Animals in Russia
Brown Bear
Ursus arctos
The brown bear is widely seen as the national animal of Russia, although no law makes it official; the state emblem is the double headed eagle. Russia holds the largest brown bear population in the world, estimated at more than 100,000 animals, living in forests and mountains from the west to Kamchatka. It is an omnivore that eats berries, roots, fish and meat, and it sleeps through the winter in a den. For centuries the bear has stood for strength in Russian stories, and a friendly bear cub named Misha was the mascot of the 1980 Moscow Olympics.
View details→Wildlife in Russia
Russia is the largest country on Earth, and its wildlife runs from the Arctic ice to the southern deserts. On the northern coasts and islands live polar bears, walruses, seals, arctic foxes and musk oxen, and belugas, narwhals and orcas swim in the cold seas. South of the tundra, where huge herds of reindeer migrate, lies the taiga, the largest forest in the world. It is home to brown bears, gray wolves, Eurasian lynx, wolverines, moose, red deer, martens, red squirrels, hares and eagle owls. The Russian Far East shelters the rarest big cats, the Siberian tiger and the Amur leopard, along with Asiatic black bears, while the Kamchatka Peninsula is famous for bears fishing for salmon and for sperm whales offshore. In the south, saigas cross the steppe of Kalmykia, snow leopards live in the Altai, and European bison, chamois and Persian leopards roam the Caucasus. The birds include golden eagles, white tailed eagles, gyrfalcons, saker falcons, cranes, storks and puffins.
Most Dangerous Animals in Russia
Russia has several animals that can be dangerous to people, especially in remote regions. The brown bear causes the most serious incidents, mainly in Siberia, Kamchatka and the Far East, when bears are surprised, protecting cubs or drawn to food and garbage. On the Arctic coast, polar bears sometimes enter villages, and walruses can attack small boats. Siberian tigers and Amur leopards live in the forests of Primorye, where conflicts with people are rare but do happen when tigers are old or injured. Gray wolves generally avoid humans, and moose, wild boars and European bison can charge when cornered. The European adder is the most common venomous snake, and its bite is painful but rarely fatal. At sea, orcas are common off Kamchatka, but they are no danger to people on shore or in boats. Traveling with local guides, carrying bear spray and storing food properly are the best ways to stay safe.
Top 10 Animals in Russia
The top 10 animals in Russia are led by great hunters of sea and land. Orcas are seen off Kamchatka and the Commander Islands, where several hundred live in some of the best studied groups of the North Pacific. The Amur leopard, the rarest big cat on Earth, has climbed back to about 130 animals in the Land of the Leopard National Park, and the Siberian tiger, the largest cat in the world, now numbers more than 750 in the Russian Far East, up from fewer than 40 in the 1940s. The brown bear is the national symbol. Gray wolves and Eurasian lynx hunt across the taiga, and the wolverine, strong enough to drive a wolf from its kill, roams the far north. Red deer live in the forests of the west and south, and wild reindeer migrate across the tundra of Taimyr in one of the largest herds in the world.
Golden Jackal
Canis aureus
In Russia, the golden jackal is present mainly in the southern regions, including the North Caucasus, the Krasnodar area, and the Caspian lowlands. It favors reedbeds, river valleys, and scrub at the edges of farmland. Its range within Russia has shifted over the decades alongside changes in climate and land use. Its IUCN status is Least Concern.
Leopard
Panthera pardus
Russia is home to the Amur leopard, one of the rarest wild cats on Earth. This subspecies survives in the temperate forests of Primorsky Krai in the Russian Far East, near the border with China and North Korea. Thanks to intensive conservation work, the wild population has grown from around 30 individuals in the early 2000s to over 100 today. Land of the Leopard National Park was established specifically to protect this subspecies.
Asiatic Black Bear
Ursus thibetanus
The Asiatic black bear lives in the forests of the Russian Far East, mainly in Primorsky Krai and the southern part of Khabarovsk Krai, where it shares its range with the Siberian tiger. It is smaller than the brown bear and spends more time in trees, feeding on nuts, fruit and insects. Habitat loss and poaching for body parts used in traditional medicine are its main threats. It is considered vulnerable and is protected under Russian law.
