Diorama “Vegetation of char. East Sakhalin Mountains".- a unique exhibit made in 1941 for the Karafuto Governorate Museum by the Japanese master Nishio Soojiro, founder of the Nishio Biological Models Co. Ltd" (Kyoto, Japan). In August 2009, restorers of a Japanese company, with the assistance of the Association of Bilateral Relations of Museums of the Northern Regions and Fr. Hokkaido carried out restoration of the diorama, now in an updated form it adorns the exhibition of the Sakhalin Museum of Local Lore.
TERRESTRIAL MAMMALS
Island isolation, the elongation of Sakhalin and the Kuril Islands in the meridional direction, mountainous terrain, volcanic processes, as well as the influence of the Pacific Ocean - all these factors determined the formation of diverse conditions for the development of flora and fauna on relatively small islands.
On the islands nature created unique landscapes, where the northern Okhotsk and southern Manchurian floras are uniquely combined. Along with typical taiga representatives of the animal world, heat-loving animals live: amphibians, reptiles, birds and even subtropical species of beetles and butterflies. They have remained completely untouched or little changed by human economic activity. natural areas on Sakhalin and entire island systems in the Kuril Islands. These pristine and very picturesque corners island nature are biosphere reserves, guardians of rare and endangered species of flora and fauna.
The museum exposition shows a large species diversity animals common on Sakhalin and the Kuril Islands, and some species of animals that have disappeared as a result of human activity.
Over a short period in the history of the Earth (just over 250 years), the fauna of several islands has become impoverished. Bones of wild boar and sika deer were found in Neolithic sites in the south of Sakhalin. Later, these animals were not recorded here. About 150 years ago, elk and wapiti were exterminated on the island (now acclimatized). By 1945, in southern Sakhalin, as a result of intensive forest cutting, the sable (the species was later restored) and some taiga birds disappeared. By the early 50s, as a result of intensive fishing on the island, the raccoon dog disappeared (the species was later restored). By the beginning of the 18th century, mountain sheep were exterminated on Atlasov Island, by the beginning of the 20th century, wolves were exterminated on Paramushir, Shumshu and Kunashir, river otters were exterminated on Kunashir, and brown bears were exterminated on Shumshu by 1945. People need to remember that island fauna is more vulnerable. The destruction of animals on the islands (as a result of hunting or economic development of land) occurs more often and in a shorter period of time due to the limited and isolated territories.
Brown bears – Ursus arctos
Currently, within the Sakhalin region there are 90 species of mammals, of which 56 species inhabit land.
One of the dioramas in the exhibition shows the dark coniferous (spruce-fir) taiga of Sakhalin Island and some of its characteristic inhabitants. Among them, the forest cat, the lynx (Felis lynx), the rarest animal of the island, stands out for its large size.
The diorama is complemented by a systematic collection and biological groups of aboriginal mammals, characteristic inhabitants of taiga mountain forests, taiga rivers and their coasts. The brown bear (Ursus arctos) is the most large animal and quite numerous on Sakhalin, the southern Kuril Islands (Kunashir Island, Iturup Island) and the northern Kuril Islands (Paramushir Island). The Siberian musk deer (Moschus moschiferus), a rare ungulate on Sakhalin, is represented by the subspecies Sakhalin musk deer (M. m. sachalinensis), listed in the Red Book. The common fox (Vulpes vulpes) from the canine family (Canidae) is a numerous species and widespread on all islands of the region. The exhibition introduces animals from different families: mustelids (Mustelidae), hares (Leporidae), rodents (Rodentia). The mustelid family (Mustelidae) is represented by the sable (Martes zibellina), which is very common in forests, the river otter (Lutra lutra), a rare wolverine (Gulo gulo), a few ermines (Mustela erminea) and weasels (Mustela nivalis); the hare family (Leporidae) - the mountain hare (Lepus timidus), the rodent family (Rodentia) - the squirrel (Sciurus vulgaris) and the Asian chipmunk (Tamias sibiricus).
Also on display in the hall is a stuffed wolf (Canis lupus), a predator not typical for Sakhalin, but caught in its northern part in 1955. This fact indicates the relative isolation of the island and the possibility of introducing new species from the mainland into winter time on the ice of the Nevelskoy Strait. The width of the strait is only 7.5 kilometers. In the recent past, tiger and lynx visits from the mainland to Sakhalin Island were noted. There were also visits of foxes and raccoon dogs from Hokkaido to the southern islands of the Kuril ridge, and of the white fox from Kamchatka to Paramushir.
The exhibition also includes the biological group “Reindeer”. Reindeer (Rangifer tarandus) is a typical inhabitant of tundra-like landscapes only in the northern part of Sakhalin.
Sable – Martes zibellina
The acclimatization of mammals on Sakhalin and the Kuril Islands began in 1916 with the aim of replenishing the hunting and commercial fauna. Nine species of mammals were brought to the islands from the mainland and acclimatized. Among the mammals acclimatized on Sakhalin, the exhibition includes the raccoon dog (Nuctereutes procyonoides), as well as animals adapted to a semi-aquatic lifestyle: the itatsi weasel (Mustela sibirica itatsi), the American mink (Mustela vison) and the muskrat (Ondatra zibethica). The developed river network and the abundance of inland reservoirs on the island turned out to be favorable for the wide distribution of animals leading a semi-aquatic lifestyle.
In addition to the named animals, wapiti (Cervus elaphus), elk (Alces alces) are acclimatized on Sakhalin, in the northern Kuril Islands - the Commander's blue fox (Alopex lagopus semenovi), the mountain hare (Lepus timidus), and in the southern Kuril Islands - the European mink (Mustela lutriola ) and American mink.
The resettlement of island animals was also carried out. The sable settled in the southern part of Sakhalin and on Moneron Island. Reindeer (Rangifer tarandus) from Sakhalin were brought to Simushir Island, where an attempt to acclimatize it was unsuccessful.
Sakhalin musk deer – Moschus moschiferus sachalinensis
The complex terrain and diversity of landscapes create favorable conditions for the life of many species of animals on Sakhalin and the Kuril Islands. At the same time, differences in living conditions from an ecological point of view are determined by differences in the number and species composition of mammals. In general, the fauna of northern Sakhalin is similar to the fauna of the nearby part of the mainland, the fauna of the northern Kuril Islands is similar to the Kamchatka Peninsula, and the fauna of southern Sakhalin and the southern Kuril Islands is similar to the fauna of the Japanese island of Hokkaido.
