However, these seas are saline, and the Baikal water is fresh, besides, in our Siberian lake functions natural mechanism of purification, developed over the centuries and, as it proved to be. of perfect performance.
First, the water in Baikal is constantly intermixed. From steep shore slopes like from trampolines water rushes down gradually forcing out the deeper layers. With cyclic recurrence of about once in 20 years the surface and deep layers of water change places. Constant circular currents of surface waters and concealed underground sources of heat, warming up both the bottom of the lake and lower layers of water that go up, only aid to the water movement. Because of this perpetual circulation, water is a good habitat for different life forms.
Baikal purifies itself of everything brought by rivers and brooks, and also of products of vital functions of its own flora and fauna. A curious fact: hvdrobiologists calculated that every water drop that gets into the lake in form of precipitations or with tributaries, remains in Baikal for as much as 400 years! During this time, mechanical particles form sediment, and the organic ones become food for inhabitants of the lake.
Some species of numerous organisms that inhabit Baikal seem to be created intentionally to purif’ the environment. The Baikal crustaceans fulfill colossal invisible work, which brings, though, quite visible results. The smallest of them are the epishura, barely perceptible with unaided eye. Epishura is both a food for many fish, and workers of immense laboratory of water purification, which can ‘filter’ the upper 50-meter layer of water three times a year.
Another crustacean - funny and gluttonous amphipod - gobbles up anything that gets into water at different depth and at the bottom, it eats up drowned insects, dead fish and animals.
Many Baikal crustaceans are cndemics of the Siberian lake, that is they are not found in any other water body of the planet.
THE DREAM OF SUMMER ROCK
(page 54 - 55)
It truly can be only dreamt about. The rock is not rock at all, but a humpbacked old woman with a staff. A finished silhouette, chiseled without any participation of man. but comprehended by human. For how many centuries does this old lady plod? She is lonely on this deserted shore, only birds visit her, and winds fan, and she cannot reach the water by any means...
Baikal rocks are of different color. Here is the red, ochre. farther on are rocks of limestone or maybe of dolomite marble that glows any time of the day.
Many wonders can he found on the Baikal shores that extend to 2000 kilometers. One has to look attentively to find warm sards and blue pieces of lazuli polished by water, so blue that it seems to absorb the blue of the depths. On the other hand, nephrite, also found on the shore, is of grassy green color. However, the water sometimes gets so green, one cannot but marvel. Of this green stone another mythical creature appeared - either a kangaroo, or a dinosaur. It is not at all mean, protects a cave entrance.
In a word, if one looks around more attentively, one can see not only the sea landscape, but images that are worthy of Salvador Dali’s paintings.
THE FOG - THE CLOSED EYES OF THE MORNING BAIKAL
(page 58 - 59)
Baikal under the bright sun sparkles and dazzles. But once we came to Baikal when low clouds seemed to wander right on the steep shore slopes. Gray, moist, shaggy, they rained, and this rain resembled fog. Water lied in the bowl of shores like lead - heavy and still. The panorama of the lake from great height was captivating...
Fog in this area is as diverse as any other displays of nature. Sometimes it is semi-rain, such as we have seen that day. But often fog does not betoken rain: for some time the mysterious white shroud intrigues, plays hide-and-seek, that is, hides all the surrounding things, dissolves all colors and absorbs all sounds. and then, as if with one movement, disperses, recedes and reveals the blue expanse.
The classic image of a horse with a bell grazing in fog occupies a fitting place at Baikal. How sweet is the mystery of fog, how childish are the nature’s tricks, ready to propose a riddle, and then, without waiting, burst out laughing and blurt out the correct answer! There is no fog, no secret - here it is, the clear water, here arc the transparent expanses, tender eyelashes of forests. There is place for everything at Baikal - for monolithic mountains and for fragile, almost transparent, butterfly.
Sometimes it is nothing but a hint, delicate and gentle - white airy fog, that seem to exist solely to shade the horizon in order not to confuse the heart of man with the vastness of the sea lying before him.