Snow Leopard
Panthera uncia
In Russia, snow leopards are found only in the Altai and Sayan mountain ranges of southern Siberia, making this one of the northern edges of the species' range. The Russian population is very small, with estimates of fewer than 100 individuals. The Sayano-Shushensky Nature Reserve is one of the most important protected areas for the cat in the country. Russia has invested in monitoring programs and participates in international recovery efforts. IUCN status: Vulnerable.
Przewalski's Horse
Equus ferus przewalskii
In Russia, Przewalski's horses live in the Pre-Urals Steppe section of the Orenburg Nature Reserve, near the border with Kazakhstan. The first horses arrived from France in 2016, and the herd has grown to about 100, living in harems and bachelor groups on more than 16,000 hectares of steppe, with new foals born every summer. It is the country's only population of this rare horse. IUCN status: Endangered.
Persian Leopard
Panthera pardus tulliana
In Russia, the Persian leopard historically ranged across the Caucasus but was nearly eliminated during the twentieth century. Today, occasional individuals are detected in the western Caucasus, near the border with Georgia and Azerbaijan. A reintroduction program in the Caucasus Biosphere Reserve has worked to reestablish a breeding population using leopards from Iran and Turkmenistan. This project represents one of the most ambitious felid recovery efforts in Europe.
Badger
Meles meles
The Eurasian badger is found across most of European Russia and into western Siberia, living in forests and mixed woodland where the soil is suitable for digging its extensive burrow systems called setts. It is a nocturnal omnivore that feeds on earthworms, roots, berries and small animals. Badgers are rarely seen during the day but their setts are a common feature of Russian forest floors. They sleep deeply through the coldest months but do not go into full hibernation.
Brown Bear
Ursus arctos
Russia is home to the largest brown bear population in the world, with estimates exceeding 100,000 individuals. Bears inhabit an enormous range of ecosystems, from the taiga forests of Siberia to the tundra of the far north and the salmon rivers of Kamchatka. The Kamchatka Peninsula is particularly renowned for its dense bear population, where individuals gather along rivers during salmon runs to build up fat reserves before winter.
Chamois
Rupicapra rupicapra
In Russia, the chamois is present in the western Greater Caucasus range, where it occupies steep subalpine and alpine terrain. The Caucasian chamois subspecies inhabits this region alongside other large mountain ungulates. Protected areas such as the Caucasian Nature Reserve provide a refuge for these populations. Harsh winters at altitude, combined with historical hunting pressure, have shaped a relatively cautious and mobile population across these remote slopes. IUCN status: Least Concern.
European Bison
Bison bonasus
Russia holds more European bison than any other country, about 3,000 at the end of 2024. The Prioksko-Terrasny Reserve south of Moscow has bred bison since 1948 and has sent animals to release sites across Russia and Europe. The largest free-ranging population in the world, over 1,300 animals, roams the forests and old fields of the Oryol, Kaluga and Bryansk regions, and a separate mountain population lives in the western Caucasus, where the last wild Caucasian bison was shot in 1927. IUCN status: Near Threatened.
Hare
Lepus europaeus
The European hare is widespread across the western plains and southern steppes of Russia, where it shares territory with the mountain hare in some northern zones. It favours open farmland and grassland, resting in shallow ground hollows called forms. Populations have remained relatively stable, though agricultural intensification in parts of European Russia has put pressure on local numbers. Its speed and agility remain its best defences against foxes and raptors.
Hedgehog
Erinaceus europaeus
In Russia, the European hedgehog is found across a broad band of the west of the country, from the border regions near the Baltic states south through central European Russia. It lives in forest edges, river valleys, gardens, and farmland, generally avoiding the dense taiga further north and east. Russian winters are severe, so hedgehogs here hibernate for longer periods than populations in Western Europe. Habitat loss and road traffic affect numbers in more densely populated western areas. IUCN status: Least Concern.
Gray Wolf
Canis lupus
Russia holds one of the world's largest gray wolf populations, with wolves found across nearly the entire country, from the forests of European Russia to the vast steppes and taiga of Siberia. Russian wolves face very few legal protections and are often hunted as predators of livestock. Despite this pressure, their numbers remain high, making Russia a global stronghold for the species. IUCN status: Least Concern.
