10 Fun Facts about Russian Animals

Today, we are visiting the biggest country in the world—Russia! With 6,592,800 sq mi of land, there are many habitats and biomes to explore, full of fascinating creatures.

Let's learn about some of our favourite Russian animals.

1. Russia is home to the ONLY freshwater seal in the world

The Baikal seal is endemic to Lake Baikal! This earless species eats HUGE quantities of golomyanka (another endemic species) every year. 

2. The Queen of the Arctic 

Did you know that some inverts thrive in the tundra? The Arctic bumblebee is a key pollinator and the queen of survival. Each year, only the Queen survives winter and her job each spring is to produce a new colony.

3. Meet the largest species of owl in existence. 

Found in the dense forests of the Russian Far East, the Blakiston’s fish owl has an impressive 6ft wingspan. Blakiston’s fish owls are an indicator species highlighting a healthy ecosystem.

4. A critically endangered delicacy 

Beluga caviar has caused an influx of poaching and overfishing of the beluga sturgeon, the species has declined by 90% over the past 60 years.

Fun Fact - Beluga sturgeons are so big that they can grow to the same weight as a beluga whale

5. The Szczerbak's lizard is named after the Soviet herpetologist Mykola Szczerbak

Szczerbak was the leading expert on lizards and a well-known zoologist and zoogeographer, traveller and collector, museologist and nature conservationist. He founded the Ukrainian herpetological school and the founding of the modern Zoological Museum in Kiev.

6. A frog with a unique superpower

To survive the extreme cold, Siberian wood frogs live for months underwater without oxygen demonstrating extreme hypoxia tolerance.

7. Ducky Daredevils

Unlike many other species, Mandarin ducks nest in tree cavities. Before they can fly, ducklings jump from the tree and follow mum to water. 

8. Turn the lights on! 

The body of comephorus fish, found in Lake Baikal, is made up of 35% oil. In the past, this was used to light oil lamps.

9. The Centrorian with many names 

Testudo horsfieldii has many different common names - Russian tortoise, Afghan tortoise, Central Asian tortoise, four-clawed tortoise, Steppe tortoise or Horsfield tortoise.  This species can live up to 100 in the wild! 

10. 95% of the world’s Siberian tiger population is found in Russia’s Far East.

Did you know? Tiger stripes are as unique as fingerprints.  Tiger stripes act as disruptive colouration camouflage perfect for hunting prey.

While we explore this fantastic country, it is important to remember the effects of the ongoing war against Ukraine and the effect that this has not only on humans but also on animals, both wild and domestic.

Russian animals