Russian Desman - an amazing creature, comfortable feeling on the planet Earth for over 30 million years.As in the past, and today, the appearance of the river animal, like a small rat and belonging to the family of mole for its ability to dig deep burrows, has not changed.
Russian Desman: description
All the same, like a trunk, a long nose, paws with webbed fingers, compressed laterally long tail, covered with horny scales and an excellent driving fast and tight corners.Russian Desman has a well streamlined torso;Her abdomen is silvery-white, back - brown.Such coloring makes the animal virtually invisible in water, ideally under the masking environment.Coat dense enough and did not get wet, as animal using its hind legs lubricates musk specifically produced, located at the base of tail glands.Vision at the Russian Desman did not work, it compensates for the lack of full excellent sense of smell.Hearing Desman although well developed, but it has some specific features.It can completely ignore the people talk, but shudder at the slightest splash of water, hrustnuvshey under foot twig, rustling in the dry grass.
Nora - Russian Desman favorite places
Russian muskrat, preferring to live a quiet place of the current (lakes and creeks), likes to burrow, complex and long (over 10 meters).The comfortable, covered with forest vegetation, the banks arranged the whole labyrinth of underground tunnels, the entrances to which are hidden under a layer of water.When the water level falls the animal is forced to lengthen the underground passages, once again leading them under the surface of the river.Also, Russian Desman makes short hole with the chamber and wet litter where in winter replenishes the air while moving under the ice.Basically, the camera in the burrows serve for rest and meals.
The Russian muskrat feeds
food for hohuli (so-affectionately known Russian Desman in Russia) in the spring, summer and autumn period are leeches, crayfish, aquatic insects and their larvae, bog plants.In winter, the Russian Desman not abandon numb frogs, lack of small fish, bivalves.In burrows sometimes accumulate heaps of food residue - exactly what you need and small animal: plenty of food and a nice pond with comfortable seating holes.Sometimes eaten daily weight equal to the mass of the animal.
care of posterity
Progeny (from one to five children) muskrat can lead twice during the year.Cubs, whose weight does not exceed 2-3 grams, are born tiny, blind and naked.However, after two weeks of their body is covered with hairs already.In 23-24 days the mother begins to acquaint them with the world.In a month from animals teething, they are trying to insect larvae and shellfish meat.It helps female, wonderful and caring mother, in the care of the father of the offspring.If the adults leave the burrow, the children in this case carefully cover the "blanket" of plants.When approaching danger mum on the back forwards kids in a quiet place.For 7-8 months the grown offspring become independent and leave home.
danger at every step
Lifetime muskrat is about 5 years, provided that it does not shorten the external factors.This may be unexpected winter ascents of water, fill the hole, which could kill the entire family.Surviving individuals forced to flee to splavinah or urgently digging temporary burrows in safe places.Muskrat, devoid of natural shelter, is in full view, making it available to the birds of prey, raccoon dogs, foxes, gray rats and mink.That spring muskrat moved to nearby water bodies, changing their familiar surroundings, she is looking far away (maximum 5-6 km away from your old home).
Russian Desman in the water waiting for the danger from pike-perch, pike, catfish and large perch.In the dry summer animal can not sustain a long transition to a more suitable place to die on the road.Even in his own hole there is a danger of suffering from the hooves of wild herds, easily damaging located at the surface of the hole.
Habitat Desman successfully shared with beavers, sometimes taking advantage of their trenches and burrows.The relationship of these animals clearly seen mutual respect.There was even noticed by the fact that muskrat climbed to a rest on the back of the beaver, the latter suffered quietly.See
Russian Desman
many curious wondering how muskrat looks Russian, because to see it with the naked eye is difficult enough: she is very careful and pokes her nose on the surface of the water (to breathe) early in the morning or in the evening.Secluded life of the animal does not give full opportunity to penetrate its secrets, no matter how great may be the desire.It is very difficult to determine exactly where the Russian muskrat lives.Interesting facts seen by shepherds: the locations of holes in this animal cows refused to drink water.Residential muskrat burrow provides lasting musky odor, which is due to the mid-17th century and hunted this animal.In Russia, dried muskrat tails shifted in the chest underwear, later secret musk glands began to be used in the perfume industry as a fixative smell of expensive perfume.Negative effect on the existence of a massive illegal muskrat affects fishing with the use of steel chains and "elektrosachkov" which destroy not only fish, but also aquatic invertebrates - basic food muskrat.
Poaching - the main danger to aquatic animals
most valuable fur Russian desman has caused poaching this animal that sadly affected its numbers.In 1835 the fair in Nizhny Novgorod were exported 100,000 pelts of the animal, in 1913 - 60 000. Predation river animals took place over the centuries, so today Russian Desman (Red Book confirms this fact) is found only in a few placesdeclared protected areas.This pool of the Ural River, the Don, the Volga, or rather some of their sites.At the moment, according to expert estimates the number of Russian muskrat is about 35 000 individuals.
anthropogenic activity is also a reason to reduce the number of animals;This deforestation, building on the shores of water basins - the indigenous habitat muskrat, industrial pollution of river water, drainage water.Even ordinary human presence on the body of water is the reason for which the self feels restless Russian muskrat.The Red Book of Russia and Ukraine on the pages of an existing problem fixed population of Russian Desman, for the salvation and preservation of which were set up special reserves: Khopersky, Oka, Klyazma.