Marten
Martes martes / Martes foina
Russia holds some of the world's largest populations of pine martens, spread across the vast taiga forests of Siberia and European Russia. The stone marten is also present in the southern and western parts of the country. Pine martens are commercially trapped for their fur in some regions, though populations remain broad and widespread. Russia's immense forest cover gives martens plenty of undisturbed habitat. IUCN status: Least Concern.
Eurasian Lynx
Lynx lynx
Russia holds the largest population of Eurasian Lynx in the world, spanning the vast taiga forests of Siberia, the Ural Mountains, and the Russian Far East. Here, the lynx roams enormous territories in search of hares and deer. Its thick, pale winter coat helps it blend into snowy landscapes. Russia is essential to the global survival of the species, and the IUCN lists it as Least Concern.
Red Deer
Cervus elaphus
In Russia, the red deer lives in the European west of the country, including the Kaliningrad region, and in the forests of the North Caucasus, where Caucasian red deer roam reserves such as the Caucasus Biosphere Reserve. The large deer of Siberia and the Far East, known as maral and izubr, are now usually classified with the wapiti as a separate species. Regulated hunting manages most populations. IUCN status: Least Concern.
Red Fox
Vulpes vulpes
Russia is home to one of the largest red fox populations in the world, spanning taiga forests, open steppes, Arctic tundra, and river valleys from Kaliningrad to the Far East. Foxes are hunted and farmed for fur across parts of the country. In some Arctic regions, they compete with the native Arctic fox. Across this vast range, they fill an important role as predators and scavengers. Their status is Least Concern.
Red Squirrel
Sciurus vulgaris
Russia is home to one of the largest red squirrel populations on Earth. The species thrives across the vast boreal forests of Siberia, as well as mixed woodlands in the European part of the country. Its range stretches from the western borders all the way to the Pacific coast, making Russia central to the survival of this species. IUCN status: Least Concern.
Reindeer
Rangifer tarandus
Russia holds the largest reindeer populations on Earth, both wild and domesticated, spread across Siberia, the Yamal Peninsula, and the Far East. Some wild herds number in the hundreds of thousands and carry out migrations of extraordinary distance across the tundra. Many Indigenous peoples, including the Nenets and Evenki, have herded reindeer for generations. Poaching and climate change now pose growing threats to these populations. IUCN status: Vulnerable.
Roe Deer
Capreolus capreolus
The roe deer has a broad range across western and central Russia, inhabiting mixed and deciduous forests as well as the forest edges of the Ural region. Populations thin out toward the colder north and the drier southern steppes. In some areas, severe winters with deep snow can limit movement and food access. The species is hunted across much of its Russian range under regulated seasons. IUCN status: Least Concern.
Siberian Tiger
Panthera tigris altaica
The Siberian tiger, also known as the Amur tiger, is the largest cat on Earth and the heart of wildlife conservation in Russia's Far East. It roams the temperate forests of Primorsky and Khabarovsk regions, enduring winters that drop below minus 40 °C. Around 500 to 600 individuals survive in the wild today, a recovery made possible by decades of anti-poaching efforts and protected forest reserves.
Wild Boar
Sus scrofa
The wild boar is found across a wide range of habitats in Russia, from the forests and wetlands of European Russia to the Far East, where it is an important prey species for the Siberian tiger. It is a highly adaptable omnivore living in forests and farmland, widely hunted for sport and food. In the Far East, populations are closely monitored as part of the prey base supporting tiger survival.
Wolverine
Gulo gulo
Russia supports the largest wolverine population in the world, spanning an enormous arc of boreal forest and tundra from the Kola Peninsula in the west to the Russian Far East. The sheer vastness of Siberia provides millions of square kilometers of habitat largely undisturbed by human activity. Russian wolverines are not well studied compared to Scandinavian populations, but the taiga wilderness gives them space to thrive with relatively little pressure.
Arctic Fox
Vulpes lagopus
The arctic fox lives across the tundra of northern Russia, from the Kola Peninsula to Chukotka and the Arctic islands. Russia holds a large share of the global arctic fox population. It changes coat color with the seasons, turning white in winter and brown or grey in summer, and follows polar bears to scavenge from their kills. Along the Arctic coast it also relies on seabird colonies and marine food sources during summer. Some island populations have declined due to competition with introduced red foxes.
