Thewildlife of Ukraine consists of its diversefauna,flora andfunga. The reported fauna consists of 45,000 species when including the areas of theBlack Sea and theSea of Azov.[1]Ukraine's protected environments consist of 33Ramsar sites covering an area of 7,446.51 square kilometres (2,875.11 sq mi).Biosphere nature reserves and three national parks are all part of theGEF projects portfolio of conservation of biodiversity in theDanube Delta.[2][3] Their vegetation pattern is mixed forest area, forest-steppe area, steppe area, UkrainianCarpathian Mountains andCrimean Mountains. Some of the protected areas that were reserves or parks are subsumed under the biosphere reserves.[4]
Theisolated or abandoned zone caused by theChornobyl nuclear power station disaster around the city ofChornobyl, while evacuated of all human habitation, has an abundance of wildlife which is reported to be increasing. However, reports indicate that bird's brains are 5% smaller, and the insect and spider population is in decline.[5]
A synopsis of Ukraine's faunal and flora history was noted in Stephen Rudnicki'sUkraine, the Land and Its People: An Introduction to Its Geography (1912): "Ukraine has a much more varied plant and animal geography than the proper Russian territory, despite the latter's much greater extent. In Ukraine, the borders of three main divisions of plant-geography of Europe meet—the Mediterranean division, the steppe region, and the forest region, with their transition regions. Besides, we meet in Ukraine three mountain regions—the Carpathian. In respect to flora, Ukraine possesses only a fewendemic species".[6]
"To be sure the great ice period covered only comparatively small areas of Ukraine with its glacier, but the polar flora undoubtedly prevailed in the entire country at that time. After the withdrawal of the glacier, steppes first appeared in its place, which then, especially in the Northwest, were forced to make room for a forest flora that had immigrated from Central Europe and Siberia. Hence, despite the considerable area of Ukraine, so few endemic species. Since those primeval days, only a very few natural changes have occurred in the vegetation of Ukraine. However, man, through his cultural activity, has wrought many changes in the plant-world of the country."[6]
Ukraine contains six terrestrialecoregions:Central European mixed forests,Crimean Submediterranean forest complex,East European forest steppe,Pannonian mixed forests,Carpathian montane conifer forests, andPontic steppe.[7]
Ukraine's climate influences the country's distinctive forest stands.[8]Deciduous trees make up 52% with the balance beingconiferous. The most densely forested area of Ukraine is in the northwest inPolisia wherepine,oak, andbirch are the main tree species. In the north-central area, where the forest-steppe belt is located, the main species are oak, pine, andhornbeam. In the southeast area, the steppe-belt is situated, oak and pine are the main species. Mountainous areas are characterized by three zones: lower slopes contain mixed forests, higher elevations contain pine forests, and the highest altitudes contain alpine meadows. In the Carpathian Mountains,beech, oak, andspruce are the main trees, while in the Crimean Mountains, beech and oak form the largest numbers.[9] Along the southernCrimean peninsular coast, the vegetation is characterized bymaquis shrubland and deciduous and evergreen Mediterranean plants such asolive trees,cypress trees,oleander shrubs, different kinds of pine trees,junipers and a variety ofpalm trees.
There are 45,000 faunal species reported.Mammal species number about 108,birds number about 400 species (350 is also mentioned), there are 21 species ofreptiles, fish (including subspecies) number about 170 (200 is also mentioned), andamphibians number 17 species. There are about 35,000 species ofinvertebrates which include insects (of which 12 species are reported endemic). TheCarpathian and theCrimea region are the dominant habitats of endemic species.[1] Some of the faunaltaxon reported byAnimal Diversity Web are theEuropean ground squirrel (Spermophilus citellus),European bison (Bison bonasus),European shag (Phalacrocorax aristotelis),steppe polecat (Mustela eversmanii) andEurasian elk (Alces alces).[10]
A wide variety of birds are found in Ukraine, those reported including game birds, nighthawks, raptors, song birds, swifts, waders, and waterfowl.[11] Some of the bird species noted areblack grouse,hazel grouse,gull,owl, andpartridges. There are also migratoryducks,storks, andwild geese. The number of migratory birds is reported as 100 species.[1]
Mammals includeEurasian elk,fox,marten,mouflon,roe deer,wildcat,wild pig,wolf,mice, andjerboas. Some of the fish species recorded includeperch,pike,sterlet, andsturgeon.
Aqua fauna of the Black Sea, the Sea of Azov and estuary have 32 animal species which belong to thePontic–Caspian steppe region.[1]
There are approximately 385 endangered species listed in theRed Book of Ukraine. These are made up of 41 mammals, 67 birds, 8 amphibians and reptiles, 32 fish, 173 insects, 12mollusks, 26cancroid, 7annelida, 3centipedes, 2nematodes, 2 hydro polyps[clarification needed] and 2 chubby-faced[clarification needed].[1]
Ukraine falls into two main zoological areas. One of these, in the west of the country, is made up of the borderlands of Europe, where there are species typical of mixed forests, the other is located in eastern Ukraine, where steppe-dwelling species thrive. In the forested areas of the country, it is not uncommon to find lynxes, wolves, wild boars and martens.
This is especially true of theCarpathian Mountains, where many predatory mammals, such as brown bears, make their home. Around Ukraine's lakes and rivers beavers, otters and mink make their home, whilst in the waters carp, bream and catfish are the most commonly found species of fish. In the central and eastern parts of the country, rodents such as hamsters and gophers are found in large numbers.[12]
More than 6,600species offungi (includinglichen-forming species) have been recorded from Ukraine,[13][14] but this number is far from complete. The true total of fungal species occurring in Ukraine, including species not yet recorded, is likely to be far higher, given the generally accepted estimate that only about 7% of all fungi worldwide have so far been discovered.[15] Although the amount of available information is still very small, a first effort has been made to estimate the number of fungal species endemic to Ukraine, and 2,217 such species have been tentatively identified.[16]
Conservation effort is through 33Ramsar Wetlands of International Importance which cover 7,446.51 square kilometres, three biosphere reserves and three national parks.[2][3]
The 33 wetlands inscribed under the Ramsar Convention from 1994 till 2013 are the: Aquatic cliff complex of Cape Kazantyp (2004, 251 ha), Aquatic cliff complex ofKaradag (2004, 224 ha), Aquatic coastal complex of Cape Opuk (2004, 775 ha),Bakota Bay (2004, 1,590 ha),Berda River mouth,Berdiansk Spit, andBerdiansk Bay (1995, 1,800 ha),Great Chapli Depression (2004, 2,359 ha),Bilosaraisk Bay andBilosaraisk Spit (1995, 2,000 ha),Central Syvash (1995, 80,000 ha),Desna River floodplains (2004, 4,270 ha),Dniester-Turunchuk cross-rivers (1995, 76,000 ha),Dniper-Oril floodplains (2004, 2,560 ha), Dnieper delta (1995, 26,000 ha),Eastern Syvash (1995, 165,000 ha),Karkanit and Dzharylhach bays (1995, 87,000 ha),Kartal Lake (1995, 500 ha),Kryva Bay and Kryva Spit (1995, 1,400 ha),Kugurlui Lake (1995, 6,500 ha),Kyliiske Mouth (1995, 32,800 ha),Lake Synevyr (2004, 29 ha),Lower Smotrych River (2004, 1,480 ha),Molochnyi Lyman (1995, 22,400 ha), northernDniester Estuary (1995, 20,000 ha),Obytochna Spit and Obytochna Bay (1995, 2,000 ha),Perebrody Peatlands (2004, 12,718 ha),Polesian Marshes (2004, 2,145 ha),Pripyat River floodplains (1995, 12,000 ha),Sasyk Lagoon (1995, 21,000 ha),Tuzly Lagoons (1995, 19,000 ha),Shatsky Lakes (1995, 32,850 ha),Stokhid River floodplains (1995, 10,000 ha),Gulf of Tendra (1995, 38,000 ha),Tylihul Estuary (1995, 26,000 ha), andYahorlyk Bay (1995, 34,000 ha).[2]
Among the nature reserves established under theUNESCOWorld Network of Biosphere Reserves, the three reserves are theDanubian Biosphere Reserve covering theDanube Delta, theBlack Sea Biosphere Reserve covering a portion of the Black Sea - theGulf of Tendra andYahorlyk Bay, and theCrimean Nature Reserve in a portion of theKarkinit and Dzharylhach bays.[3]
There are 54national parks in Ukraine.[17]
Media related toNature of Ukraine at Wikimedia Commons