THE BROCADE OF WATER...
(page 60- 61)
Baikal changes not only during different seasons, no, its image transforms every hour, and it is interesting sometimes to observe the all-transforming play of light on the surface or in the depth of water. At daybreak or at nightfall, at sunrise or at sunset - the state of the lake is always different. The morning delight, expressed by the luminary rising above the horizon, sudden and abundant splashes of rays, sun glints on the folds of brocade water cannot be by any means mixed up wit the sight of’the weary sun’.
However, the only thing that makes these two states of the sun similar is this very effect of brocade on the water.
The sun path seems to be woven in golden thread, and that of the moon - in silvery blue thread. The moon path is
more mysterious, by the way, it suggests the mystics. the magic of Baikal. That of the sun, especially in the morning, in contrast, is full of vital energy and excites the thirst for activity.
THE COLORED RIBBON OF BURKHAN
(page 62 - 63)
People, who inhabit the shores of Baikal. respect the spirits of Baikal - hurkhans - the old people not only impart their legends, but also teach the young to keep the lake clean, to obey prohibitions that originate in ancient times.
A person far from local traditions and customs can consider some of these interdictions curious.
Locals know how important it is. when en route by water or by land of Baikal, not to anger the spirits. Moreovcr, one has to know how to pay obeisance to them. There are forbidden places at Baikal that are connected with particularly strict taboos. The Rythy (PIiTbm) Cape is among them. Entrance to the valley of the river bearing the same name that flows into Baikal in this place, is possible only after the special ritual is carried out. A lamb is to be sacrificed to the spirits, and its bones should be piled together and burned... Vbbmen are restricted to enter the valley. In certain sacred places all travellers should stop and make little offerings to burkhans - colored ribbon tied to sacred tree, a handful of coins left or little spriniding of water would be enough. But at the same time, there has to be no swearing, littering or arguing.
Buryats hold their traditions sacred.
Then, they believe, Baikal will be gracious too, instead ofwind or some misfortune, it will bestow flowers and curative herbs, fish and clearest water.
AND THE SILK OF THE SKIES
(page 64 - 65)
The satin and silk fabrics used the Creator to cut out the expanse of the sky over Baikal. Even when these delicate silks are hidden behind the layer of clouds and storm- clouds, one knows - not for long. Baikal does not like to frown for a long time, there surely is a reason to believe that there are more sunny days in this region than in many other parts of the planet.
Nevertheless, at night these breadths become unrecognizable: when the night is velvet black, they are pierced by needles of stars, or even stitched by the swift needle of meteorite; when the night is moonlit, they are Light and beautiful. One just feels the urge to say: ‘your serenity!’
Local population now has a new legend in accordance with our times: that the UFOS often visit the space over Baikal. Let the scientists decide were there or were not flying saucers and UFOs here, but an idea comes to mind in the course of reasoning: surely, they are interested! One can understand if guests even from the farthest space civilization came here, as such curiosity to the wonder that the Earthlings possess is more than obvious.
DOUBLE LIFE
(page 66 - 67)
It is about Baikal world behind the looking-glass. The water of the lake is transparent, but if one looks under certain angle the glance will not go to the depth, but will take in all the reflections that are given by the mirror of the water.
These reflections can be so clear that almost surpass the original in distinctness. This way any object - rock, tree, bird or cloud - gets its double. Put together in the base with itself, that is, with its reflection in the water, any thing becomes a little fantastic. However, it all depends. Sometimes it can strike even the boldest imagination.
Man is known to learn from nature and its talent. Some masters of photography, having noticed the effect of’double life’ of an object reflected in water, use this technique in printing of photographs. Then, woody mound or mountain slope can appear before the viewer in the form of a legendary monster, beast or spirit.
AUTUMN
(page 68 - 69)
Auntumn is short in Siberia, but it is even shorter at Baikal. Somewhere in August, on the way to Listvyanka, one starts to notice the first signs of autumn: now here, now there, as though handfuls of golden coins are thrown
the day when after the long Siberian winter the nature presents again with the miracle of free water. But the lake does not free itself quickly - the ice recedes gradually - and it all happens here in a particular manner.