Beaver
Castor canadensis
In Russia, the North American beaver is an introduced species. Beavers spreading from Finland reached Karelia in the 1950s, and more were released near Lake Onega in 1964, so today they live in much of Karelia and around Saint Petersburg. They were also released on purpose in the Amur region of the Far East and in Kamchatka. In the northwest they compete with the native European beaver, a different species.
Moose
Alces alces
Russia holds the largest moose population on Earth, close to a million animals spread across the forests from Karelia and the Kola Peninsula to the Pacific coast. Strongholds include the taiga of Siberia, the Urals and the forests of the European north. Moose feed along river corridors and in birch and willow thickets, and they are one of the country's most important game animals. Russia even has a moose farm in Kostroma where cows are milked. IUCN status: Least Concern.
Musk Ox
Ovibos moschatus
Musk oxen died out in Siberia a few thousand years ago, long after the mammoths. They returned in the 1970s: animals from Banks Island in Canada and Nunivak Island in Alaska were released on the Taimyr Peninsula in 1974 and 1975, and on Wrangel Island in 1975. Both herds grew, and Taimyr animals were later moved to Yakutia and other parts of the Russian Arctic. Today Taimyr holds the largest population in Russia. IUCN status: Least Concern.
Raccoon
Procyon lotor
Raccoons were deliberately introduced to Russia during the Soviet era, with releases recorded as early as the 1930s in regions such as Azerbaijan and the Caucasus. Populations also developed in the southern European part of Russia. They have spread across a range of habitats, from broadleaf forests to river valleys. In Russia they are considered an acclimatized introduced species, and their interactions with native fauna continue to be studied.
European Wildcat
Felis silvestris silvestris
In Russia, the European wildcat reaches the eastern edge of its range, with records concentrated in the Caucasus region and parts of the North Caucasus foothills. It favors dense forest cover and hunts small mammals and birds at night. Populations here are sparse and not well studied. Habitat disturbance and interbreeding with domestic cats pose ongoing threats. The IUCN lists the species as Least Concern overall.
Saiga
Saiga tatarica
In Russia, saigas inhabit the arid steppes of the Republic of Kalmykia, near the Caspian Sea. This population declined sharply during the 20th century due to poaching and habitat loss. Conservation work by Russian wildlife agencies, including protected area management and anti-poaching enforcement, has supported a gradual recovery. The Kalmykian herds remain an important part of the species' overall survival.
European Adder
Vipera berus
Russia holds the largest share of the European adder's range of any country, from the western borders across the taiga, forest steppe and mountains of Siberia to the Pacific coast and Sakhalin Island. It lives in forest clearings, bogs, river valleys and meadows, and in the north it reaches beyond the Arctic Circle. Long winters force it to hibernate for much of the year, often in shared dens. IUCN status: Least Concern.
Steppe Eagle
Aquila nipalensis
In Russia, the steppe eagle breeds on the open grasslands of the south, especially in Kalmykia and the lower Volga, and in the Altai, Tuva and Transbaikal regions farther east. Kalmykia and neighbouring western Kazakhstan are the genetic heart of the species. Numbers have fallen sharply because of electrocution on power lines and the collapse of ground squirrel colonies, and after breeding Russian birds fly south to Africa and South Asia. IUCN status: Endangered.
Griffon Vulture
Gyps fulvus
Russia is at the northern edge of the griffon vulture's range. It breeds in small numbers in the mountains of the North Caucasus and is also present in the mountains of the Russian part of Central Asia, while young birds from farther south spend the summer in these ranges. Breeding colonies in the south of the country were largely lost in the last century, and stray birds now turn up far to the north. IUCN status: Least Concern.
Lanner Falcon
Falco biarmicus
Russia lies at the very northern edge of the lanner falcon's range. The species is a rare resident in the far south of European Russia, in the North Caucasus, where dry mountain gorges and cliffs offer nest sites and hunting ground for doves, partridges and other birds. The birds belong to the European subspecies feldeggii, which is declining across its range. The IUCN lists the lanner falcon as Least Concern.
Eagle Owl
Bubo bubo
Russia holds one of the world's largest eagle owl populations, spread across an enormous range that stretches from the forests of European Russia to the steppes of Siberia and the rocky coasts of the Russian Far East. The species occupies a remarkable variety of habitats across this territory. Populations in remote areas remain largely undisturbed, though birds closer to human settlements face threats from power lines and collision. The IUCN lists it as Least Concern.
