a gibbon.
Most lemurs have woolly
coats, long tails, and large eyes
to help them see at night.
They feed mainly on vegeta-
tion and live in the trees. The
most familiar is the ring-tailed
lemur.
In the absence of monkeys
and similar animals, lemurs
have filled their ecological
roles. Ring-tailed lemurs be-
have like baboons; mouse
lemurs behave like flying squir-
rels. Still others behave like
birds: the aye-aye lemur has a
long middle finger to remove
caterpillars from tree trunks, as
a bird would use its beak.
MCMXCI IMP BV/ IMP INC WILDLIFE FACT FILETM
Below left:
The mouse
lemur feeds
on insects,
fruit, frogs,
and lizards.
left: The red-
bellied lemur is
one of 19 spe-
cies found only
in Madagascar
and the Cam-
ara Islands. All
lemur species
are threatened
by destruction
of the rain-
forest. Some
lemurs are on
the brink of
extinction.
Fossil remains
show that
lemurs have
been on the
island for over
50 million
years.
Below: The aye-
aye lemur uses its
long third finger
to extract the
flesh from fruit.
0160200291 PACKET 29
The island of Madagascar, off the east African
coast, covers a range of habitats, from mountains
to large rivers, rainforests, and deserts. Madagascar's
animals and plants are equally varied, but little is
known about many of them, and there may be
thousands of species still to be discovered.

Much of Madagascar was
once covered with tropical
forest. Since man arrived
1,500 years ago, much of the
forest is now gone. Today only
the eastern, wettest end of the
island has any forest left.
Other areas of deciduous and
thorn forest grow around the
edge of the island, but these
too have been damaged by
man, particularly by burning.
Inland, where mountains rise
almost 10,000 feet, the climate
is cooler and drier. Here,
grasses grow from thin soil.
Agriculture-especially rice
farming-has damaged the
soil and made it barren.
Front cover inset left: Parson's
chameleon.
Front cover inset right: A black
lemur carrying its young.
Right: The fossa is Madagascar's
largest carnivore.
BIRDS
Madagascar has many species
of bird that are also found on
the African mainland, includ-
ing the drongo, guinea fowl,
and kingfisher. Unique to
Madagascar are birds such as
the cuckoo roller, a graceful,
PLANTS
The variety of climate and
habitat encourages a diversity
of plants. Like the animals, the
plants have evolved separately
from those on mainland Africa
and in many cases are distinct
species.
About 9,000 plant species
exist on Madagascar. These
include seven species of the
huge baobab tree; Africa has
Left: The baobab tree looks as if it
is growing upside down.
brightly colored bird that eats
insects and lizards.
A much rarer bird is the
white-breasted mesite that
lives on the ground. The
world's rarest eagle-of which
little is known-also lives here.
just one species. Since hun-
dreds of species have not even
been discovered yet, the race
is on to save the rainforest
from destruction. The rosy
periwinkle, found only in dry
tropical forests of southern
Madagascar, is the source of a
drug used to treat leukemia
(blood cancer) in children.
Right: Many animals, including
this chameleon, are found only on
Madagascar.

The island of Madagascar split
off from mainland Africa more
than 100 million years ago,
carrying with it many animals
now unique to the area. They
have evolved in isolation from
the rest of the African conti-
nent. The diversity of habitats,
including tropical forests and
caves, has led to a varied and
interesting animal population.
Some groups have many
different species: about half
the world's chameleon species
and all of the world's lemurs
live on Madagascar. Cave
dwellers in the north include
several unique examples of
fish and insects.
Many more recently evolved
animals have not reached the
island of Madagascar. There
are no toads, antelopes,
cobras, monkeys, or cats, for
example. As many as 100,000
insects and invertebrates live
on the island.
The most exotic animals,
including 11 species of lemur,
are extinct, mainly from habi-
tat destruction. Three giant
ostrich like birds are gone; the
biggest was 30 feet tall, and
each of its eggs was large
enough to make 70 omelets.
Left: 70 species of amphibian
have been discovered in the last
20 years.
LAKE BAIKAL AND
ITS WILDLIFE
Lake Baikal is located in soutwestern Siberia-exactly halfway
between Moscow and Tokyo. It is home to some
of the most diverse wildlife in the world.
KEY FACTS
CONSERVATION
As industry in the Soviet
Union expanded, Lake Baikal
became an ideal location for
new factories. Today, about
60 industries line the lake
shore. Two of the largest are
a paper pulp factory and a
plant that manufactures
cellulose (wood fiber used as
raw material).
The effect of these factories
on the lake's delicate ecologi-
cal system has been ruinous.
Every year the factories pump
millions of cubic feet of waste
into the lake, including heavy
metal pollutants such as zinc,
mercury, and tungsten.
Nearly four million square
miles of forest have been de-
stroyed by pollution. Pollut-
ants are also killing the lake's
wildlife. An example is the
yellow-winged cottid, a na-
tive fish that spawns near one
of the factories. Its mating
relies on its sense of smell,
which is being destroyed by
waste pumped from the fac-
tory. The fish are decreasing
in number. Since they are an
Right: A bird
watching
party ventures
into the large
tracts of
coniferous
forest on Lake
Baikal's
shore. Many
such areas
are protected.
Right: Since the founding of
reserves, the sable is recovering
from depletion by fur trappers.
Below: Brown Bear Coast the
wooded shore of the Baikal
State Reserve, provides a safe
habitat for wild species.
important part of the food
chain, their decrease affects
other animal species.
BARGUZIN NATURE
RESERVE
The Barguzin Nature Reserve
was created to protect sables.
In the nineteenth century the
money from one silver-black
sable pelt supported a family
of four for a year. By the early
twentieth century, only 300
MCMXCI IMP BV/IMP INC WILDLIFE FACT FILpM PRINTED IN U.S.A.
sables were left as a result of
uncontrolled hunting. Since
the founding of the nature
reserve, sable numbers have
increased.
Barguzin contains 40 differ-
ent animal species, including
bears, lynx, reindeer, elk,
squirrels, and musk deer. The
reserve also has more than
600 different plant species,
from tropical fronds to dwarf
birch trees of the tundra.
0160200211 PACKET 21
Lake Baikal is a unique wilderness.
Its abundant wildlife has evolved over
26 million years to become a delicately
balanced ecological system unlike any found
elsewhere in the world. Its environment is
seriously threatened by pollution.
UNIQUE PURITY
Lake Baikal is so pure that,
when the water freezes, it is
possible to see 40 feet
through the ice. Drivers even
use the water to fill their car
batteries. The continuous
movement of the water-
both horizontally and verti-
cally-circulates oxygen to
the bottom, allowing plants
and animals to live there and
keep the water clean. The
world's second deepest lake is
Tanganyika in Africa, which
GOLOMY ANKA
The golomyanka is a unique
fish. At six to eight inches
long, it is transparent and
shiny with a pink tint. The fish
has no air bladder, but it can
Front cover inset: Male and
female Baikal terns eire native to
Lake Baikal.
can support life only in the
upper half of its water.
The most important crea-
ture for keeping the water
pure is the epishura. This
tiny shrimp is less than one
sixteenth of an inch long,
yet there may be as many as
three million per square yard
in some areas. The epishura
feeds on algae, and its pop-
ulation is abundant enough
to purify the upper 150 feet
of water three times a year.
live 4,500 feet below the
surface, where the pressure is
great enough to crush steel.
Half of the golomyanka's body
content is oil; when it is re-
moved from water it loses its
color and dissolves.
The golomyanka is the only
ECOSYSTEM OF
THE LAKE
Baikal is the most remote lake
in the world, enabling its
wildlife to evolve without
interference. It is a delicate
ecosystem (ecological system)
of nearly 2,000 plant and
animal species, two thirds of
which cannot be found
anywhere else in the world.
Lake Baikal contains unique
fish, including the golomy-
anka, grayling, sturgeon, sig,
and omul. In the lake are 258
species of gamarid, a fresh-
water shrimp.
The resident nerpa seal is
the only freshwater seal in the
world. Many people living on
the shore rely on the seal for
their livelihood. Each year
about 5,000 seals are gath-
ered, but under strict con-
trols. The population remains
stable at about 70,000.
DID YOU KNOW
Lake Baikal is about 26
million years old, and it is
more than 5,000 feet deep.
From north to south,
Baikal is longer than the
area between Montreal and
New York City.
The shores of Lake Baikal
move three quarters of an
inch away from one an-
fish in the northern hemi-
sphere that gives birth to live
young. It has no traditional
spawning area; instead, it
surfaces to give birth.
Above left: One of Lake Baikal's
many freshwater shrimp species.
Right: The bizarre golomyanka.
Siberia .... T ........
.... _.. f, \
, ... r ........ j .. ........ ..... ..... -., ..... ..
Left: Lake
Baikal's
location in
Asia.
(; ..\ ... .... . ....... -....
F ) Mongolia .... -)
Below: The
lynx roams
-:.f .,. ... ..... .. ,., ... " ... ).J
(": Beijing
in lake side
reserves,
protected
from Siberia's
biting cold by
its short but
thick coat.
...>\
.... .,>
China
j "'".
......
India j' {.
other each year. In two
million years, Lake Baikal may
become the world's next
ocean, splitting Siberia in half.
Baikal contains a fifth of the
world's fresh water. If all other
sources dried up today, the
lake contains enough water to
supply every human being for
the next 40 years.
Above: Seals
bask on the
frozen lake.
Erie
FEATURES OF LAKE BAIKAL
Lake Baikal contains a fifth of the world's fresh water. If
this water were never replaced, it would take 400 years
for the lake to empty.
Compared with the Great Lakes of North America, the
waters of Lake Baikal are 4 times deeper than Lake
Superior, 7 times deeper than Lake Huron, and 25 times
deeper than Lake Erie.
The volume of water in Lake Baikal is greater than that
of all five of the Great Lakes combined, although its
surface area is smaller than Lake Superior's.