The mystery of the Samara bow and the Zhiguli mountains. Department of Public Safety Serpents of the Samara Bow

The green jumping creature - the frog - is among those animals that we get to know already in childhood. For many, she will forever remain only a slippery and unpleasant creature that lives in any pond or river, more or less large, and flops noisily into the water from under the feet of the passing along the shore. But though. It would seem that. There is nothing more common than our simple green frog, even the very definition of it as a "green jumping creature that lives in the water" is only slightly true (Fig. 1).

Amphibians

Let's start with the fact that only fifteen percent of the world's frogs have connected their lives with water. The rest live somewhere: a number of tropical and subtropical frogs spend almost their entire lives on trees, reeds and other vegetation, and our grass and moor frogs in forests and meadows, sometimes in very dry areas.

And not all frogs can jump. Some simply do not need it: you can fall from a tree. And other species lead an underground lifestyle; underground, you don’t jump much, so they only know how to crawl.

And even the proverbial green skin color we can meet quite rarely among the frog tribe. It turns out that most frogs are not green at all, but brown, gray, blue, and among them there are even yellow and red ones.

No need to think that only in the distant tropics you can find various exotic frogs. No, an ordinary frog living in a nearby pond turns out to be no less interesting upon closer acquaintance.

Only four species out of more than half a thousand species of frogs, numbered by zoologists of the world, live on the territory of the Samara region. The most rare among us should rightfully be called the pond frog. This is a European animal, and the eastern border of its distribution passes through the territory of our region. As elsewhere on the outskirts of the range, it is quite rare here. It is believed that the bulk of our pond frogs live west of the Volga. It is no longer found southeast of our region, but to the northeast on the left bank, single finds of this animal are known in the Dimitrovgrad region up to the Ik river basin (Fig. 2).

Another of our frogs - grass - prefers more northern areas. And the boundary of the range passes through the territory of the region, this time the southern one. In the east, she settled to the Urals, and in some places - to the Ob. And in the north, the common frog reached the latitude of Murmansk, far beyond the Arctic Circle (Fig. 3).

Most often in the Middle Volga region, we will find two other types of frogs - lake and moor, and here they clearly divided their spheres of influence. If the lacustrine is a mass species in reservoirs of various types, from large puddles to the Volga bays, then the moored one adheres to drier places, and it can be found in the meadow and in the forest. And across the country, the moored frog holds the primacy among all other frogs in terms of the size of the range. It extends from the western borders of the USSR to Lake Baikal, from Murmansk to southern Ukraine (Fig. 4, 5).

Of all four relatives, perhaps the most consistent with our idea of ​​​​a frog tribe is the pond frog. She is one of the representatives of the family living in our area, has a pure green color of various shades. In addition, she almost never leaves her native pond, where she was born and raised.

But the lake frog can be called green only in part, with a stretch. Her skin has a brown coloration with transitions to a dirty green color. This is our largest frog. In the Volga region, its specimens are registered with a body length (without leg length) up to 14 centimeters, but in general, lake frogs up to 17 centimeters in length are known. These are real giants among our amphibians. In the floodplain of the Volga, in some places, about six hundred lake frogs live on one square kilometer.

The moor frog and common frog are quite similar - both are brown to brown and yellow in color. They are sometimes distinguished by size. The body length of a common frog reaches ten centimeters, but in a moored frog, as a rule, no more than eight centimeters. But their main difference is the color of the belly. The vast majority of moor frogs have a white lower body without any spots, while the grassy belly is always spotted with a special “marble” pattern.

The role that frogs have played and still play in the work of scientists is well known. In gratitude to these truly irreplaceable laboratory animals, monuments have been erected in some cities of the world.

Frogs are just one of the families of a large order of the so-called tailless amphibians (this feature distinguishes them from the caudate group, which will be discussed below). Tailless include all other "frog-like" amphibians - tree frogs, toads, spadefoot; but most of all they look like real frogs, perhaps, toads. They are distinguished in a special family of round-speaking. The main difference between toads and frogs is the following: in the latter, the tongue is able to be thrown out of the mouth and capture flying insects, while round-tongued ones are not capable of this.

On the territory of the region, one species from this group is found - the red-bellied toad. (Fig. 6, 7)

The underparts of her body are red or bright orange with bluish-black spots. Usually toads are very few in water bodies, but sometimes they are found in large numbers in floodplain, well-heated lakes with a clay bottom in the valleys of the Volga, Samara and other rivers. Here their number can reach from 40 to 80 individuals per hectare of the reservoir. The toad has such a number in lakes where the water temperature is about 200C, where mosquito larvae, aquatic worms, mollusks, and other invertebrates have multiplied in mass. Then, in the evening hours, there is a rumble over the lake - at this time the flares sing loudly "uu ... uu ... uu"; their voices are easily distinguished from the croaking singing of frogs.