So, the spring, as it befits a capricious and frivolous woman, comes to Baikal late and begins subtly. First, the sky turns blue in peculiar way, and the air becomes humid, this odor is barely perceptible by animal and human smell. It is brought by the wind, and the instinct of any living creature responds to the first signs of spring.
Already in April, the strong Baikal winds and undercurrents do their work industriously grinding snow and ice. Under the influence of these relatively warm flows that come from the bottom layers of water. warmed-up by the interplanetary heater, the hollowed out ice turns into needle-like crystals. Locals call this process needling’. The nearer summer is, the less solid becomes this ice. Steps on it someone inexperienced - and slips into friable prickly porridge.
Not only such ‘needled’ ice-floes, but even whole hummocks, brought to the shores, amaze by their precious beauty. The diamond crystal tubes refract rays of light, flare up, tremble, and flash with all colors of the spectrum. Something needs only to thaw a little in the crystal body - and a piece of Baikal beauty scatters into fine fragments with a gentle jingle.
The natives are happy about the spring, but keep in mind the work as well - together they catch the fish that got to the open water. The spring catch is especially good
- this fish is considered a delicacy.
Olkhon is worth of special attention. The Olkhon Island is the largest of the 22 Baikal islands. It is called the heart of Baikal. It is almost 72 kilometers long and 15 kilometers wide. Having moderate area (730 square kilometers), the island represents a museum of landscapes: its eastern and northern shores are rocky with steep cliffs. To the western shore the island becomes sloping, “slightly wooded.” in the central part and to the south - sandy forest-steppe.
The territory of the island is rich with archeological monuments: sites of ancient settlements, remains of stone walls, age-old burial places are found here. Archeologists discovered 143 objects of great importance on the island.
The archeological digs are conducted in summer, but now, in spring, especially in March is the best time for ice- fishing. Hundreds of fishermen sit over the drilled iceholes on ice of the Maloye Sea, tents and cars beside them.
Fishing in general, along with sheep breeding, is the primary occupation of the local population. A large fish- factory is situated in the settlement of Khuzhir. and the
annual take makes up 500-600 tons of fish.
The fish that is caught basically - omul, grayling, lenok, perch. Taimens and sturgeons are also found.
Vather changes often in Olkhon. Tourists and travelers like to come here for a rest. Cliffs, caves, horse and unmounted walks... Rest is splendid here - fresh wind, transparent lukewarm water in nice bays, sandy beaches and the sun, which, according to locals, shines more days per year than at the resorts of the Black Sea. 300 sunny days a year - where else can you find so much ultraviolet!
Olkhon impresses with the steppe landscapes, coniferous and deciduous forests, areas of relict fir-wood, picturesque marble rocks, covered with red and goldish lichens.
In a word, the exotica of Baikal and exotica of Olkhon are like two sides of one medal, supplementing each other. Together they constitute that unique whole, which is called the Baikal phenomenon.
OVER THE NIALOYE SEA
(page 32 - 33)
In winter the connection with the Olkhon Island is realized by means of ice road. ‘%Mtter is also a road of a sort. but a more complicated one. For instance, it is impossible to transport a car by boat or cutter. That is why, from late spring until the new ice, works a ferry crossing over the narrow channel. From one side is the Maloye Sea, from the other - Father Baikal. Locals with their everyday needs, guests, and the flow of tourists in search of unusual experiences - all of them are ferried to Olkhon. It is plain, but safe. And here it is - the exotics of Olkhon: the beach terraces that remind of the heads of alligators lying in water, birds that chose upper cliffs for their nesting- places, the permanency of sharp cries of silvery gulls excites and then sets at ease...