Saker Falcon
Falco cherrug
Russia holds some of the most important breeding grounds for the saker falcon, particularly across the vast steppes of southern Siberia and the Volga-Ural region. Populations here hunt ground squirrels and other small mammals across open grasslands. Habitat loss and illegal trapping for the falconry trade have driven serious declines, and conservation programs in Russia are working to protect nesting sites and restore stable populations. The species is listed as Endangered.
Barn Owl
Tyto alba
The barn owl lives mainly in the western and southern parts of Russia, where milder winters and open farmland provide the conditions it needs to hunt. It is far less common in Siberia and the far north, where harsh winters make survival difficult. In Russia as elsewhere it nests in old buildings, church towers and tree cavities and hunts mice and voles at night. Its eerie shrieking call is often heard near villages and old farms after dark.
White tailed Eagle
Haliaeetus albicilla
Russia holds by far the largest population of white tailed eagles in the world, from the Volga Delta and the lakes of European Russia across Siberia to Lake Baikal, Kamchatka, Sakhalin and the Kuril Islands. They nest along big rivers, lakes and coasts, feeding on fish and waterfowl. The sheer size of Russia gives the species room to thrive, though illegal poisoning remains a concern. IUCN status: Least Concern.
Crane
Grus grus
Russia holds some of the largest breeding populations of the common crane in the world. The species nests across a vast arc of boreal forest, bogs and wetlands stretching from the Baltic region to western Siberia. Birds breeding in Russia fan out across multiple flyways each autumn, reaching wintering grounds as far away as East Africa and the Middle East. Russia is central to the species' global abundance. Its IUCN status is Least Concern.
Puffin
Fratercula arctica
Atlantic puffins breed on rocky islands and coastal cliffs in the Barents Sea region and the Murman coast of northwestern Russia. These remote northern colonies are less studied than those further west, but they form part of the species' eastern range in Europe. The cold, productive waters of the Barents Sea have historically provided rich feeding grounds. Like other North Atlantic populations, Russian colonies face growing pressure from changes in ocean temperature and prey availability.
Stork
Ciconia ciconia
The white stork breeds across the western parts of Russia, particularly in the Kaliningrad exclave and through the regions bordering Belarus and Ukraine, including Pskov and Bryansk. It favors river valleys, wet meadows, and agricultural land where food is easy to find. Russia marks the northeastern edge of the species' breeding range. Populations in this part of the continent migrate south through the Bosphorus bottleneck each autumn on their way to Africa.
White Wagtail
Motacilla alba
The white wagtail is one of the most familiar small birds across Russia and is found in virtually every part of the country during the warmer months. It is a common sight near streams, riverbanks, farms and even city sidewalks, where it walks quickly and bobs its tail constantly. It migrates south for the winter and returns to Russia each spring as one of the first birds to announce the end of the cold season in towns and countryside alike. IUCN status: Least Concern.
Peregrine Falcon
Falco peregrinus
Russia holds some of the most extensive breeding habitat for the peregrine falcon on Earth. Birds nest across the vast Siberian tundra, along river cliffs, and in forested mountain ranges from the Urals to the Far East. After severe population losses caused by DDT use during the twentieth century, numbers have recovered considerably. Russia's immense wilderness supports multiple subspecies, including the large and pale tundrius and calidus forms.
Mute Swan
Cygnus olor
In Russia, the mute swan breeds across a broad band of territory stretching from the western regions toward the Caspian lowlands and into parts of Siberia. It favors shallow lakes, river deltas, and coastal wetlands rich in aquatic vegetation. The Volga Delta is a key site, hosting significant numbers during both the breeding season and migration. The species is well established, and the IUCN lists it as Least Concern.
Nightingale
Luscinia megarhynchos
In Russia, the common nightingale breeds only in the south of the European part of the country, from the lower Volga to the foothills of the Caucasus, in thickets along rivers and at woodland edges. Farther north, across central Russia, the nightingale of Russian poetry and song is mostly its close relative, the thrush nightingale. Both leave for Africa in late summer and return each spring to sing. IUCN status: Least Concern.