The mucous secretions of the skin of the toad are poisonous. In danger, she bends, turns over on her back. As a result, its bright warning coloration becomes visible - those same red and blue spots that scare away a predator.

Garlic, contrary to its name, does not smell of garlic at all and has nothing to do with it at all (Fig. 8).

This type of amphibian is widespread in our region, but, however, no one can ask anyone - no one knows what kind of animal they are talking about. Meanwhile, many, especially villagers, often meet with spadefoot - they only call it, as a rule, an earthen frog. This amphibian has a nondescript gray-brown body color and very bright spots scattered along the back. And, in fact, she leads a burrowing lifestyle, hiding underground during the day. Thanks to this, the spadefoot often ends up in cellars, basements, underground storages, where we most often see this “earth frog”. And outside of such places, we will be able to see the spadefoot only at night, when it comes out of its holes to feed on various small living creatures - slugs, worms, caterpillars, ants, and so on.

Toads lead a similar way of life, of which there are two species on the territory of the Samara region: gray and green (Fig. 9, 10).

It is easy to distinguish from frogs and other amphibious toads similar to them by two characteristic swellings located on the sides of the head and behind the eyes - the parotid glands. Toads jump extremely rarely and reluctantly; they do not need this - after all, nocturnal toad prey is inactive organisms such as insects, centipedes, worms, mollusks and others. Along with the spadefoot, toads are a very welcome guest in any garden and vegetable garden; several of these amphibians can completely destroy all pests here in a short time, and then maintain it in this state indefinitely.

According to Kazan herpetologist V.I. Garanin, in the Middle Volga region, the green toad should be considered a more common species. Unlike the gray toad, it has a gray-cream color, and on the back it bears large dark green spots trimmed with a narrow black border. The body length of the green fellow is no more than 14 centimeters; in contrast, the nondescript gray toad reaches a length of twenty centimeters or more. IN AND. Garanin also revealed that, although it lives in almost all suitable places in our region (in forests, gardens and parks, forest-steppe ravines, forested swamps), avoiding only wide river floodplains, the number of common toads in biocenoses is small - only about 10 percent of the population. all amphibians.

Perhaps, toads are a classic example of an animal that causes disgust and other negative emotions in the vast majority of people, but at the same time they are extremely useful creatures for humans. An unpleasant appearance, a nocturnal lifestyle associated with a toad a number of corresponding gloomy legends: they allegedly cause warts on the skin of people, or even suck milk from cows at night ... All this is superstition, but, however, such tales in many cases literally cost the lives of these harmless and useful creatures.

As already mentioned, all the amphibians mentioned above belong to the order of anurans; in our fauna, however, there are tailed amphibians. Two types of newts belong to them: crested and ordinary (Fig. 11-13).

The first of these two creatures is a rather rare species in our region. On the territory of the Samara region, according to V.I. Garanin, passes the southern border of the range of the crested newt; it is noted here in the lakes of the Samarskaya Luka and floodplain reservoirs of the Samara River. In the steppe part of the region, there are practically no places where there would be favorable conditions for its habitat, therefore, it can be considered that the floodplain of the Samara River is the southern border of the distribution of the crested newt in the region and in Russia.

The number of this species in biocenoses is only about nine to ten percent of the total number of all amphibians; on average, there are four to six common ones per crested newt in water bodies. This last species is found almost throughout the region.

In summer, both newts very often come out of the water and spend several days in moist shady places, where they feed on soil and terrestrial invertebrates. When comparing representatives of these two species, it is quite easy to distinguish from each other: the body of a crested newt often reaches ten centimeters in size, while an ordinary one is extremely rarely even six centimeters in length. In addition, the latter species always has dark longitudinal stripes on its head, one of which, the largest, necessarily passes through the eye, while the skin of this animal is smooth and slippery. In contrast, the crested newt never has stripes on its head; its skin, unlike that of the common newt, is rough and rough. At the same time, during the mating season, males of the common newts are quite similar to the comb. However, the above differences still remain.

reptiles

About the same as with amphibians, most people treat reptiles. In the minds of many, these are the same nasty, cold and slippery creatures; and as for snakes, they are generally considered one of the most terrible creatures - after all, the look of snakes hypnotizes, it imperceptibly penetrates everywhere, and, moreover, it is poisonous ...