THE GOLD OF SPRING
(page 34 - 35)
By the way, you cannot even imagine of how many colors can the Baikal water be! Who said that it is transparent like a tear? It changes its qualities every minute and every hour. It just was dense and nonpenetrating for the light - the rays, reflected by the surface, mirrored, played with ripples like with fish scales. But either the sun was covered by clouds, or the visual angle changed - and the water became full of color, like malachite, like the cloth ofa billiards table.
That is how the gold of spring appears - in the space between the ochrc of read shore rocks to the Prussian blue ofthe sky and water. The gold of spring is the nugget of the sun over the opening abyss; it is the precious golden evap oration
on the sunny way. Spots and sparkles of reflected light, delicate shuck of precious metal in the gust of wind. the gold rush of ripples.
The gold of spring - gusts of the day and specters of the evening. The morning gold is pure, that of the day - with nuances of copper and bronze, the evening one does not seem to be water any longer, but a molten smoky quartz. or a liquid glass of the wave - supple, stretchy.
THE COLORS AND FLOWERS OF OLKHON
(page 3 - 39)
The Olkhon Island is like a paper toy-ship set to float in a spring puddle on one side of the blue planet.
No, the Olkhon Island is a wonderful shred of land in the blue sea of Baikal. It is as original, as original is the lake. In spring and in autumn, when grass has already dried up, and larches shed their needle-like leaves, the island becomes ginger and gibbous, as the back of a camel. The sand, yellow grass, the wool of bushes and low forest
- there is something of a miniature Gobi desert.
But in summer there will be pastures for sheep flocks, locals arc hereditary shepherds. Here even little Buryat children, who did not even learn to walk, are saddlefast.
Wild rosemary blooms in Olkhon, and the first flowers
- snowdrops - spring up when spring gathers speed. Flowers bring joy to bees, people and to the sun.
THE BAt KAL SPHINXES
(page 42 - 43)
How can the antiquity of the legendary lake be expressed? What is the metaphor of its mystery and inscrutability? What is the equivalent for beauty? If Baikal was as young as the sphinx near the pyramids in El Gisa! But no. its stones are incommensurably older, besides, Baikal has its own sphinxes - wild and created by nature. Napes and foreheads hewed out by mysterious creator. Features of dreadful faces cut out by winds, heavy petrified orbs, falling ofT freckles of eternity.
Whom do the sphinxes resemble? Surely, the burkhans
- the gods of the Buryat people. As silent guards they stand by the water protecting the peace of Baikal or patiently enduring his wrath.
The wind whips these cliffs, and they impassibly expose their faces to it. Winter tortures them with snow and frost
- they keep quiet. The spring sun tenderly touches them with its rays - they are still quiet, but seem to be less severe. The summer heat comes, and during the day gold percolates through languishing stones, they are fanned with wings of gulls and tickled by brisk lizards. The night falls, and the sphinxes drown in black velvet darkness, diamond constellations rise above them, and blue moon pours
Mystics? No, just peculiar primordial beauty.
THE BURST SKIN OF BAIKAL
(page 46 - 47)
An animal casting the tight coat - that is what the spring Baikal like with its cracked ice shell seen from above, Ice-floes, sludge ice are carried along by wind and currents until melted once and for all.
Only then, under the ice ‘skin’ appears the other one - delicate, silky, blue, precious...
And near the shore ice - miraculously - bloom the first spring flowers...
Ice and ice-floes, these huge blocks and little crystals can become a subject of particular admiration if only considered of esthetic importance. Because the cold amethyst transparency, the sapphire depth, the warm opal delicacy of little pieces of ice - all this, at least, enchants, and ultimately amazes by its careless elevated sophistication.
SUMMER
(page 50- 51)
Have you ever seen ice in June? Not somewhere in far north, but here, in Siberia?
If you have seen it, then it means you have already visited Baikal.
Surely, there is summer here, and it is not less lavish in warmth than in other climatic zones. The sun is always in abundance here: the air over Baikal is the most clear in the world, thus, the rays warm up the shores, penetrate much deeper in the water layers than in other parts of the world ocean and land. However, summer comes here later than it is supposed to according to calendar. It is all natural - such a great mass of ice cannot but influence the Baikal microclimate. The ice melts slowly, and a sight of the Baikal seal nerpa resting on a white ice-floe in June is not uncommon. That is the reason why in lrkutsk lilacs and apple trees bloom, whereas trees and bushes of the Baikal shores are still bare in expectation of real long-term warmth. On the more warmed-up southern slopes first to appear are ramsons and ferns, snowdrops and violets, and later - orange zharok flowers, alpine poppies, edelweiss, the cuckoo’s boots...
By the way, it is in the early summer that the water in I3aikal is, perhaps, the most transparent - the water masses are too cold, and there is little phytoplankton (the name for the smallest algae). Through this water it is possible to see stones on the bottom at the depth of up to 43 meters. Scientists say that the transparency of the Baikal water can be compared only to that of warm seas of equatorial Atlantic latitudes like the Canary or Sargasso Seas.
________________________________
It has many names Balkal, the lucid orb of the planet, the Sacred Sea, the wonder-lake, the
deep blue well. It can be stern and tender, unpredictable and changeable. Baikal Is a
metaphor of purity and savagery, the symbol of eternity and of the mighty power of nature.
Baikal Is folded in ancient legends, enveloped in mysticism, and anyone who comes in contact with it is given the sensation of inexplicable energy and might.
It might seem strange that people come to it again and again in spite of the fact that it is glorified in songs, felt deeply and comprehended In prose and in verse, captured on canvas and film. The probable reason is that Baikal is still not comprehended fully, as it is inscrutable. Every individual, master or novice, grown wise with experience or young and enthusiastic, seeing astonishing depth and catholicity In it, seeks and finds the particularity that will open up only before him.
It is like love. The humanity exists owing to love; love like a spring feeds poetry, music, and any art in general. Love Is inexhaustible, it flows from generation to generation, it brings Inspiration, sets all the best qualities of human heart in motion.
But can Baikal be exhausted?
That is why the authors of this album ventured to touch upon the topic of Baikal. We are going to try to express what Baikal bestowed upon us and to give a chance for other people to admire this beauty. Maybe this meticulous attention to the miracle of nature will become, finally, a certain writ of protection for Balkal Itself from us, people. It is high time to realize that such wonder is to be taken care of in all Its purity and beauty. We ought to protect it as our heritage, our sacred place, as
property of our children.
Why then people of totally different world-view, character, education, temperament, artistic taste, - why all of them, without any agreement, sense the uniqueness of Baikal, Its magical attraction? And what objective facts can explain emotions that it brings?
BIOGRAPHICAL PARTICULARS: NAME
Baikal Is translated into Russian as ‘rich lake’ from the Yakut language, as golden’ from the Altai language, ‘fiery’ from the Buryat language and as ‘northern’ from Chinese.
ORIGIN
The history of the lake origin is impressive. For a long time it was a subject of controversy for scientists. Some considered Baikal to be a result of the earth’s crust breaks. Others believed that its appearance was directly related to the Ice age, when from north to south moved enormous snow masses and with them the early life forms characteristic of those territories. This theory is also used to explain the fact that some species of Baikal animals and fish have analogues in the great oceans. The most vivid examples the Baikal nerpa, a relative of the ocean seal, and also the omul fish, glorified in songs and legends, which is the main food fish of Boikal. One of the versions was such: in the prehistoric period, Baikal was a fjord of the Arctic Ocean. Its later variant says that Baikal was connected with the ocean by
a chain of smaller and larger lakes, constituting unified water system. By this water way, supposedly, came into Baikal specimens of ancient flora and fauna when the ocean was still freshwater. Finally, there was such a supposition:
living organisms traveled from the northern ocean to the lake via such arteries like Yenisei and Angara, overcoming strong current.
Today, however, scientists studying Baikal came to a definite conclusion: the Baikal Lake is of tectonic or rift origin, which means that it appeared as a result of gigantic crust break. Renowned researcher of the Baikal geology Nikolai Florensov believes that “the roots” of the depression, “cleaving the whole of the earths crust go to the upper mantle, that is to the depth of 50-60 kIlometers.” It turned out that under the thickness of the ice-cold Balkal water there is scorching magma, and this “heightened” heating of earth’s bowels under Baikal is considered anomalous. The presence of the underground (under the Baikal bottom) fire is proved true by the hot curative springs that make their way through the ground even during the most rigid frosts.
Researchers today also note resemblance of the Siberian lake with an ocean: immense water volume, ebbs and flows, heavy gales and high waves, slow but continuous broadening of the Baikal basin due to the separation of the shores similar to detachment of continents (Africa and South America), great magnitudes of magnetic anomalies.
AGE
When you deal with such natural phenomenon like Baikal, it is even more difficult to get to know
its age than that of the most capricious woman. We will operate, certainly, not with hundreds and not even with thousands of years. Scientists suggest different figures: some believe that the lake is 20 million years old; others speak of not less than 25 million years. We can take something intermediate, say, 23 million years. It sounds impressive, does not it?
FAMILY STATUS
336 rivers, brooks and streams flow into Baikal, and only one river flows out the Angara River. There is a legend about it, the most popular and, perhaps, the most beautiful legend of the area. Many sons and daughters had mighty Baikal; they were all born in mountains around the lake. Children increased their father’s wealth by supporting him with water. But he had a favourite daughter the beautiful Angora. At first, she also frolicked light-heartedly beside her father, but once she learned that somewhere far away lives a young hero Yenisel. Angara began to languish, and one day, when her old father was sleeping calmly, she threw herself on the cliffs, broke the mountain chain and ran away to her beloved. When the old man woke up and found out that his dear daughter left him, he became angry with her and In afit of temper threw a rock after her. Baikal did not manage to hold his daughter, and seeing this, he sent his son Irkut on her. Irkut was looking for his sister for a longtime, and when heron down the fugitive at last, she convinced him not to return back home and be mocked at, but to run to Yenisei together so that she would become his wife, and Irkut his friend.., might appear in your mind and it
This spectacular legend is not a mere work of imagination. The real events were the following: about 16-18 thousand years ago as a result of powerful tectonic slides appeared the so-called angarsky break, and waters of Baikal gushed in it. At the source of Angara still can be seen the rock that was ‘thrown’, according to the legend, by the father Baikal after the running away river. This rock Is called the Shaman rock. And the name of the river Angora is connected with this geological event: anga ‘open mouth’, ‘scour’, ravine’.
Thus, scientists admit that ancient legends provide the first knowledge not only about Baikal, but also about many other events and phenomena on the Earth.
RELATIVES ABROAD
If not of near relation (the possible kinship of Baikal and the ocean was already mentioned), but at least of considerable similarity to Baikal is the Tango nyika Lake in Central Africa. Its outline is stretched from north to south in the same way, though the incline is reverse as if one lake is the mirror reflection of the other; the deep water is just as clear and transparent. That is where, probably, the similarity ends. And that is evident the African lake luxuriates in the equatorial zone, its shores, moderately elevated and even, are covered with luxuriant tropical vegetation. However, the water in lakes like Tonganyika is alive with organisms only to the depth of 300 meters. Whereas in the Siberian lake the whole water column Is inhabited! Researchers of Baikal sank probes up to one kilometer deep and took out different species of fish, oceanic sponges, minute crustaceans that are the food for fish.
Baikal is also compared with the Great
Lakes of North America (Superior, Michigan, Huron, Erie and Ontario) - compared in terms of the total water volume. The total water volume of these five lakes is roughly equal to that of Baikal. As the researcher Valentina Galkina writes in her essay, if all the rivers of the world turned their currents into Baikal, they would have filled the stone basin of the lake only in a year. “The annual flow of all the rivers of the world - that is the water volume of Baikal! It is not just water essential for life. Itis truly the well of the planet.”
It Is time to Introduce the figures. It is the following: Boikal holds 23 thousand of cubic kilometers of fresh drinking water, and what Is more It is Incredibly pure! It makes up one fifth of the world’s fresh water resources.
The Baikal Lake does not only hold more water in it than any other lake in the world, but also is the deepest lake on the Earth. The greatest depth of the lake registered by scientists (researchers went down in the bathyscaphe “Pisces”) 1637 meters.
The water level of Baikal makes up 31,5 thousand square kilometers, which equals to the area of Belgium.
By the way, when the lrkutsk hydroelectric power station was completed, the water level of Baikal went one meter up, the water area increased by 500 square kilometers, and the part of the Angora River from the source to the dam became a reservoir (artificial sea).
The lake extends from north to south by 636 kilometers, from west to east (the width of the
DISTINCTIVE FEATURES
The Balkal Lake does not only hold more water In It than any other lake in the world, but also is the deepest lake on the Earth. The greatest depth of the lake registered by scientists (researchers went down in the bathyscaphe “Pisces”) 1637 meters.
The water level of Balkal makes up 31,5 thousand square kilometers, which equals to the area of Belgium.
By the way, when the lrkutsk hydroelectric power station was completed, the water level of Baikal went one meter up, the water area Increased by 500 square kilometers, and the part of the Angara River from the source to the dam became a reservoir (artificial sea).
The lake extends from north to south by 636 kilometers, from west to east (the width of the
lake) up to 80 kIlometers. The length of the shoreline 2000 kilometers.
In different periods of time different people from pioneers to contemporary scientists organized expeditions, explored Balkal, composed descriptions, charted maps. Some of those people were: the priest Avvakum, Nikolai Spofary, Semyon Remlzov, I. Ghmelin, P. Pallos, I. Gheorghi, Yan Chersky, Benedict Dybovsky, G. Vereshaghin, S. Obruchev, professor Mlkhall Kozhov, academician Grigory Galazy.
In the year 1916 was founded the oldest reserve Barguzinsky was founded to preserve the famous Barguzin sable, fur-bearing animal of deep-brown color whose precious sparkling fur was rated highly (that is why sable was on the brink of extinction there were only some dozens of them left). And it was saved the population of the animal reached its normal level. Along with the sable, such animals like deers, bears, lynx, musk deer, and plants relic saxifrage, alpine poppy, the Siberian orchid called “cuckoo’s boots”, edelweiss also became protected by the man. There ore also Baikalsky and BaikaloLensky reserves, Pribaikalsky and Zabolkalsky natural parks aimed at nature protection and providing rest for people, and Kabonsky and Froiikhinsky game reserves that ore protected areas.
Bolkal today is the largest of the 111 sites of the World natural heritage list of UNESCO (it was included In the list in 1996).
FLORA AND FAUNA
There are 1300 species of animals and 600 species of plants registered at the Balkal lake. The Baikal seal - nerpa, the omul fish, the sturgeons,
pike, grayling (the Balkal trout), the lenok fish most of them ore endemics of Baikal, I.e. they cannot be found anywhere else in the world. Endemic species also include: the epishura crustacean and the sand hopper (mocrogeptopus) the organisms that contribute to the purification of the water by feeding on oil the pollutants in the upper layers of water. Golomianka (the oil fish) is a little fish almost half of which is oil. One can read through if the fish is caught and put on on open book. It is not a gregarious fish, it lives on its own and can come vertically from the depth to the surface. However, its main peculiarity is that it does not spawn like all fish, but gives birth up to two and a half thousand larvae at a time, from which develop the fry.
The diversity and state of the living beings of Baikal depends more and more on the man, his activities, and his environmental awareness. All environmentalists, ecologists, and public figures of the planet ore concerned for the fate of the lake-heritage.
That is what Baikal like.., would be proper to put atthe end of this composition about the Siberian wonder-lake. But is everything rea/ly said? Yet, so many impressions were left beyond the narrative, so many parallels and images appear in the head of anyone who comes to Baikal! Our a’bum contains just some of them. When you come to see it first-hand, completely different images might appear in your mind and it will be YOUR Baikal.
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