Muskrats – Ondatra zibethica
WILDLIFE OF THE SEA AND SEA COASTS
In one of the halls of the local history museum, an ecological group of mammals - inhabitants of the seas and sea coasts - is presented. In total, 34 species of mammals live in the seas washing the Sakhalin region; cetaceans - 25 species (12 species of dolphins and 13 species of whales), while 11 species are rare and are listed in the Red Book. One of the exhibitions presents parts of the skeleton of modern toothed and baleen whales.
The Sea Otter biogroup introduces the rare sea otter (Enhydra lutris) that inhabits the coasts of the islands of the Greater Kuril Ridge. This beast has worldwide fame thanks to high quality fur. By the beginning of the twentieth century, the sea otter was on the verge of complete extermination. Fishing for it has been prohibited since 1911; currently this animal is listed in the Red Book.
The showcases display the most characteristic species invertebrate animals: sponges, mollusks, crustaceans, echinoderms. Here you can also see the inhabitants of the Okhotsk and northern Seas of Japan: commercial fish species, including Pacific salmon (Oncorhynchus), and exotic species fish such as hammerhead shark (Sphyrna zygaena), sunfish (Mola mola), frogfish (Aptocyclus ventricosus), brown dogfish (Fugu rubripes), Japanese foxfish (Percis japonicus).
Inhabitants of the Sea of Okhotsk shelf
AMPHIBIANS AND REPTILES
The hall displays collections of amphibians (Amphibia) and reptiles (Reptilia) living in the Sakhalin region.
Amphibians are amazing animals that can live both in water and on land. The collection of amphibians includes wet preparations of all types of tailless and tailed amphibians of Sakhalin and the Kuril Islands. Of the tailless amphibians (Anura), four species of frogs live on the islands. The gray or common toad (Bufo bufo) - the largest of the frogs - and the Siberian frog (Rana amurensis) are common only on Sakhalin Island. The Far Eastern frog (Rana chensinensis) lives throughout the entire territory of Sakhalin and the southern Kuril Islands: Kunashir, Shikotan and the small islands of the Lesser Kuril Ridge (Polonsky, Zeleny, Yuri, Tanfilyev and Anuchin islands). The forests of the southwestern part of Sakhalin and Kunashir are inhabited by a heat-loving tree frog - the Far Eastern tree frog (Hyla japonica).
Tailed amphibians (Caudata) are represented by only one species - the Siberian salamander (Hynobius keyserlingii), this animal is common on Sakhalin and the Kuril Islands (Paramushir, Shumshu and Kunashir).
As part of the collection of reptiles, you can see all types of animals inhabiting Sakhalin, and some original species of the southern Kuril Islands.
Viviparous lizard (Lacerta vivipara) and common viper(Vipera berus) live only on Sakhalin Island. Common viper - poisonous snake, is distributed unevenly throughout the territory, forming in suitable places (on mountain slopes, along the banks of mountain rivers and on sea coasts) large clusters- snake hearths. The viviparous lizard is found everywhere in deciduous and coniferous forests and even in populated areas (in vegetable gardens and orchards).
In the south of the Kuril ridge in the forests of Kunashir Island live snakes and rare lizards - Far Eastern skinks. All snakes on the island, there are three species of them, are thermophilic and often live near thermal springs. Far Eastern skinks settle exclusively along the banks of thermal streams, on the slopes of volcanoes and are usually concentrated in the immediate vicinity of the outlet of a hot spring. The museum contains wet specimens of the island snake (Elaphe climacophora) and the Far Eastern skink (Eumeces latiscutatus).
Off the coast of the southern Kuril Islands in the waters of the warm Soya Current (a branch of the Kuroshivo Current), representatives of subtropical and tropical seas, such as the leatherback turtle (Dermochelys criacea), are extremely rare. A stuffed leatherback turtle caught by fishermen in the South Kuril Strait on August 20, 1966 is on display in the hall.
BIRDS
More than 370 species of nesting migratory, nesting and wintering, only wintering and migratory birds have been recorded in the Sakhalin region. Rare in general for the fauna of Russia are 105 species that are included in the Red Book of the Sakhalin Region. The collection of rare bird species on display includes the migratory white-naped crane (Grus vipio); two species of storks (Ciconiidae): the Far Eastern stork (Ciconia boyciana) and the black stork (Ciconia nigra); hawks of prey (Accipitridae): white-tailed eagle (Haliaeetus albicilla) and Steller's sea eagle (Haliaeetus pelagicus); falcons (Falconidae): peregrine falcon (Falco peregrinus) and gyrfalcon (Falco gyrfalco); from the ducks (Anatidae) - the mandarin duck (Aix galericulata), from the waders (Charadriidae) - the Japanese snipe (Gallinago hardwiclcii) and the mountain snipe (Gallinago solitaria), from the pigeons (Columbidae) - the green pigeon (Sphenurus sieboldii).
The most numerous species on the islands are those ecologically associated with water bodies. Seabirds: cormorants (Phalacrocoracidae), gulls (Laridae), guillemots (Alcidae) - form mass nesting sites on coastal steep cliffs, the so-called “bird colonies”. Their colonies can number from several pairs to several hundred thousand birds. A map in the exhibition shows the locations of more than 20 large bird colonies on the islands.
On the sea bays and their coasts during the migration period, in spring and autumn, large concentrations of swans (Cygnus cygnus), various species of ducks (Anatidae) and waders (Charadriidae) can be observed.
Sea eagles live on the coasts all year round: the white-tailed eagle and the Steller's sea eagle; crows: large-billed (Corvus macrorhynchos), black (C. corone) and raven (C. corax).
The white polar owl (Nystea scandiaca) and the gyrfalcon (Falco gyrfalco) fly to the islands for the winter and stay on the sea coasts.
A typical tundra bird, the white partridge (Lagopus lagopus) inhabits the tundra-like landscapes of northern Sakhalin and the larch woodlands of the northern and middle parts of the island. In the exhibition you can see the biological group “Ptarmigan in spring and winter plumage”.
Of the forest birds, the most numerous orders are woodpeckers (Piciformes) and passerines (Passeriformes), the least numerous are Galliformes. The exhibition introduces such bird species as: hazel grouse (Tetrastes bonasia), capercaillie (Tetrao parvirostris), white partridge (Lagopus lagopus); black woodpecker (Dryocopus martius), gray woodpecker (Picus canus), great spotted woodpecker (Dendrocopos major), lesser spotted woodpecker (Dendrocopos minor), pygmy woodpecker (Dendrocopos kizuki), three-toed woodpecker (Picoides tridactylus), wandering all winter in the island forests ; nuthatch (Sitta europaea), tit (Paridae), crossbill (Loxia curvirostra), bee-eater (Pinicola enucleator), waxwing (Bombycilla garrulus), bullfinch (Pyrrhula pyrrhula), jay (Garrulus grandarius), nutcracker (Nucifraga caryocat-actes) , pika (Certhia familiaris) and others. More than 70 species of birds presented in the exhibition winter on the islands.