Fear, as you know, has big eyes - almost all of this is fiction. With regard to the latter property, fears, as a rule, are greatly exaggerated - only one tenth of all snakes known to science are poisonous. In the Samara region, 11 species of reptiles are now known, and of them there are six species of snakes, while only two are poisonous: the steppe viper and the common viper. The first one is somewhat smaller: steppe vipers generally do not exceed 55 centimeters in length, while common ones - up to 75 or even more (Fig. 14, 15).

Both of these species are highly variable in body coloration. In the steppe viper, individuals of a brownish-gray color are most often found, usually lighter along the back, while in the common one they are grayish or brownish-red tones. Both the one and the other snake have a dark zigzag strip along the ridge. Among other things, the common viper has an X-shaped pattern on its head, and a dark line runs from the eye to the corner of the mouth. However, in both species of these snakes there are individuals with a darker than normal color, and occasionally even completely black. An ordinary viper in such “clothes” comes across to scientists much more often than a steppe one. So, the herpetologist V.G. Barinov revealed a very interesting fact: it turns out that only an exceptionally black form of the common viper lives on the territory of Samarskaya Luka. At the same time, it was found that all her cubs have a lighter color, and a zigzag line on the back is clearly visible from them. Gradually, small snakes darken, and when they finally mature at the age of two or three, they already turn out to be solid black.

Steppe viper - southern view; its main area is Kazakhstan, the Don and Trans-Volga steppes, the south of Ukraine. It has not been found anywhere north of the mouth of the Kama. In our region, as a rule, it lives only in the zone of real steppes. In contrast, the common viper is a northern species; some parts of its range even go beyond the Arctic Circle, into the Murmansk and Arkhangelsk regions. The southern boundary of the distribution of this snake coincides with the westernmost points of the southward advancement of the forest-steppe natural zone. The mentioned line runs throughout Eurasia, coinciding with such cities as Chisinau, Kharkov, Samara, Chelyabinsk, Novosibirsk. At the same time, our region, in particular Samarskaya Luka, turns out to be one of the northernmost habitats in Russia.

But how deadly are the poisonous teeth of the mentioned vipers? It turns out, oddly enough, but for humans, these "terrible" snakes of our region are of little danger. So, science generally does not know a single case of death from a bite of a steppe viper of a person over hundreds of years of the history of medicine. During the same time, however, several cases of death from a bite of a common viper were revealed, but experts consider it unclear to the end whether in each case the death of a person was the result of poisoning with snake venom or improper methods of treatment.

Harm from vipers is thus minimal. At the same time, the benefits from them are enormous - these snakes destroy hordes of mouse-like rodents and even harmful insects, primarily locusts. And to obtain a healing snake venom, vipers are kept in special nurseries; medicines based on it have already saved the lives of thousands of people. So the question - is it worth grabbing a stick when meeting a snake - should be decided unambiguously, in favor of the reptile; in addition, these animals are never the first to attack a person, but, on the contrary, tend to hide unnoticed.

If vipers are known as poisonous snakes, then snakes, on the contrary, are harmless, harmless to humans. In our area there are two types of them - ordinary and water. It is quite easy to distinguish these snakes from each other: the common snake has clearly visible yellow or orange spots on the temples; the water snake has nothing of the kind. If the first reaches 120 centimeters in body length, then the second - even 130 centimeters (Fig. 16, 17).

Already ordinary - a very common inhabitant of the most diverse places in the Samara region. Most often, such places are the vicinity of water bodies - rivers, floodplain and other lakes, springs, ravines. As a refuge, this one already uses heaps of brushwood, voids under stones and rhizomes, hollows, holes of various animals.

And the water ear got its name because in life it is much more connected with water than all other types of snakes. Water already always lives near flowing or stagnant reservoirs, crawling out onto rocky slopes only for rest and food. This species is very rare in the region. For us, the water one is most interesting because the northernmost point of its habitat in the USSR is located in the Samara region - this, of course, is Samarskaya Luka. It is similar to vipers in its variegated body coloration, however, this pattern has the appearance of dark spots on a light background, and not a zigzag line.