Golden Eagle
Aquila chrysaetos
Russia holds one of the largest golden eagle populations in the world, spread across the Caucasus, the Urals, the steppes of the south, the edge of the taiga and tundra from the Kola Peninsula to Chukotka, and the mountains of Siberia and the Far East. It hunts marmots, susliks, hares, grouse and foxes. Northern birds migrate south in winter. Pairs keep the same territory for years and often have several nests. IUCN status: Least Concern.
Gyrfalcon
Falco rusticolus
Russia holds the largest gyrfalcon range of any country, from the Kola Peninsula in the west to Chukotka and Kamchatka in the far east. The species breeds across Arctic tundra and the edges of the northern taiga, nesting on cliffs and river gorges. Much of this land is so remote that numbers are poorly known. In winter some birds move south, and from the Russian Far East they reach China and Japan. IUCN status: Least Concern.
Flamingo
Phoenicopteridae (6 species)
In Russia, the greater flamingo is found in the far southwest, on the shores of the Caspian Sea in Dagestan and Kalmykia, where the IUCN lists it as present year round, and it also appears in the far east as a rare winter visitor. It is at the northern edge of its range here. Flocks feed in shallow, salty bays and lagoons, and birds from the large colonies of Kazakhstan pass along the Caspian coast. IUCN status: Least Concern.
Eurasian Magpie
Pica pica
Russia holds one of the largest populations of the Eurasian magpie in the world, with the bird found from the western plains all the way to the forests of Siberia and the Russian Far East. It favors woodland edges, river valleys, and land used for farming. In Siberia, it endures harsh winters by staying close to towns and villages. It is common in Moscow and St Petersburg as well. IUCN status: Least Concern.
Humpback Whale
Megaptera novaeangliae
Russia's Far East is an important summer feeding ground for North Pacific humpbacks. From about June to September they feed off Kamchatka, where boat trips from Petropavlovsk in Avacha Bay often find them, around the Commander Islands and in the Sea of Okhotsk. In winter these whales travel to breeding grounds in Japan, the Philippines, Hawaii and Mexico. The western North Pacific population is still small. IUCN status: Least Concern.
Orca
Orcinus orca
Russia has many orcas in its Far East. Avacha Gulf off Kamchatka, where boats leave from Petropavlovsk, and the Commander Islands are among the best places to see them, and fish eating and mammal eating groups both live there. Researchers have identified thousands of individuals there. In 2018 the capture of nearly 100 young orcas and belugas for Chinese aquariums, held in the so called whale jail in Srednyaya Bay, caused an outcry. IUCN status: Data Deficient.
Beluga Whale
Delphinapterus leucas
Russia has belugas along most of its Arctic coast and in the Sea of Okhotsk. In summer they move into bays and river mouths such as the Ob, the Yenisei and the Amur. Cape Beluzhy on the Solovetsky Islands, in the White Sea, is a known place to watch them from shore. In 2019 the release of nearly a hundred whales from a whale jail made world news. IUCN status: Least Concern.
Polar Bear
Ursus maritimus
Russia has polar bears along its whole Arctic coast, from the Barents Sea to the Chukchi Sea, in several subpopulations. Wrangel Island, a nature reserve and World Heritage Site, has the largest concentration of maternity dens in the world, and hundreds of bears can gather there in autumn. Franz Josef Land and Novaya Zemlya are other strongholds. As the ice retreats, bears increasingly come into villages in Chukotka and Novaya Zemlya looking for food. IUCN status: Vulnerable.
Walrus
Odobenus rosmarus
Russia has walruses along much of its Arctic coast. Pacific walruses fill the Chukchi Sea and the coasts of Chukotka, where haul outs can hold tens of thousands, and in 2017 hundreds fell to their deaths from the cliffs near Ryrkaypiy, a scene later shown in the documentary Our Planet. Walruses of the Laptev Sea, once treated as a separate subspecies, are now grouped with the Pacific ones, and Atlantic walruses live at Franz Josef Land and Novaya Zemlya. IUCN status: Vulnerable.
Bottlenose Dolphin
Tursiops truncatus
In Russia bottlenose dolphins live in the Black Sea, off the coast of Krasnodar between Anapa and Sochi, and in the Kerch Strait toward the Sea of Azov. They belong to the Black Sea subspecies, listed as Endangered. Soviet fleets hunted dolphins in the Black Sea until 1966, and wild bottlenose dolphins were later captured here for dolphinariums. IUCN status: Least Concern (Black Sea subspecies: Endangered).
