Russia Factfile
The series Iolo yn Rwsia gives us a unique insight into one of the world's largest countries, with a vast landscape, most of it largely unseen. Iolo Williams visited fascinating and mystical places, from the west to the far east, to give us a glimpse of Russia's natural world through the four seasons. Here is a preview of some facts about the nature of this unfamiliar land.
Lake Baikal in Siberia is the deepest lake on Earth, over 1600m in depth. The lake is the habitat of the only freshwater seal on the planet. Baikal seals raise their offspring at the end of the winter.- The Altai mountains are situated in Southern Siberia close to the borders of Mongolia and Kazakhstan.
- The Caucasian Mountains are a link between Europe and Asia, the highest peaks of this rugged range are well over 5000m. While the western parts of the Caucasian Mountains are very wet and green, the eastern areas are meagre and rough.
Many areas of the Caucasian mountains are covered with ice. Some of the biggest glaciers of Europe are found here. Mount Elbrus is the highest mountain of the Caucasus. Its twin peaks both reach more than 5600m.- The forests of the Caucasian mountains give home to a predator that has become rare in other regions – the lynx.
- The Demoiselle Crane was once a status symbol for Maharajahs and Pharaohs. Today these beautiful birds are rare in many areas.
The majestic Caucasian Tur is a mountain dwelling goat and can be found living at a height of up to 4000m.- In Russia’s Far East, the biggest landmass on Earth plunges into the Pacific Ocean at the coast of Ussuriland, where Siberian forests give way to an exotic Asian coastline.
Asian Black Bears are good climbers and spend a lot of time in the tree tops.- In Ussuriland, Sika Deer are not only found in the forests, but also on the beach where they feed on algae.
- Blakiston’s fish owls are extremely rare – probably not more than 1000 birds still exist in the wild. The wild rivers of Ussuriland offer a good habitat.
Lake Chanka, close to the Chinese and Korean borders, is the biggest habitat for the lotus . The weather only permits it to flower for 4 months of the year. Lake Chanka is also home to the Chinese Soft Shell Turtle.- The Siberian Tiger is one of the rarest predators in the world. They are endangered due to poaching and the loss of habitat.
- In 1730, the Ural Mountains officially became a part of the border between Europe and Asia.
- Brown bears are a common sight in Ural. They are omnivorous – they not only eat meat and fish, but also fruits, plants and honey.
The peninsula of Kamchatka stretches more than 1200km into the Pacific Ocean. Kamchatka is a world of fire and ice – huge glaciers exist beside volcanoes. - A large part of Kamchatka’s valley of the geysers were destroyed in a gigantic mudslide, but hot springs and fumaroles can still be found in many places. Kamchatka is one of the places with the highest volcanic activity on Earth.
- Stellar’s Sea Eagle is a real giant. Its wing span extends over two metres and its enormous beak is characteristic of a bird of prey. They are the biggest birds of prey in Russia’s Far East.
Wolverines are one of the most elusive species in the animal kingdom. One place to find them is the Kamchatka peninsula.- Lake Kuril, in the south of Kamchatka, is situated in the caldera of an ancient volcano. It is one of the best places to spot bears hunting salmon.