The Eastern Gobi desert steppe is a deserts and xeric shrublands ecoregion in Mongolia and northern China. It is the easternmost of the ecoregions that make up the larger Gobi Desert. It lies between the more humid Mongolian–Manchurian grassland on the north, east, and southeast, and the drier Alashan Plateau semi-desert to the west.
The Daurian hedgehog is a solitary small hedgehog. It is listed in the Red book of Russian Federation as a protected species with an unclear status, generally considered to be endangered, although the IUCN lists it as "least concern". It populates the Transbaikal region of Russia and Northern Mongolia. It lives in dens and inhabits both forests and steppes. The steppes consists mainly of grassland plains and scrublands. The Daurian hedgehog actively select scrublands and rocky areas, perhaps for greater cover and concealment from predators. This species of hedgehogs are known to occupy larger home ranges than other hedgehog species. The adult Daurian hedgehog is 15 to 20 centimeters long and weighs up to 1 kilogram. Most live up to six years in nature. Like most hedgehog species in temperate regions, the Daurian hibernates during the winter.
The Eurasian Steppe, also called the Great Steppe or The Steppes, is the vast steppe ecoregion of Eurasia in the temperate grasslands, savannas and shrublands biome. It stretches through Hungary, Bulgaria, Romania, Moldova, Ukraine, southern Russia, Kazakhstan, Xinjiang, Mongolia and Manchuria, with one major exclave, the Pannonian steppe, located mostly in Hungary.
The long-tailed dwarf hamster is a species of rodent in the family Cricetidae. It is found in China, Kazakhstan, Mongolia, and Russia.
Mongol Daguur is a steppe and wetland region in Mongolia listed as a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve and Ramsar Site of International Importance. A transboundary ecoregion straddling three countries, the area is located in Dornod Province of eastern Mongolia, and is contiguous with the Daurian ecoregion in Russia and the Hulun Lake wetlands in China. The area is categorized as a Strictly Protected Area within the framework of protected areas in Mongolia.
The Daurian Nature Reserve is a Russian zapovednik situated in the southern part of Zabaykalsky Krai in Siberia, Russia, close to the border with Mongolia. It is part of a World Heritage Site named "The Landscapes of Dauria".
The wildlife of Mongolia consists of flora, fauna and funga found in the harsh habitats dictated by the diverse climatic conditions found throughout the country. In the north, there are salty marshes and fresh-water sources. The centre has desert steppes. In the south, there are semi deserts as well as the hot Gobi Desert in the south, the fifth-largest desert in the world.
The Ikh Nartiin Chuluu Nature Reserve, commonly shortened to Ikh Nart Nature Reserve is a protected area in Dornogovi Province, Mongolia. It occupies part of two counties, Dalanjargalan and Airag. The nature reserve has an area of about 66,000 hectares and was established in 1996. It consists of rocky outcrops surrounded by dry grassland and semi-desert steppe and is one of the places in which the rare argali wild sheep can be found.
Alkhanay National Park encompasses the area around Mt. Alkhanai, a central focus and sacred mountain to the Buryats people, who today are the largest indigenous group in Siberia. Mt. Alkanai has been adopted as sacred by later Mongols, shamanistic people, and Buddhists. The Dalai Lama has made two unofficial visits to Alkhanay. The area takes its name from an old legend, in which a princess took refuge from her pursuers on the top of the mountain, defiantly shouting as they approached, "kill me!", which translates to "Alkhanai" in the local language. Despite the ancient name, the focus today of Buddhist pilgrims as they ascend the mountain pathway is one of peacefulness and healing. The park seeks to balance support for continued pilgrimage to the rock landforms and mineral springs, with conservation of nature and recreational tourism. Alkhanay NP is located in the Trans-Baikal region of Russia, about 300 miles east of the lake, and 75 miles north of Mongolia's northern border. It is in the administrative region of Aginsky District, Zabaykalsky Krai.
Khingan Nature Reserve is a Russian 'zapovednik', located in the extreme south-east of the Amur River region of the Russian Far East. The reserve covers two types of habitat: the flat Arkharinskaya lowlands with abundant wetlands, and forested spurs of the Lesser Khingan mountains. In particular, Khingan Reserve was created to protect steppe and forest-steppe landscapes, and nesting sites of the endangered Red-crowned crane and the vulnerable White-naped crane. The reserve is situated in the Arkharinsky District of Amur Oblast.
The Transbaikal conifer forests ecoregion covers a 1,000 km by 1,000 km region of mountainous southern taiga stretching east and south from the shores of Lake Baikal in the Southern Siberia region of Russia, and including part of northern Mongolia. Historically, the area has been called "Dauria", or Transbaikal. It is in the Palearctic realm, and mostly in the boreal forests/taiga biome with a subarctic, humid climate. It covers 200,465 km2 (77,400 sq mi).
Khanka Nature Reserve is a Russian 'zapovednik' that covers portions of the shore and waters of Lake Khanka, the largest freshwater lake in the Russian Far East. It is an important area for nesting and migrating waterfowl and other birds. The reserve is divided into five distinct sectors on the southern and eastern shores of the lake. The reserve is situated in the Spassky District, in the southwest of Primorsky Krai. It was formally established in 1990, and covers an area of 437 km2 (169 sq mi). It is part of a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve.
The Altai montane forest and forest steppe ecoregion covers patches of the subalpine forest belt on the Altai Mountains, crossing the border region where Russia, Kazakhstan, Mongolia and China meet. The region has high biodiversity, as it is located in transition zones between different ecoregions, altitudes, and climate zones. It is in the Palearctic realm, with a Cold semi-arid climate. It covers 35,199,998 km2 (13,590,795 sq mi).
The Da Hinggan-Dzhagdy Mountains conifer forests ecoregion covers the Greater Khingan Mountains of Northeast China, and across the border north into the Russian Far East where it follows the mountain ridge for another 500 km to the east. The mountain forests exhibit a floral community called "Daurian flora", a combination of the Siberian taiga to the north and the Manchurian floral types to the south. The eastern slopes are steep and drained by many rivers, the western slopes are gentler, and there are grasslands on some slopes. The ecoregion is in the Palearctic realm, with a subarctic climate. It covers 35,199,998 km2 (13,590,795 sq mi).
The Daurian forest steppe ecoregion is a band of grassland, shrub terrain, and mixed forests in northeast Mongolia and the region of Siberia, Russia that follows the course of the Onon River and Ulz River, and part of the northwestern China. The region has been described as a "sea of grass that forms the best and most intact example of an undisturbed steppe ecosystem and is also one of the last areas in the Palearctic that still supports stable herds of larger vertebrates" in a semi-mountainous area. The area also has flat wetlands that are important to migratory birds. The ecoregion is in the Palearctic realm, with a dry-winter subarctic climate that borders on a very cold semi-arid climate (BSk) in its southwestern parts. It covers 209,012 km2 (80,700 sq mi).
The Landscapes of Dauria is a World Heritage Site shared between Russia and Mongolia, part of the "Daurian forest steppe" ecoregion. It includes the Torey Lakes.
