Virgin Komi Forests, Russia

A lot of pleasant surprises await nature lovers in Russia. The most picturesque and remarkable natural areas in the country are the Virgin Komi forests, located on the territory of the Republic of the same name, to north of the Ural Mountains. The area of ​​Europe’s largest untouched forests is 32600 sq. km. The forest has been a UNESCO World Heritage site since 1995.

Visitors to the nature reserve will have an opportunity to see a wide variety of natural landscapes, part of the forest is directly in the mountains, and the other is in the foothills. On the territory of the massif there are several large rivers, and the flora and fauna, presented in the given territory, is considered unique. There are more than 200 species of birds in the forests of Komi, typical inhabitants of impenetrable forests are brown bears and sables, moose and wolves. In the rivers flowing through the forest territory, there are 16 species of fish, the most valuable among which is the rare Siberian grayling.

Picturesque forests are of great interest not only to biologists and ornithologists. There are several important archaeological areas on the territory. Among the forests, researchers have found several sites of the Paleolithic era, as well as remains of ancient animals, including mammoths. Another hidden value of the Virgin Komi Forests are large deposits of mined gold in the reserve, illegally maintained for many years. The development of gold mines is the main threat to conservation of unique natural attractions. Next - Golden Mountains of Altai