Harbor Seal
Phoca vitulina
In Russia, harbor seals of the Kuril group live on the Pacific side, on the Commander Islands, the east coast of Kamchatka and the Kuril Islands, where they rest on rocky islets and reefs. There is also a small group on the Murman coast of the Barents Sea, at the eastern edge of the Atlantic range. In the Sea of Okhotsk the common seal is a different species, the spotted seal, which breeds on the ice. IUCN status: Least Concern.
Common Dolphin
Delphinus delphis
In Russia common dolphins live mainly in the Black Sea, where the Black Sea common dolphin, a subspecies found only there, is seen offshore from Sochi, Anapa and Novorossiysk, especially in summer. Soviet fleets hunted dolphins in the Black Sea for decades, killing huge numbers until the ban of 1966. They also occur in small numbers in the Sea of Japan, off Primorye. IUCN status: Least Concern.
Narwhal
Monodon monoceros
Russia has narwhals in its western Arctic, mainly around Franz Josef Land and in the northern Kara and Barents seas, near the edge of the pack ice. They are far less numerous here than in Canada or Greenland and do not gather in large predictable herds, so they are seldom seen, and much less is known about them. They feed on fish and squid in deep, cold water, and the shrinking sea ice and growing shipping in the Arctic are the main concerns. IUCN status: Least Concern.
Sperm Whale
Physeter macrocephalus
In Russia sperm whales feed in summer in the deep waters of the Far East, off the eastern coast of Kamchatka, around the Commander Islands and along the Kuril Islands, where trips to see wildlife regularly find them. Almost all are large males that come north to feed. Soviet whaling fleets killed huge numbers of sperm whales in the North Pacific, often more than they reported, until the 1970s. IUCN status: Vulnerable.
Frequently Asked Questions
What animals live in Russia?
Russia is home to brown bears, polar bears, Siberian tigers, Amur leopards, snow leopards, gray wolves, Eurasian lynx, wolverines, moose, reindeer, red deer, saigas, European bison, musk oxen, arctic foxes, red foxes, wild boars and hedgehogs. Its birds include golden eagles, white tailed eagles, gyrfalcons, eagle owls, cranes, storks, puffins and nightingales. In its seas live walruses, seals, belugas, narwhals, orcas, sperm whales, humpback whales and dolphins.
What is the national animal of Russia?
The brown bear is the national animal of Russia in practice, although no law declares it. The official state symbol is the double headed eagle on the coat of arms. The bear has represented Russia for centuries, in Russian folk tales as well as in foreign cartoons, and Misha, a bear cub, was the mascot of the 1980 Moscow Olympics. Russia has more brown bears than any other country, more than 100,000, and the largest live on the Kamchatka Peninsula.
What animals live in Siberia?
Siberian animals are adapted to long, freezing winters. The taiga forests are home to brown bears, gray wolves, Eurasian lynx, wolverines, moose, red squirrels and hares, while huge herds of reindeer cross the northern tundra along with arctic foxes and musk oxen. In the far southeast, the Siberian tiger and the Amur leopard live in the forests near the Pacific. Lake Baikal, the deepest lake in the world, has its own seal, one of the few seals that live only in fresh water.
Are there tigers in Russia?
Yes. Russia is home to almost all the world's wild Siberian tigers, also called Amur tigers. The 2022 census counted more than 750 in the Primorye and Khabarovsk regions of the Far East, a strong recovery from fewer than 40 in the 1940s. They are the largest cats in the world and live in snowy forests of oak and pine, where they hunt red deer and wild boar. The same forests shelter the Amur leopard, the rarest big cat on Earth.
What are the most dangerous animals in Russia?
The most dangerous animal in Russia is the brown bear, which causes most serious wildlife attacks, especially in Siberia and Kamchatka. Polar bears are a risk in Arctic villages, and Siberian tigers occasionally clash with people in the Far East. Moose, wild boars and European bison can charge when cornered, and walruses may attack small boats. The European adder is venomous but rarely deadly. Wolves usually avoid people. With guides, bear spray and careful food storage, most risks are easy to manage.
Researched and written by Juan Pablo. Sources: IUCN Red List, scientific literature and regional field guides. Last updated: .