In our region, there are several places where the number of both ordinary and water snake is very high. First of all, it is necessary to name the area of ​​the Serpent's Backwater in the south of the Samarskaya Luka (for good reason, apparently, this Volga bay received such a name). According to V.G. Barinov, in the vicinity of the backwater there are up to 22 ordinary and 24 water snakes per kilometer of the route; This is almost 10 times more than the regional average. However, in this place, the number of snakes has been steadily declining in recent years. According to the calculations of the herpetologist V.M. Shaposhnikov, in just six years, the number of water snakes in the area of ​​​​the Serpent's Backwater has fallen five to seven times, mainly due to direct destruction by humans and due to the increased disturbance factor.

In the same way as for the water snake, now Samarskaya Luka is the northernmost location in the country for another snake - the patterned snake. This is a very interesting reptile; back in 1935, the zoologist I. Bashkirov described it for the Zhiguli as a relic species of the Neogene time. Samarskaya Luka is an isolated habitat in the country; in other places of the region, finds of the snake are still unknown. It exists only in more southern regions of the country than our region (Fig. 18).

This snake, sometimes reaching a meter in length, is usually gray with a brownish tint, sometimes with a brown or reddish tint. Along the body of the patterned snake, as a rule, there are four wide, unsharply outlined brown lines, of which the two middle ones pass to the tail. The snake's head is crowned with a characteristic pattern consisting of an arched transverse stripe in front, a longitudinal stripe in the center and two spots on the sides. The patterned snake is a non-venomous snake; his food is small rodents, occasionally birds, their eggs, small reptiles. It adheres most often to open rocky mountain slopes overgrown with grass and rare shrubs, where it prefers to be in well-lit areas.

V.G. Barinov believes that on the Samarskaya Luka the number of snakes is small, but in a number of places the density of its population reaches significant values. If on Bolshaya Bakhilova Gora it has been kept at the level of two or three snakes per kilometer of the route for many years, then at the Serpentine Backwater after the 70s it fell from 11 to 4 individuals per kilometer and has stabilized at this level so far. In addition, not so long ago, new populations of the patterned snake were discovered - in the area of ​​\u200b\u200bmountain Lbishche (4-5 snakes per kilometer) and near the village of Mordovo (an average of about 7 individuals per kilometer).

A number of legends and superstitions are associated with copperhead; the most common of them, perhaps, is the belief that it is allegedly poisonous. In fact, a bite of a copperfish can cause redness and inflammation of the skin around the affected area only because there is almost always cadaveric poison on its teeth - a consequence of a predatory lifestyle. After all, even its prey - mice, frogs, lizards and other small living creatures - the copperfish does not kill with a bite, as, for example, a viper does, but strangles it with the rings of its body, like a boa constrictor and snake.

When meeting with this snake, you need to know that in a moment of danger, the copperhead curls up into a tight ball, and reacts to touch only with even greater contraction of the body and can only make short throws from the ball with a hiss; taken in hand, she begins to bite fiercely.

Copperhead is a purely European species; in the east, its range reaches only the Urals, in the south - to the Caucasus and in the north - to Leningrad. This snake lives in deciduous, coniferous and mixed forests, where it adheres to edges well warmed by the sun. Quite numerous in the south of the range, in the middle zone of the USSR, the copperhead becomes very rare. So, V.G. Barinov, in eight years of observing the reptiles of the Samara Luka, met only 12 copperheads, mainly on the outskirts of the forests, as well as on the gentle slopes of the Zhiguli. There is also copperhead here and there in other places of the region, but there it is found in literally single specimens.

This snake got its name for its characteristic coloration - most of the males of the copperhead are reddish, and the females are brownish, sometimes both of them have a real copper-red color. However, this species also has a solid black color. Interestingly, according to Academician A.G. Bannikov (this follows from the “Key to the Amphibians and Reptiles of the USSR Fauna”, 1977 edition), completely black individuals of this species are never found in our country; meanwhile, V.G. Barinov twice on Samarskaya Luka (near the village of Gavrilova Polyana and near the village of Vinnovka) met copper women, so to speak, in "full mourning." Another mystery of the Samarskaya Luka?

Uninformed people often confuse copperhead and spindle; meanwhile, the latter differs from the copperhead in its small size - no more than 25 centimeters in length. In addition, the spindle is not a snake - it is classified as a suborder of lizards, although it does not have limbs; it is precisely because of the duality of the appearance and internal structure of the animal that zoologists distinguish it into a special family. Like all lizards, it sheds its tail in a moment of danger, which is why it was given the scientific name "brittle spindle". For the same reason, a belief was born among the people that she, supposedly even cut in half, can live in peace and be healthy. But look at the body of the spindle when it is in a calm state - right in the middle, a legless lizard is divided by a clearly visible constriction - the border between the body and the tail, along the line of which it is thrown (Fig. 20).

