The Nature of Russia (Hardcover)

Spanning six climatic zones and nearly a sixth of the planet's land surface, Russia is a land of immense contrasts. This diversity is reflected in an extraordinary range of wildlife that now, with the advent of glasnost, it is at last possible to explore in detail. Not simply a study of the wildlife of the tundra, taiga, steppe, mountains, and northern monsoon forest, this book also discusses the close relationship between nature and the indigenous peoples of Russia and how this has changed over the years. From the sable and Siberian tiger to Steller's sea eagle of Kamchatka, and from the brown bear of the taiga to the suslik of the steppe and the saiga antelopes of the semidesert, this book examines the variety of the natural world and its interaction with humankind. Illustrated with over 100 stunning, specially commissioned photographs (including unique pictures of previously inaccessible areas), John Massey Stewart's commentary surveys many of Russia's rare and endangered species and the threat posed to them by serious environmental problems. In particular he assesses the important role of nature reserves in the country's rapidly growing conservation movement.