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Dainava Forest
Dainava Forest ( lt, Dainavos giria) also the ''Druskininkai-Varėna Forest'' ( lt, Druskininkų‑Varėnos miškai), historically the ''Hrodna Forest'' ( pl, Puszcza Grodzieńska), or the ''Belarusian Forest'' ( lt, Gudų giria) is the largest forest in Lithuania. It as a primeval forest in Dzūkija region (also known as Dainava) in southern Lithuania with the total area of of which is covered by trees. A large part of the forest is protected by the Dzūkija National Park and the Čepkeliai Nature Reserve. The Dainava Forest mainly consists of pine trees. There are some birch, spruce, black alder groves. Soils are sandy, light, densely covered by cup lichen. The forest is rich in edible mushrooms, billberries, cranberries, and cowberries. Collection of these mushrooms and berries are an important part of the local economy. The fauna includes many endangered species, such as the gray wolf, wood grouse, black grouse, hoopoe, Eurasian eagle-owl, osprey, mountain hare, sto ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Ūla River
The Ūla ( be, Ула) is a river in Dzūkija National Park in southern Lithuania and northern Belarus. Its total length is 84 km. The Ūla flows into the Merkys. The river is mostly shallow, with colorful water foliage flowing near the surface. It has numerous bends, rocks and steep, sandy shores. The Ūla is considered one of the most beautiful rivers in Lithuania and is a popular, albeit a somewhat difficult, canoeing Canoeing is an activity which involves paddling a canoe with a single-bladed paddle. Common meanings of the term are limited to when the canoeing is the central purpose of the activity. Broader meanings include when it is combined with other act ... destination. Rivers of Grodno Region Rivers of Lithuania International rivers of Europe Rivers of Belarus {{Belarus-river-stub ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Billberry
Bilberries (), or sometimes European blueberries, are a primarily Eurasian species of low-growing shrubs in the genus ''Vaccinium'' (family Ericaceae), bearing edible, dark blue berries. The species most often referred to is ''Vaccinium myrtillus'' L., but there are several other closely related species. Etymology and common names The name "bilberry" appears to have a Scandinavian origin, possibly from as early as 1577, being similar to the Danish word ''bølle'' for whortleberry with the addition of "berry". In Scandinavian languages bilberries have names that translate to "blueberry": ''blåbär'' in Swedish and ''blåbær'' in Danish and Norwegian. The bilberry (especially ''Vaccinium myrtillus'') is also known by a number of other names including blaeberry in Scottish and Northern English regional dialects and the Scots language, whortleberry in southern England, and w(h)imberry or w(h)inberry in Derbyshire, Lancashire, along the Anglo-Welsh border, and south Wales, ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Lucanus Cervus
''Lucanus cervus'', known as the European stag beetle, or the greater stag beetle, is one of the best-known species of stag beetle (family Lucanidae) in Western Europe, and is the eponymous example of the genus. ''L. cervus'' is listed as Near Threatened by the IUCN Red List. Taxonomy ''Lucanus cervus'' is situated in the genus ''Lucanus'' within the family Lucanidae. In the genus there are two subgenera: ''Lucanus'' Scopoli, 1763 and ''Pseudolucanus'' Hope and Westwood, 1845. The species ''L. cervus'' contains four subspecies. The nominate subspecies ''L. cervus cervus'' (Linnaeus, 1758) was established via the original description of the species in 1758. The three latterly added subspecies are ''L. cervus judaicus'' Planet, 1900, ''L. cervus laticornis'' Deyrolle, 1864, and ''L. cervus turcicus'' Sturm, 1843. ''L. cervus akbesianus'' 1896 Description Sexually dimorphic, the males have enlarged mandibles and are larger than the females. Although the male's mandibles seem thr ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Great Capricorn Beetle
''Cerambyx cerdo'', commonly known as the great capricorn beetle or cerambyx longicorn, is a species of beetle in family Cerambycidae. It occurs in North Africa (Algeria, Morocco, and Tunisia), Europe (Austria, Belarus, Bulgaria, Croatia, the Czech Republic, France, Georgia, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Moldova, Poland, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, and Ukraine), and Asia (Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Iran, and Turkey). The beetle was previously present in the United Kingdom The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Europe, off the north-western coast of the continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotland, Wales and ... but went locally extinct at least hundreds of years ago. Preserved specimens have been found in the UK, having been dated to around 4000 years old. Description This beetle measures between 41 and 55 mm in body length and is among the ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Coronella Austriaca
The smooth snake (''Coronella austriaca'')Street D (1979). ''The Reptiles of Northern and Central Europe''. London: B.T. Batsford Ltd. 268 pp. . is a species of non-venomous snake in the family Colubridae. The species is found in northern and central Europe, but also as far east as northern Iran. The Reptile Database recognizes two subspecies as being valid, including the nominotypical subspecies described here. Description Both sexes of ''C. austriaca'' grow to an average total length (including tail) of about to . Two specimens measuring have been recorded in Sweden, as well as one in Russia that was . The head has a rostral scale that is at least as deep as it is wide, creating a triangular indentation between the internasal scales (rarely separating them). The top of the head is covered with nine large plates. The nasal scale is often divided. There is one (rarely two) preoculars and two postoculars. The temporals number 2+2 or 2+3 (rarely 1+2) . There are seven (rare ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Stoat
The stoat (''Mustela erminea''), also known as the Eurasian ermine, Beringian ermine and ermine, is a mustelid native to Eurasia and the northern portions of North America. Because of its wide circumpolar distribution, it is listed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List. It is distinct from the long-tailed weasel (''Neogale frenata''), also known as the "masked ermine", or "big stoat"; the two species are visually similar, especially the black tail tip. The name ermine () is used for species in the genus '' Mustela'', especially the stoat, in its pure white winter coat, or the fur thereof. Introduced in the late 19th century into New Zealand to control rabbits, the stoat has had a devastating effect on native bird populations. It was nominated as one of the world's top 100 "worst invaders". Ermine fur was used in the 15th century by Catholic monarchs, who sometimes used it as the mozzetta cape. It has long been used on the ceremonial robes of members of the UK House of Lords ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Mountain Hare
The mountain hare (''Lepus timidus''), also known as blue hare, tundra hare, variable hare, white hare, snow hare, alpine hare, and Irish hare, is a Palearctic hare that is largely adapted to polar and mountainous habitats. Evolution The mountain hare arose during the Late Pleistocene; there is evidence that its range expanded during glaciations into southern Europe, with populations of Iberian hare (''Lepus granatensis''), European hare (''L. europaeus)'' and broom hare (''L. castroviejoi'') in northern Iberia harboring mitochondrial haplotypes from the mountain hare. During the Late Pleistocene to Early Holocene, populations of mountain hare in Russia grew at least 10% larger than any living population today. This population has been classified as a distinct species ''Lepus tanaiticus'', but is now generally considered a prehistoric morphotype of the living mountain hare. Distribution This species is distributed from Fennoscandia to eastern Siberia; in addition, isolate ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Osprey
The osprey (''Pandion haliaetus''), , also called sea hawk, river hawk, and fish hawk, is a diurnal, fish-eating bird of prey with a cosmopolitan range. It is a large raptor reaching more than in length and across the wings. It is brown on the upperparts and predominantly greyish on the head and underparts. The osprey tolerates a wide variety of habitats, nesting in any location near a body of water providing an adequate food supply. It is found on all continents except Antarctica, although in South America it occurs only as a non-breeding migrant. As its other common names suggest, the osprey's diet consists almost exclusively of fish. It possesses specialised physical characteristics and exhibits unique behaviour to assist in hunting and catching prey. As a result of these unique characteristics, it has been given its own taxonomic genus, ''Pandion'', and family, Pandionidae. Taxonomy The osprey was described by Carl Linnaeus under the name ''Falco haliaeetus'' in hi ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Eurasian Eagle-owl
The Eurasian eagle-owl (''Bubo bubo'') is a species of eagle-owl that resides in much of Eurasia. It is also called the Uhu and it is occasionally abbreviated to just the eagle-owl in Europe. It is one of the largest species of owl, and females can grow to a total length of 75 cm (30 in), with a wingspan of 188 cm (6 ft 2 in), with males being slightly smaller.''Owls of the World: A Photographic Guide'' by Mikkola, H. Firefly Books (2012), This bird has distinctive ear tufts, with upper parts that are mottled with darker blackish colouring and tawny. The wings and tail are barred. The underparts are a variably hued buff, streaked with darker colouring. The facial disc is not very defined and the orange eyes are distinctive.Penteriani, V., & del Mar Delgado, M. (2019). ''The eagle owl''. Bloomsbury Publishing. Eurasian eagle-owls are found in many habitats, but are mostly birds of mountainous regions or other rocky areas, often those near varied w ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Hoopoe
Hoopoes () are colourful birds found across Africa, Asia, and Europe, notable for their distinctive "crown" of feathers. Three living and one extinct species are recognized, though for many years all of the extant species were lumped as a single species—''Upupa epops''. In fact, some taxonomists still consider all three species conspecific. Some authorities also keep the African and Eurasian hoopoe together but split the Madagascar hoopoe. The Eurasian hoopoe is common in its range and has a large population, so it is evaluated as Least Concern on The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. However, their numbers are declining in Western Europe. Conversely, the hoopoe has been increasing in numbers at the tip of the South Sinai, Sharm el-Sheikh. There are dozens of nesting pairs that remain resident all year round. Taxonomy The genus ''Upupa'' was introduced in 1758 by the Swedish naturalist Carl Linnaeus in the tenth edition of his ''Systema Naturae''. The type species is the ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Black Grouse
The black grouse (''Lyrurus tetrix''), also known as northern black grouse, Eurasian black grouse, blackgame or blackcock, is a large game bird in the grouse family. It is a sedentary species, spanning across the Palearctic in moorland and steppe habitat when breeding, often near wooded areas. They will spend the winter perched in dense forests, feeding almost exclusively on the needles of conifers. The black grouse is one of 2 species of grouse in the genus '' Lyrurus'', the other being the lesser-known Caucasian grouse. The female is greyish-brown and has a cackling or warbling call. She takes all responsibility for nesting and caring for the chicks, as typical with most galliforms. The black grouse's genome was sequenced in 2014. Taxonomy and naming The black grouse was formally described by the Swedish naturalist Carl Linnaeus in 1758 in the tenth edition of his '' Systema Naturae'' under the binomial name ''Tetrao tetrix''. Both ''Tetrao'' and ''tetrix'' come from Anc ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Wood Grouse
The western capercaillie (''Tetrao urogallus''), also known as the Eurasian capercaillie, wood grouse, heather cock, cock-of-the-woods, or simply capercaillie , is a heavy member of the grouse family and the largest of all extant grouse species. The heaviest-known specimen, recorded in captivity, had a weight of . Found across Europe and the Palearctic, this primarily-ground-dwelling forest grouse is renowned for its courtship display. This bird shows extreme sexual dimorphism, with males nearly twice the size of females. The global population is listed as "least concern" under the IUCN, although the populations of central Europe are declining and fragmented, or possibly extirpated. The western capercaillie is one of two living species under the genus ''Tetrao'', which also includes the lesser-known black-billed capercaillie. Etymology The word ''capercaillie'' is a corruption of the Scottish Gaelic ''capall coille'' () "Horse of the jungle". The Scots borrowing is spelled ''ca ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
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