Taiga Facts

While many Russia enthusiasts are drawn to the country because of its fascinating history or its man made landmarks, there is plenty of natural beauty here as well. The Taiga is a curious area of forest that covers much of the country and if you’d like to know more, here are some interesting Taiga Facts.

Coniferous Forest

In essence, the Taiga is a vast area of biome or ecosystem that is characterised by its coniferous forests. Outside of Russia it covers much of Alaska and North America as well as Scandinavia and parts of Japan.

The Taiga covers much of Russia itself and is particularly prominent in Siberia. It also extends into Mongolia and Northern Kazakhstan.

Adverse Weather

In winter months, temperatures in the Taiga can drop to lows of around minus 54 degrees centigrade and in fact, the figures stay below freezing for six months of the year. The high point of the winter temperatures still registers at around one degree below freezing.

In some areas however, there is relatively low snow fall but there can be some heavy rain in the summer months which are, by comparison, quite balmy. During the summer, the needle can register as much as 20 degrees centigrade.

Tallest and Oldest trees

The environment in the Taiga encourages trees to grow healthily and for much longer periods. Some of the oldest trees in existence can be found in this type of ecosystem and many are thousands of years old.

In warm areas of the Taiga, trees grow much taller and they have even become resistant to the wild fires that occasionally crop up in this region. The coniferous trees that grow here have evolved to develop a much thicker bark that can withstand all but the most serious of fires.

Fascinating wildlife

As anybody who has studied Russian wildlife will know, there is a wide range of species to be found in places such as Siberia and for many casual observers, this is something of a surprise.

The Taiga’s ecosystem however is a perfect environment, particularly in the summer months when many creatures, particularly birds migrate here.

The summer climate provides a perfect habitat for a wild and wonderful array of insects and that in turn leads to an influx of all types of birds that feed on them.

The end result is a haven for wildlife and a wonderful opportunity for your own Taiga safari.

Danger lurks

While the birds and insects that frequent the Taiga are wonderful to see, danger does lurk in the region in many forms. In Russia, the Taiga is home to the brown bear so if you do find yourself here, be careful!

Under threat

It’s a sad fact that, as in many parts of the world, the Russian Taiga is at risk from widespread deforestation that has increased since the fall of the Soviet Union.

The areas don’t have quite the same amount of protection that they do in other countries and the practise is a major threat. The Taiga is a beautiful and fascinating area of Russia and we must therefore hope that it is preserved for future generations to enjoy.