The field sparrow (Passer montanus) presented in the exhibition is the most numerous bird of villages and cities.
The collection of forest birds also includes rare southern thermophilic species: green pigeon (Sphenurus sieboldii) and Japanese yellow-backed flycatcher (Xanthopygia narcissina). These birds nest on southern Sakhalin and the southern Kuril Islands.
The collection also includes birds that winter in the ice-free areas of the rivers of Sakhalin and the Kuril Islands: the hermit snipe (Gallinago solitaria) and the dipper (Cinclus pallasii).
Ptarmigans Lagopus lagopus, in spring plumage
Material prepared by: Head of the Nature Department G.V. Matyushkov.
The fauna of the Sakhalin region is very diverse. The land animals of Sakhalin are absolutely similar in species terms to the animals living on the mainland. This especially applies to mammals. However, in terms of the number of species, the island fauna is much poorer than on the adjacent part of the mainland.
Mammals of Sakhalin are represented by taiga species: sable, otter, bear, wolverine, squirrel, flying squirrel, mountain hare, lynx, chipmunk, red fox and gray fox. All these animal species are characteristic of the Siberian taiga. There are no elk, deer, roe deer or badger on Sakhalin, but these animals may well be acclimatized here, since they are typical representatives of the fauna of the Siberian taiga and are absent on Sakhalin due to the geographical isolation of the island.
Of the animals of Sakhalin and the Kuril Islands, the most valuable ones should be noted:
Sable. Even in ancient times, it was hunted on Sakhalin by the Ainu and Nivkh. Sable was widespread throughout the island. Until 1952, there was none at all on the southern third of the island: the Japanese knocked out the beast. In the northern part of Sakhalin, sable fishing was prohibited until 1940. In 1952, more than 70 sables were released in the south for the purpose of reacclimatization. The animals took root and gave birth to offspring. Now sable is widespread everywhere. A census of this animal, carried out in 1953, showed that the total number of sable on Sakhalin is about 7,000. It was established relatively recently (in 1948). that sable is also found on the island of Iturup.
Bear. There is a lot of it on Sakhalin. The fur color is dark. The Hokkaido bear lives on the Kuril Islands, and the Kamchatka bear lives on the island of Paramushir.
Fox. On Sakhalin, the Kuril Islands and the island of Moneron, red foxes are numerous, and gray foxes and silver-black foxes are also found. According to conservative estimates, from 2 to 3 thousand gray fox skins can be obtained annually on the Kuril Islands. There are a lot of foxes on Iturup Island, and with planned harvesting, at least 1000 animal skins can be harvested every year.
Blue Arctic fox. Found on the islands of the Kuril chain. About 100 animals live on Yankich Island. Blue Arctic fox recorded on Simushir and Onekotan
River otter. Lives on Sakhalin. Found throughout large and small rivers where there is fish.
White hare. Widely distributed throughout Sakhalin and on the islands of Kunashir and Iturup.
Ermine and weasel. Found on Sakhalin and southern islands Kuril ridge. Their commercial value is small. These animals feed mainly on mouse-like rodents and are therefore useful for agriculture.
Squirrel. Forest inhabitant of all Sakhalin. Specific gravity proteins in fur harvesting is insignificant. In some places, squirrel serves as food for sable, as a result of which hunters often use squirrels caught during hunting to bait sable. There are no squirrels on the Kuril Islands.
Column itatsi. It is found only in the southern half of Sakhalin Island, where it was brought by the Japanese for the purpose of acclimatization. Its numbers are still insignificant.
Reindeer. On Sakhalin, reindeer are both wild and domestic. Wild ones are found on the northern half of the island. Domestic animals are bred in the East Sakhalin, Poronai and Rybnovsky regions. Reindeer pastures on Sakhalin are small in terms of the presence of reindeer moss (lichens) and in area.
Musk deer. Found throughout Sakhalin in small quantities. Hunting for it is prohibited.
There are no ungulates on the Kuril Islands; Many species of animals and birds are absent here due to the action of volcanoes and island isolation. For example, in the middle part of the ridge there are islands on which there are no four-legged animals at all. On many islands only the fox is found.
(Within the region there are many mammals whose lifestyle is associated with the sea. Such animals include: fur seal, sea lion, sea otter, seal (several species), toothed and baleen whales.
Sea otter. Back in the middle of the 19th century. sea otters were caught in large quantities throughout the Kuril ridge and off the coast of Sakhalin. By the beginning of the 20th century, this animal became rare. Entrepreneurs greedy for profit destroyed the beast everywhere because of its valuable fur. Sea otter skin in 1914-1916. cost more than two thousand rubles in gold. It differs from other furs in its strength, silkiness, tenderness and extraordinary beauty. Within our region, the sea otter is found on the islands of the Kuril ridge.
The fauna of the seas, rivers and lakes of the Sakhalin region is very diverse. The seas of Sakhalin Island are home to a large number of species of fish.
IN sea waters The Sakhalin Islands are home to seals, fur seals, and sea lions in abundance; there are several species of whales, sei whale, fin whale, sperm whale, killer whale, dolphin, and beluga whale. In the depths live: ascidia, limpets, mussels, hermit crabs, sea anemones, sea urchins, oysters, Kuril littorina, octopus, polychaetes, sea cucumbers, as well as various types of stars, crabs, jellyfish.
I would also like to mention the Sakhalin sturgeon! Very little known and rare view, is endangered.
In the area of the Kuril Islands of the Sakhalin region there lives a sea otter, whose fur is unsurpassed in its strength and beauty. At one time, this animal was almost completely exterminated. Measures were taken in time to preserve the sea otter, but its population is still very small. The Sakhalin region is one of the largest fishing regions of our country! The main fishing objects of Sakhalin Island are: pink salmon, chum salmon, herring, saury, flounder, pollock, cod, navaga, mackerel, and greenling. In addition, they catch kunja, smelt, taimen, rudd, as well as shrimp, crab, sea cucumber, whelk, squid, and scallop. Laminaria (sea kale), harvested in the coastal waters of Sakhalin, is used in the preparation of salads rich in iodine and minerals, and is also used in medicine.
Sakhalin Island is also rich in inland waters. The rivers are inhabited mainly by salmon - char, pink salmon, kunja, chum salmon, Sakhalin taimen, masu, malma - which come here to spawn.
In the largest lowland rivers of Sakhalin - the Tym River and the Poronai River, you can find chebak, Amur whitefish, pike, bitterling, loach, leopard, grayling, killer whale, carp, asp, Amur catfish, lenok.
At the bottom leisurely rivers live: Sakhalin crayfish, crayfish Shrenk and shellfish.
IN salt lakes Sakhalin: navaga, kunja, lake herring, eight-lined greenling, Makoma clam.
In low-salt lakes: star flounder, rudd, catfish smelt, smallmouth smelt.
In freshwater lakes: char, crucian carp, minnow, carp, pond snail, Kunashiria clam, and freshwater shrimp.
On the page “The World of the Seas and Rivers of Sakhalin” we will tell you in more detail about some species of rare and unusual inhabitants of the water depths of Sakhalin Island.
ANNA TEPLOVA
Presentation “Fauna of Sakhalin”
Introduction
By composition fauna of Sakhalin belong to the European-Siberian subregion of the Paleoarctic region. However, due to the island position animal world Sakhalin somewhat depleted in species living on the mainland, but enriched in species sea coast animals. In general, the fauna of the Northern Sakhalin has similarities with the fauna of the nearby part of the mainland, the fauna of the northern Kuril Islands is similar to the Kamchatka Peninsula, and the fauna of the southern Sakhalin and the southern Kuril Islands - with the fauna of the Japanese island of Hokkaido.
Animal The world includes 355 species of birds, 88 species of mammals, 7 reptiles and 5 amphibians. From the north to the island (to the isthmus Poyasok) Arctic are penetrating kinds: white partridge, ruffed auklet, bunting, and also reindeer. On South animal the world is enriched by representatives of the Manchurian zoogeographical subregions: Far Eastern tree frog, Japanese lesser starling, Japanese snipe.
Due to the cold climate Sakhalin it is depleted in amphibians and reptiles, the number of which decreases to the north. On Sakhalin Siberian salamander, common toad, Far Eastern and Siberian frogs are found everywhere, viviparous lizard, and the common viper is absent in the far north Sakhalin.
Due to the island and oceanic position on the migration routes, as well as the predominance of forest landscapes, the most numerous group animals areas are birds. Birds permanently resident in the area Sakhalin a little. This includes mainly forest birds: capercaillie (rarely, grouse, hazel grouse, tits (great, black tit and tit, crows (black and great-billed, sparrows, woodpeckers) (large and small motley, gray).
The group of mammals is also depleted. On Sakhalin are not found typical for Siberian forests animals – moose, deer, roe deer, badger, wolf. At the same time, the wolf was caught in the northern part Sakhalin in 1955. This fact indicates the relative isolation of the island and the possibility of the introduction of new species from the mainland in winter along the ice of the Nevelskoy Strait (7.5 kilometers at the narrowest part). In the recent past, migrations of tigers and lynxes from the mainland to Sakhalin. There were also visits of foxes and raccoon dogs from Hokkaido to the southern islands of the Kuril ridge, and of the white fox from Kamchatka to Paramushir.
Indigenous inhabitants Sakhalin forests are: white hare, flying squirrel, squirrel, chipmunk, fox, Brown bear, ermine, weasel, wolverine, reindeer. Indigenous land mammals Sakhalin represented by taiga species: sable, otter, brown bear, wolverine, squirrel, flying squirrel, mountain hare, lynx, chipmunk, red fox and gray fox, ermine, weasel. All these types animals characteristic of the Siberian taiga. There are no ungulates on the Kuril Islands; Many species of animals and birds are absent here due to the action of volcanoes and island isolation. For example, in the middle part of the ridge there are islands on which there are no four-legged animals at all animals. On many islands only the fox is found.
I. Fauna of Sakhalin.
Fauna of Sakhalin The area is very diverse. Land animals of Sakhalin have absolute similarity in species terms with animals living on the mainland. This especially applies to mammals. However, in terms of the number of species, the island fauna is much poorer than on the adjacent part of the mainland.
1.1. Animals of Sakhalin
Mammals Sakhalin represented by taiga species: sable, otter, bear, wolverine, squirrel, flying squirrel, mountain hare, lynx, chipmunk, red fox and gray wolf. All these types animals characteristic of the Siberian taiga.
On There are no moose on Sakhalin, deer, roe deer and badger, but these animals may well be acclimatized here, since they are typical representatives of the fauna of the Siberian taiga and are absent in Sakhalin due to the geographical isolation of the island.
From animals of Sakhalin and the Kuril Islands should be noted as the most valuable:
Sable. Even in ancient times it was traded on Sakhalin Ainu and Nivkh. Sable was widespread throughout the island. Until 1952, it was not on the southern third of the island at all: The Japanese knocked out the beast. In the northern part Sakhalin sable fishing was prohibited until 1940. In 1952, more than 70 sables were released in the south for the purpose of reacclimatization. The animals took root and gave birth to offspring. Now sable is widespread everywhere.
Bear. On Sakhalin has a lot of it. The fur color is dark. The Hokkaido bear lives on the Kuril Islands, and the Kamchatka bear lives on the island of Paramushir.
Fox. On Sakhalin. Red foxes are numerous on the Kuril Islands and Moneron Island, and silver foxes are also found. According to conservative estimates, from 2 to 3 thousand gray fox skins can be obtained annually on the Kuril Islands. There are a lot of foxes on Iturup Island, and with planned harvesting, at least 1000 animal skins can be harvested every year.
Blue Arctic fox. Found on the islands of the Kuril chain. About 100 animals live on Yankich Island. The blue fox was recorded in Simushir and Onekotan. River otter. Lives on Sakhalin. Found throughout large and small rivers where there is fish.
White hare. Widely distributed throughout Sakhalin and on the islands of Kunashir and Iturup. Ermine and weasel. Meet on Sakhalin and the southern islands of the Kuril ridge. Their commercial value is small. These animals feed mainly on mouse-like rodents and are therefore useful for agriculture.
Squirrel. Forest dweller of all Sakhalin. The share of squirrels in fur harvesting is insignificant. In some places, squirrel serves as food for sable, as a result of which hunters often use squirrels caught during hunting to bait sable. There are no squirrels on the Kuril Islands.
Reindeer. On Sakhalin reindeer, both wild and domestic. Wild ones are found on the northern half of the island. Pets are bred in the East Sakhalinsk, Poronaisky and Rybnovsky districts. Reindeer pastures on Sakhalin small in the presence of reindeer moss (lichens) and by area.
Musk deer. Throughout Sakhalin found in small quantities. Hunting for it is prohibited. There are no ungulates on the Kuril Islands; Many species of animals and birds are absent here due to the action of volcanoes and island isolation. For example, in the middle part of the ridge there are islands on which there are no four-legged animals at all. animals. On many islands only the fox is found. (There are many mammals within the area animals, whose way of life is connected with the sea. Among these animals relate: fur seal, sea lion, sea otter, seal (several species, toothed and baleen whales.
Sea otter. Back in the middle of the 19th century. sea otters were caught in large numbers throughout the Kuril ridge and off the coast Sakhalin. By the beginning of the 20th century, this animal became rare. Entrepreneurs greedy for profit destroyed the beast everywhere because of its valuable fur. Sea otter skin in 1914-1916. cost more than two thousand rubles in gold. It differs from other furs in its strength, silkiness, tenderness and extraordinary beauty. Within our region, the sea otter is found on the islands of the Kuril ridge, north of Kunashir Island. In some places the number of animals is large. For example, there are about 1000 animals off the coast of Urup. Sea otter breeding slowly: The female brings only one cub. The sea otter feeds mainly on sea urchins, fish, mollusks and coelenterates, crustaceans. In 1958, the sea otter was brought to Moneron Island from Urup Island. On Moneron it is planned to acclimatize this animal and keep it in an enclosure for the purpose of studying biology.
Fur seal. It has important in economics Sakhalin region, a very valuable fur-bearing animal. Its skin is durable, beautiful, silky brown. Forms rookeries on the Commander Islands and Tyuleniy Island. In the middle of the 19th century. fur seal rookeries were distributed throughout the Kuril ridge. According to the latest data, it is known that there are fur seal rookeries on the islands of Lovushki and Sredny. On Tyuleniy Island, the fur seal rookery has been restored, and fishing is underway here. Seals come to Tyuleniy Island every year in June. Here they breed and stay until cold weather sets in, then they swim to the Sea of Japan, where they spend the winter.
Sea lion. Quite numerous throughout the Kuril ridge. It is valuable because its meat has high taste qualities and not much different from beef. Large male sea lions reach 1.5 tons live weight. The animals feed on mollusks, coelenterates and crustaceans. They live on coastal reefs and rocks. According to the latest data, on the Kuril Islands the total number of sea lions is about 15-16 thousand. On individual islands of the ridge there are sea lion rookeries numbering up to 2-2.5 thousand. Now we can completely begin the planned harvest of sea lion. Steller sea lion meat can be dried and smoked, and can be used to make canned food and sausages.
Seal. In the waters surrounding the islands Sakhalin region, 11 Okhotsk and ringed seal. In some places these animals form rookeries, gathering in groups of several thousand. They are important commercial objects, providing valuable fat, skins and fodder meat.
Whales. There are significant numbers of whales in the region - toothed and baleen. Of the toothed whales in the Sea of Okhotsk, the Sea of Japan and the Pacific Ocean, the sperm whale, killer whale, beluga whale and bottlenose whale are numerous. There are especially many killer whales everywhere. They swim in the seas in huge herds, attacking fur seals, sea otters, sea lions and seals, causing significant harm. Of the baleen whales in our waters, the bowhead, southern, Japanese, minke, sei whale, vomit, humpback and blue whale live. Within Sakhalin region, many whales are caught every year. All of them are processed at coastal whaling plants located on the Kuril Islands. Whaling provides very a large number of valuable food and technical products. Margarine and lard are made from whale fat, part of the fat goes to fur and tanneries for fattening, and whale head fat is a highly valuable raw material for perfume production. Excellent tanneries are made from leather goods: chrome, chevro, yuft. Whale meat is used to prepare meat meal - the best protein feed for fattening pigs, chickens, and waterfowl. Whale bones can be used to make bone meal.
The diversity of natural conditions in the region makes it possible to increase the number of valuable commercial species animals, living on the islands; at the same time, you can acclimatize new people here animals, enrich the fauna of Sakhalin there are all possibilities for breeding river beaver, a valuable animal that previously lived here. In 1952, a muskrat was acclimatized on the island. And it became a commercial object. On the islands of Kunashir and Iturup you can acclimatize sika deer, hazel grouse, black grouse, on Urup - sable, etc.
The bird fauna within the region is diverse in terms of species. About 700 species of birds are found throughout the Soviet Union; more than 330 have been recorded on our islands. The diversity of the region's bird life is explained by the fact that the islands have a large extent from north to south and a variety of habitats associated with mountainous terrain, sea coasts, lakes and rivers.
At least 100 species of game birds and up to 30 species of game birds are found in the region. Of the commercial ones, first of all, it should be noted those whose lifestyle is connected with the sea. They form huge clusters on the islands, the so-called "bird markets". The largest bird market in the region is located on Tyuleniy Island, where up to 600 thousand guillemots gather for nesting.
The guillemot lays only one egg and incubates it for 30 - 33 days. If for some reason the egg of the first clutch disappears, then the bird lays a second, third and even fourth. On the island, up to 100 thousand guillemot eggs can be collected annually, which are used to feed animals bred in cages. There are more than 20 bird colonies on the Kuril Islands. Moneron Island has a unique bazaar in the region. It is remarkable because very rare long-billed puffins (or knobby loons) gather here and nest only in the north-east of our country. Puffins dig underground passages up to 2 m long, in which they make nests. The female lays only one egg and takes turns with the male incubates: Guillemots, puffins, puffins, murrelets, guillemots, auklets, whose lifestyle is associated with the sea, feed on small fish and are an adornment of sea coasts, the harsh nature of the islands, and guillemots have commercial value. Birds from the order of auks inhabit all the islands of the Kuril ridge and in some places nest in huge colonies. Flocks of thousands of sea auklets gather on the middle islands of the Kuril ridge. These are small birds, the size of a quail, painted in a dark slate color. In places where their nesting colonies are located, so many auklets accumulate that they "swarm" in the air like bees. The food of auklets consists of various small crustaceans and amphipods. The second large group of game birds consists of lamellar-billed birds - swans, geese, ducks.
In the northern half Sakhalin on"tundra-like" The swan goose nests in the highlands. This is the ancestor of our domestic goose. It is interesting because it is unpretentious and feeds on small sedges and grasses growing among moss swamps. On Sakhalin and. There are quite a lot of Kuril Islands ducks: common and black ducks, wigeon, pintail, tufted pochard, Kamchatka duck, goldeneye, long-tailed duck, eastern stonewheat, East Siberian scoter, black scoter, teal, whistler and gadwall. All these ducks, when migrating in spring and autumn, are found in lakes, estuaries and sea bays. In other years, sea ducks gather in sea bays in huge flocks, numbering up to several hundred thousand. During the migration period, a large number of waterfowl accumulate on lakes Nevskoye, Troitskoye, in lagoons and sea fills on the eastern coast Sakhalin.
The best place for hunting on the island is Kuegda Bay, where almost no one scares the bird and where it gathers in flocks of thousands. Floodplain forests abound in feathered populations not only in summer, but also in winter.” Here you can find tits: large, puffy chickadee, black-headed chickadee, long-tailed chickadee; woodpeckers: black, large white-backed, small sharp-winged; flycatcher: broad-billed, yellow-backed, grey, blue; nightingales: red-necked, Japanese; blackbirds: deryab, naumana, golden; warblers, warblers, common and deaf cuckoos, wood pipit, long-tailed bullfinch, all kinds of buntings, etc. Along with beneficial birds, there are also harmful ones in the region. These include hawk: goshawk, sparrowhawk, marsh harrier, eagle owl. There is a fish owl in the area that feeds only on fish; This is a rare forest bird.
1.2. Animals of Sakhalin listed in the Red Book.
The Red Book is a document that describes rare and endangered plant species and animals, the extraction of which is prohibited by law. Unfortunately, often some types of Red Book animals fall under a hunter's shot, and often this happens simply out of ignorance.
WHOOPER SWAN
Family Ducks. Red Book Sakhalin region. A rare breeding species with local distribution and low numbers.
Spreading. Nesting range - Sakhalin. On the Kuril Islands it occurs during migration and wintering periods. On Sakhalin back in the 30s of the twentieth century, whoopers nested in both the northern and southern regions of the island, in particular near the city of Shakhtersk and Lake. Ainskoe, along the shores of large lakes and bays on the north-eastern and north-western coasts and along the valleys of large rivers. Currently, the species’ range is represented in the form of isolated spots, mainly in the North Sakhalin plain.
Habitats and lifestyle. Swans nest in mossy and grassy swamps near lakes and rivers or in shallow lakes overgrown with coastal aquatic plants. Spring migrations in the third ten days of March - the first half of May, autumn migrations in September - the first half of November. Eggs are laid in the third ten days of May - the first half of June. Broods were observed in early August. During the migration period, swans are found in shallow sea bays and large lakes. A small number of birds winter in the waters of the southern Kuril Islands.
Number. The number of nesting birds is low and hardly exceeds 20 - 30 pairs. During seasonal migrations, whooper swans are common, and in some places numerous birds. Yes, in Salmon Bay (Aniva Bay) in the third ten days of April 1992, from 10 to 15 thousand whooper swans and little swans were counted on different days; total number of swans in the South Sakhalin(as of spring 1992) was probably at least 20 thousand individuals. Of this number of birds, 75% are whooper swans. It should be noted that in the 80s and 90s on the island Sakhalin There was a noticeable increase in the number of migrating swans, probably due to favorable wintering conditions in Japan.
Limiting factors. Transformation of habitats due to economic use wetlands, disturbance factor during the nesting period, illegal shooting of birds.
Security measures taken. The whooper swan is listed among the rare protected birds of the Russian Far East. Required measures: preservation of habitats, protection of birds at nesting sites, elimination of disturbance during the nesting period, strengthening the fight against poaching. "
2. Reserves Sakhalin.
Currently, in the region there are two nature reserves, Kurilsky and Poronaisky, as well as 12 reserves, including Noglikisky, Aleksandrovsky, Kraternaya Bay, Izyubrovy, Krasnogorsky, Ostrovnoy, Makarovsky, Severny, Tundra, Small Kuriles, Moneron Island, Lake Dobretskoye, 57 monuments nature.
Kuril Nature Reserve
The Kuril Nature Reserve is located on Kunashir Island and the small islands of the Lesser Kuril Ridge; V Sakhalin region. Founded in 1984, area 65.4 thousand hectares. The reserve's topography is varied; the islands are the peaks of an underwater ridge. There is active volcanic activity in the area. activity: thermal springs, outlets of hot gases. There are many inactive volcanoes. On the island of Kunashir there is the Tyatya volcano (1819 m, the cone of which is distinguished by its remarkable regularity of shape. The reserve preserves monuments of the Ainu and Okhotsk cultures of the Neolithic era. The climate is monsoon, relatively mild.
Most of the Kuril Nature Reserve is covered with deciduous forests of Sakhalin velvet, oak, ash, wild magnolia, elm. There are also spruce-fir, coniferous-deciduous forests; the dense undergrowth is characterized by intricate interlacing of ferns and vines (actinidia, lemongrass, Cognier grapes). On the edges of the forest, thickets of Kuril bamboo and tall grasses up to 4 m high are common (hogweed thickets). About 800 species of higher vascular plants are registered in the reserve. Animal the world is rich - 22 species of mammals, 223 species of birds (122 breeding species). On the territory of the reserve there are sea lion and seal rookeries (seals, entura). Of the rare animal found sea otter(Kamchatka beaver). Among the rare birds are the Steller's sea eagle and the white-tailed eagle, the fish owl (island population, the Japanese crane. Salmon fish spawn in the rivers of the Kuril Nature Reserve.
Poronaysky Nature Reserve.
Poronaisky Nature Reserve is located in the eastern part of the island Sakhalin, near Terpeniya Bay and on the Terpeniya Peninsula, in the Poronaisky district Sakhalin region of Russia. The reserve was founded in 1988, covers an area of more than 56.7 thousand hectares, and consists of two sections - Nevsky and Vladimirsky. The reserve is dominated by mountain taiga forests of Ayan spruce and Sakhalin fir, larch trees. Representatives of the Okhotsk, Manchurian, North Japanese and North American fauna gathered here (over 200 species) and flora (more than 400 species). Along the shores of the bay and on the coast of the Sea of Okhotsk there are flight paths for waterfowl.
Animal The world of the Poronaisky Reserve is represented by 34 species of mammals, 192 species of birds (92 species of nesting birds, 3 species of amphibians, 2 species of reptiles. In the reserve live: reindeer, sable, otter, brown bear. Colonial seabirds nest on coastal cliffs birds: slender-billed guillemot, black-tailed gull, spectacled guillemot, great and little auklet, old man, white-bellied gull. At Cape Terpeniya there is a large bird market. Sakhalin musk deer, Aleutian tern, mandarin duck, white-tailed eagle, Steller's sea eagle, osprey, spruce grouse, peregrine falcon living in the reserve are included in the Red Book of Russia.
Crater (bay)
A bay in the southern part of the island. Kraternaya Bay is a small bay on the southern coast of Yankich Island (Ushishir Islands). The entrance to the bay is located between Cape Craterny and the Kolpak rock. Open to the south, protrudes into the island for 1 km. The width of the entrance to the bay is about 300 m. The depth is up to 56 m. The area of the bay is about 0.7 sq. m. km. On the shore of the bay is the Ushishir volcano (388 m, along the slopes of which taiga vegetation grows, descending directly to the water of the bay without forming a beach. The entrance to the bay, unlike it, is the shallowest. In the center of the bay there are two small islands (height 37 and 72 m). The coast of the bay, like the entire island of Yankich, is not inhabited. The tide height in the bay is 1.8 m. The flora and fauna of the bay are isolated from the surrounding nature. There are sea urchins at the bottom of the bay. 6 new species of living creatures were discovered in the bay. In 1988, Kraternaya Bay became a biological reserve.
Conclusion.
Each region has a unique community of living organisms, closely related to each other, many of which are adapted to exist in these particular areas. natural conditions. Any interference in nature or disruption of the habitat leads to the disappearance of the most vulnerable species animals and disruption of ecological balance. The consequences of such changes are difficult to predict and often irreversible. Negative processes have the greatest impact on fragile island ecosystems, which exist in relative isolation and have limited ability to recover.
IN Sakhalin areas you can find almost all unique natural communities Far East. Here, like a mosaic, the most beautiful natural objects, which can only be found in the Far Eastern region: volcanoes and mountains, river valleys and tundra-like plains, spawning rivers and sea coasts, taiga and deciduous forests. However, the world of our islands is not only diverse, but also very vulnerable. Over the last century, the development Sakhalin and the Kuril Islands was accompanied by intense impact of economic activities on the fragile islands ecosystems: forests were cut down, river valleys were drained, seabird colonies were destroyed, marine biological resources were destroyed, large areas in the north Sakhalin were subjected to degradation and pollution during the exploration and exploitation of oil and gas fields. These processes could not but affect the state of nature.
In the 20th century, the problem of preserving and saving the most rare and vulnerable species animals has become global. In 1966, the Red Book of the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN) was published, which for the first time summarized and systematized information about rare animals, the salvation of which should be the goal for all humanity. In 1978, the Red Book of the USSR was published. Republished and expanded in 1984, it, in addition to species from the IUCN Red List, included rare animals, which were the property of our country. The first regional Red Book was the Red Book of the RSFSR, published in 1983, which, in addition to species from the Red Books of a higher rank, included species rare in the territory of the republic animals.
On March 16, 1999, the law came into force Sakhalin region"About the Red Book Sakhalin region» . To the Red Book animals of Sakhalin The region includes 18 species of mammals, 105 species of birds, 4 species of reptiles, 7 species of fish, 10 species of insects, 18 species of mollusks and 6 species of crustaceans. These included all types animals, included in the International Red Book, the Red Book of the Russian Federation, found in the territory Sakhalin region, species rare for the Far Eastern region, as well as new, recently described species whose distribution and abundance are unknown. The Red Book of Plants includes 154 species of flowering plants, 4 species of gymnosperms, 22 species of ferns, 1 species of lycophytes, 24 species of bryophytes, 9 species of algae, 37 species of lichens and 19 species of fungi.
From Japanese this area is translated as “land of the god of the mouth”, the Manchu language calls it “Sakhalyan-ulla”. Initially, Sakhalin was identified on maps as a peninsula, but subsequent expeditions provided a lot of evidence in favor of the opinion that Sakhalin is still an island.
The harsh lands of Sakhalin are located east of the Asian coast. The island is the largest in the Russian Federation and is a neighbor of the Kuril Islands. A traveler who has visited these places remains deeply impressed for a long time. Natural monuments are the main treasure of the island.
Description and location of the island
The cold waters of the Sea of Okhotsk wash the territory of Sakhalin, warm waters are taken from the Japanese and Pacific oceans. Treason, La Perouse and Soviet are the only border with the state of Japan. The distance from Sakhalin to the mainland is completely occupied by water.
The area of Sakhalin is 87 thousand square kilometers. This figure includes the islands of Tyuleniy, Ush, Moneron, the Kuril ridge with the Kuril archipelago.
From the extreme southern point of the island to the northern there are 950 km. The entire area of Sakhalin looks like a scaly fish (from the height of the ISS flight), where the scales are the many rivers and lakes scattered across the island.
Separates Sakhalin and the mainland. There are two capes in the strait, the width between which is about seven kilometers. For the most part, the coast is flat with numerous river mouths that flow into the seas.
Story
The historical background of the island begins with the Early Paleolithic era, about three hundred thousand years ago.
Today, more than 10 thousand kilometers separate the Sakhalin area from the Russian capital. The plane flies seven time zones before arriving at the airport of the largest city - Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk.
Russian travelers in the 17th century often became pioneers, discovering new lands in their vast country. In the 50s of the 19th century, an expedition led by Nevelskoy finally proved the Japanese theory that Sakhalin is an island formation. At the same time, the island was inhabited by peasants, and became a border point between Russia and Japan, so military posts were placed throughout the territory. The next 30 years turned this place into a colony where exiles were sent.
The agreements between Russia and Japan had a great impact on the study of Sakhalin land. Over ninety years, the Russian-Japanese border was modified four times. Due to armed intervention by the Japanese in 1920, the entire Sakhalin area was occupied. The troops were withdrawn only in 1925, and seven years later the island became part of the Far East region, as the Sakhalin region.
Having wandered from one country to another, the Kuril Islands finally returned after World War II Soviet Union. The modern border of the region was formed in 1947.
The capital of Sakhalin is the city of Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk, which was formed by settlers at the end of the 19th century.
Tourism on Sakhalin
The geography of Sakhalin and the Kuril Islands is a treasure trove of the Far East. The development of island attractions is still ongoing. The development of tourism, according to the authorities, should bring the regional economy to a qualitatively new level of development. There are about 60 travel companies operating on the island, and most tourists come from neighboring Japan. They are attracted by the diversity of not only natural, but also historical monuments. The island's authorities also monitor the Japanese heritage left over from the occupation.
IN last years Ecotourism began to actively develop on Sakhalin. But taking into account the fact that the Japanese are more focused on comfortable conditions of stay, travel companies are limited to off-site excursions, and hotels are increasingly improving the services they provide. Almost all hotels have a menu with oriental dishes (including Japanese).
A program of hikes to Chekhov Peak is being implemented. The territories are increasingly being improved, including the construction of a tourist complex in the village of Goryachiye Klyuchi and the Aquamarine tourist center. A project is being prepared to build complexes near thermal mineral springs.
Some of the attractions include: the incredibly beautiful Bird Lake; partially destroyed Devil's Bridge; the largest waterfall on the island of Kunashir - Bird; active volcanoes of the Kuril Islands - Golovnina, Tyatya; lighthouse on Cape Aniva; the coast of the Sea of Okhotsk covered with white rocks; picturesque lake Tunaicha; the treasury of nature of the Kuril Islands - Iturup Island; northern hot springs of the island; formation on the rocks of. Kunashir - Cape Stolbchaty; the southern point of the island is Cape Crillon; most beautiful waterfall on Russian territory - Ilya Muromets.
Population of Sakhalin
Numbers about 500 thousand people. Sakhalin is multinational, the population consists of Russians, Ukrainians, Belarusians, Koreans, Mordovians, Tatars, as well as indigenous people.
Includes several nationalities: Nivkhs, Tonchis, Evenks, Ainu, Nanais, Uilta. These are the inhabitants of these lands who lived on them before the establishment of modern borders. Indigenous peoples, unfortunately, are very few in number. However, they are still developing their national economy and leading a national life.
Flora
There is no diversity among the flora and fauna of Sakhalin. Compared to the Japanese Islands, the territory of the Sakhalin region is quite poor in the number of representatives of flora and fauna.
F. Schmidt began studying the flora of the island in the mid-19th century. At the moment, on Sakhalin there are about 1,500 species of plants that have vessels for carrying water, dissolved mineral salts and other organic elements (vascular).
About seventy percent of Sakhalin is occupied by forests, despite environmental problem deforestation and annual fires, the north of the island is still occupied coniferous trees. This territory is considered dark coniferous taiga. New trees grow very slowly due to lack of sunlight. In order for a young tree to receive a good dose of sun, it has to wait until one of the old representatives of the forest falls and brings light into the dark taiga shroud.
There are, of course, light coniferous forests, but their representatives are mainly larches, which are not very common on the island. Why is this happening? The special soil under which the clay layers are located is to blame. They do not allow water to pass through and, accordingly, do not allow trees to develop and grow well. And absolutely a small part from forest area occupied by deciduous forests.
Sakhalin forests are rich in wild rosemary, which forms serious thickets and swamps. The most common berries here are blueberries and cranberries, and cloudberries grow in the swamps. Big amount Perennial herbs and shrubs are represented.
Fauna
Allows forty-four species of mammals to live on the island. Bears, reindeer, otters, wolverines, raccoon dogs and a large number of rodents, about 370 different species of birds, of which 10 are predators, are common here.
During the period of human development of the island, a large amount of flora and fauna was destroyed, so a fairly long list of endangered animals and plants of Sakhalin is included in the Red Book.
Industry
Sakhalin industry is developing at a fairly rapid pace; it includes oil and gas production, coal, fishing and energy industries. Of course, oil and gas production has remained an advantage for many years. Thanks to the developments of Sakhalin scientists, Russia entered the list of leading countries in the export of liquefied natural gas. Sakhalin supplies gas to Japan, Thailand, Korea, Mexico and China.
The development of shelf deposits made it possible, in monetary terms, to improve the condition of roads, living quarters, and so on. For constant growth the region's economy, work is underway to attract continuous investment in existing projects.
Climate of Sakhalin
The climatic conditions of the island are moderate monsoons, due to its direct proximity to water. Winters here are quite snowy and long, and summers are cold. For example, January weather has strong northerly winds and frosts. Quite often you can get into snowstorm. Snow avalanches are also common here, and sometimes the winter wind reaches incredible hurricane force speeds. In winter, the temperature drops to -40 degrees, and even lower when adjusted for wind.
Summer on Sakhalin is short - from mid-June to early September with temperatures from 10 to 19 degrees above zero. It is quite rainy, the Pacific Ocean brings high humidity.
In the southwest there is a warm current of the Sea of Japan, and the eastern coast is washed by the Sea of Okhotsk with a cold current. By the way, it is the Sea of Okhotsk that dooms Sakhalin to cold spring weather. The snow usually doesn't melt until May. But there were also record temperature highs of +35 degrees. In general, each season here arrives with a three-week delay. Therefore, August has the warmest days, and February has the coldest.
The summer season brings floods to the island. In the 80s, Sakhalin suffered from a powerful typhoon. He left more than four thousand people homeless. And in 1970, a typhoon dumped more than a month's worth of precipitation in a few hours. The typhoon fifteen years ago brought mudflows and landslides. Usually such weather conditions come from the Pacific Ocean.
Geography and geology
The geographical relief of Sakhalin Island is determined by mountains of medium and low height, as well as flat areas. The West Sakhalin and East Sakhalin mountain systems are located in the south and center of the island. The north is represented by a hilly plain. The coast is distinguished by four peninsular points and two large bays.
The island's topography consists of eleven regions: the Schmidt Peninsula is a land with a steep rocky coastline and mountainous terrain; the plain of northern Sakhalin is a territorial area with hills and many river networks, this is where the main oil and gas fields are located; mountains of western Sakhalin; Tym-Poronayskaya lowland - located in the center of the island, its main part is swampy; Susunay lowland - located in the south and most populated by people; the ridge of the same name - Susunaisky, which includes the famous Chekhov and Pushkinsky peaks; mountains of eastern Sakhalin with the highest point - Mount Lopatina; the Terpeniya Peninsula with its lowlands; Korsakov plateau; Muravyovskaya lowland, consisting of numerous lakes, popular among local residents; The Tonino-Anivsky ridge is famous for the mountain named after Kruzenshtern and its Jurassic period deposits.
Minerals
The first place among the natural resources of Sakhalin Island is occupied by biological ones; moreover, this niche brings the region to first place in the Russian Federation. The island is rich in hydrocarbon reserves and coal deposits. In addition, large quantities of wood, gold, mercury, platinum, chromium, germanium and talc are mined on Sakhalin.
How to get to the mainland?
The distance from Sakhalin to the Russian mainland can be covered in several ways: by plane (for example, from the nearest city of Khabarovsk), by ferry from Vanino, and for extreme sports enthusiasts in winter, you can cross the water part on foot on frozen ice.
It is considered the narrowest place between the mainland and the island, its width is about seven kilometers.
However, the island has interesting story frozen construction of the railway, begun under Stalin. Moreover, the trains had to pass through special tunnels through the already mentioned Cape Nevelskoy and Cape Lazarev. The construction of railway tracks was carried out by convicts from Gulag prisons. Work proceeded at a rapid pace, but the death of the leader completely stopped the project. Many prisoners were amnestied.
Surprisingly, in all the past years not a single bridge was built. Therefore, modern developments begin precisely with the intention of constructing bridge crossings. Moreover, Russia intends to connect Sakhalin with Japan for more fruitful cooperation between the regions.
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