The spindle on the dorsal side is colored brownish-brown or dark gray with a characteristic bronze tint. This makes it very similar in color to copperhead; Maybe that's why they are often confused? The sides and belly of the spindle are much lighter - they are white or yellow; there are, however, monochromatic males with two rows of large blue or, more rarely, black-brown spots on the back.

The spindle lives mainly in the middle zone of the European part of the USSR; to the east, it reaches only the Sverdlovsk region. Although there are always quite a lot of them in deciduous and mixed forests with well-developed litter, due to their secretive lifestyle, the spindle comes across to people very rarely. It feeds on slugs, centipedes, insects, earthworms; the last spindle usually “twists” out of the minks, holding the prey with sharp teeth, stretching out with its whole body and quickly rotating around its axis. Apparently, because of this, the animal got its name.

True lizards are known to have limbs; there are two species of such in our area - nimble and viviparous. Both of them are usually not more than 6-7 centimeters long. At the same time, the color of the body of a quick lizard varies from yellowish-brown to bright green. But the viviparous lizard most often has a brown, gray-green or brown color. In addition, on the back of the latter there is always a pattern that does not exist in the quick: a dark, often intermittent stripe along the ridge, on the sides of it there are two light lines, and on the sides of the body there are dark wide stripes. In a quick one, there is only one or two dark lines running along the back (Fig. 21, 22).

The swift lizard is the more southerly species of the two; east of Lake Baikal and north of the latitude of Leningrad, it does not enter. On the contrary, the viviparous lizard clearly gravitates towards colder areas; its range stretched from the Baltic to Sakhalin; in the north it reaches the coast of the Barents Sea, but it is not found anywhere south of the latitude of Saratov. In connection with such an area, this species has the ability to live birth; it’s just that during the short summer of the polar tundra and in the taiga, the young would not have had time to develop in the eggs of this animal.

If the agile lizard is the most numerous and common reptile in the region, preferring dry, well-warmed places in the steppes, along river valleys, on the slopes of ravines and gullies, then the viviparous, on the contrary, is extremely rare in our country. For example, V.G. Barinov met only seven specimens of this species during eight years of observations. The viviparous lizard loves deciduous and coniferous forests, where it keeps near swamps, peat bogs, clearings, burnt areas, along the edges and banks of rivers. V.M. Shaposhnikov reports that it also exists in similar places in the Zhiguli Reserve, mainly near the former village of Gudronny, as well as in Racheysky and Muransky forests.

Very close to the mentioned species is the multi-colored foot-and-mouth disease, a reptile in the south of the country - Kazakhstan, Central Asia, the northern Caucasus and the Black Sea region (Fig. 23).

Academician A.G. Bannikov does not indicate foot-and-mouth disease for areas north of the Greater Irgiz basin. However, Samara herpetologists have repeatedly found it on the Samarskaya Luka and in the Buzuluk forest: in general, the multi-colored foot-and-mouth disease prefers sandy beaches, sea dunes and river valleys with sparse vegetation for permanent residence.

The foot-and-mouth disease received its name for its extremely variegated color; most often, white and black spots and stripes with a light or dark border are scattered along its back on an olive, brown or greenish background.

Finally, in conclusion of this chapter, it should be said about our most original (based on the shape of the body) reptile - about the marsh turtle, the only species of this detachment in our region. Now it is perhaps the rarest of all reptiles in the Samara region. In general, the range of the marsh turtle in the USSR is limited only to southern Europe; east of Ufa and north of the line Samara - Voronezh - Minsk - Kaliningrad, it does not enter (Fig. 24).

This turtle usually lives in swamps, ponds, lakes of the coastal part of the Volga and Samara, small rivers and even canals. Far from the reservoir, she almost never departs; in case of danger, the turtle is able to stay under water for a very long time and even burrow at the bottom. The turtle's food is aquatic mollusks and insects, tadpoles, but it also loves plants.

The number of turtles in our region is catastrophically rapidly falling every year; this is mainly due to the destruction of convenient habitats for her, as well as for laying eggs; in addition, in places convenient for turtles, the disturbance factor increases every year. This happens for many reasons: due to the continuous development of river banks by departmental recreational institutions, due to the flooding of sandy beaches where turtles lay their eggs by the waters of reservoirs, the destruction of beaches during the extraction of sand, and, of course, due to direct trapping and destruction of the animal by humans.

According to V.M. