Animals living in mixed forests are generally characteristic of the entire forest zone of Russia. Hares, foxes, hedgehogs, and even wild boars can also be found in forests well developed by man. Squirrels already feel great not only in the wild, but also in an ordinary city park. On the rivers far from settlements and now you can see beaver huts. There are also such animals of mixed forests as a bear, marten, wolf and badger. Moose also quite often go on roads and the outskirts of villages.
Inhabitants of mixed deciduous forests
In the mixed broad-leaved forest, representatives of the fauna of taiga forests feel great: hare, squirrel. In parallel, the most typical animals of mixed forests live: elk, brown bear, badger.
Elk
European moose is not for nothing called a forest giant. It is one of the largest animals living in the mixed deciduous forest zone. Its average weight reaches three hundred kilograms. Huge horns adorn the head of the male. The coat of this animal is usually gray or black-brown.
These inhabitants of mixed forests feed mainly on shoots of young trees, preferring aspen, willow or mountain ash. In winter, moose choose needles, mosses and lichens as the main food. These animals are great swimmers. An adult can safely swim for a full two hours at a fairly good speed (up to 10 km / h). The end of spring and the very beginning of summer is the time when the elk brings posterity. Typically, this is one or two calves that live with their mother throughout the summer period.
Badger
The common badger is found throughout the mixed forests. In size, this animal can be compared to a small dog. The body length reaches 90 cm, and the average weight of the badger is approximately 25 kg. He hunts insects exclusively at night, digs up nutritious roots and various worms along the way. He loves frogs very much. Badger is a nocturnal animal; he spends daylight hours in his hole.
Badger hole - a very interesting structure. As a rule, it has several floors and a huge number of inputs and outputs. Sometimes their number reaches 50. The central hole can reach a length of 10 meters and is located at a depth of 5 meters. The badger is a very clean animal: he always buries all impurities in the ground. They live in colonies. The badger spends hibernation in winter.
Common hedgehog
Hedgehogs are animals living in mixed forests. This small animal has very low vision, but its hearing and sense of smell are superbly developed. In case of danger, the hedgehog collapses, taking the form of a ball. And then not one of the predators can cope with it (this animal has about 5,000 needles, the length of which is 2 cm).
On the territory of the mixed forests of Russia, hedgehogs are most often found, the needles of which have a gray tint and dark cross strips are clearly visible.
As a food, the hedgehog prefers insects and invertebrates: earthworms, slugs and snails. Hunts frogs, snakes, ruins the nests of birds living on the ground. Sometimes he eats wild berries.
An ordinary hedgehog has two burrows: summer and winter. The winter hole serves him for sleep, which lasts from mid-autumn until April, and the summer version of the dwelling is used to give birth to offspring. Hedgehogs are born naked, a little later (within a few hours) soft needles of white color appear, which within 36 hours change their color to their usual color.
Mole
Quite a lot in the mixed forests of moles. These completely blind animals spend most of their lives underground. They feed mainly on insects, larvae, and earthworms. Moles do not fall into hibernation, as at this time of year they do not experience problems with a lack of food.
Mixed Forest Animals
Hare
The habitat of this animal is not limited only to the zone of mixed forests. It can be met both in the tundra and in the steppe shrubs. In winter, the color of his skins becomes completely white. Only the tips of the ears are still black. Feet overgrown with more fluffy fur. In summer, these animals of mixed forests have the usual gray color.
The white hare feeds on grass, shoots and tree bark: willow, birch, aspen, maple, oak and hazel. A hare does not have a permanent hole. At the slightest danger, this animal prefers to flee.
The hare twice during the summer period brings up 6 rabbits. Young animals become adults after wintering with their mother.
Bison
The fauna of the mixed forests of Russia recently boasted such magnificent animals as a wild bull. They were found everywhere in the northwestern regions of Russia. But, unfortunately, the bison population was almost completely exterminated. To date, a lot of work has been done in the country to restore the number of these animals.
River beavers
The fauna of mixed forests is represented by such an interesting and unusual animal as a river beaver. Previously, they were found almost everywhere. But because of their very valuable furs, they were almost completely exterminated.
Beavers prefer to choose quiet forest rivers for their homes, the banks of which are covered with dense thickets. These animals feed on young shoots of trees and their bark.
The beaver’s home is called the hut. As a building material, beavers use tree branches. The size of the hut has no strict limits. Each beaver builds it in its own way, but it is mandatory to be repaired every year.
Of particular interest are dams, which these animals masterfully know how to erect. Beavers build dams in case the water level in the river drops very sharply. The finished dam can easily withstand the weight of an adult.
A wild boar
Wild boar is a very strong and fast beast. Despite a certain external clumsiness, he easily and quickly moves on his strong legs. Wild boars live in small herds, which consist of males and females with piglets. The eyes of the boar are small and, moreover, this beast is somewhat blind. Therefore, the main sensory organs for wild boar are hearing and smell. This fully explains the typical behavior of a wild boar in case of possible danger: he raises his nose to the top, sniffing and at the same time guarding his ears.
Wild boars are nocturnal animals of the forest, since they are active mainly at night. Boars spend daylight hours in hard-to-reach places. Wild boars are absolutely omnivorous.
But in mixed forests not only herbivores live, but also forest predators: bears, wolves, foxes and martens.
Wolves
The most dangerous animals of mixed forests are, of course, wolves. They always brought a lot of trouble, but nevertheless, the call for the complete extermination of the population of this animal is completely unjustified. The wolf is a predatory animal, but it destroys mainly sick or greatly weakened animals. In doing so, it helps to improve the population of animals living in the area. In areas where the numbers of these predators are relatively small, there is virtually no harm from this animal.
Pine marten
Marten is another bright representative of predatory animals living in mixed forests. This animal arranges nests in hollows of trees, choosing rather high places for this. Leading a nocturnal lifestyle, the marten quite often ruins squirrel nests. The squirrel is active in the daytime, and at night sleeps soundly in the hollow, so it becomes very easy prey for the marten. But the marten also eats food of plant origin: fruits or berries. He loves to feast on wild honey. Because of this weakness, it can live for quite a long time directly next to the bee's nest. Sometimes in one place several martens can gather simultaneously.
Fox
The fox is a very cautious predator. The body length of this beast reaches a meter and almost the same size and the famous fox tail. The fur of this animal most often has a red color, breast and abdomen are light gray in color, but the tip of the tail is necessarily white.
These animals prefer mixed forests, which alternate with clearings, ponds and meadows. The fox can be seen on the outskirts of villages, and in groves among meadows.
Vision of the fox is quite poorly developed, so on the terrain it is guided by the sense of smell and excellent hearing. The fox uses abandoned badger burrows as a dwelling. Sometimes it independently digs a hole, the depth of which reaches 4 meters. Be sure to have several emergency exits.
Foxes prefer a sedentary lifestyle. These are nocturnal predators. The fox feeds on rodents, hares or birds. In very rare cases, it attacks a roe deer. The life expectancy of the fox is not more than 8 years.
Lynx
Lynx is another representative of predators living in mixed forests. Lynx hunts from an ambush. It can track the prey for quite a long time, hiding among the branches of trees or dense shrubs. This predator has long powerful legs that help the lynx to jump long enough.
The main prey of the lynx is roe deer or deer. But she does not disdain small mammals. With pleasure she will drive a hare or catch a bird. The lynx equips its hole in advance in order to calmly give birth to offspring. Usually the number of kittens in the litter ranges from 2 to 4 cubs. They live with their mother for 9 months.
Animals of the mixed forests of Russia
Thus, mixed forests have a fairly diverse fauna. Among the inhabitants of this natural zone there are both predators and herbivores, both inhabitants of taiga forests and the “indigenous” inhabitants of the forest-steppe zone. Many animals fall into deep hibernation, while others, on the contrary, lead an active lifestyle all year round.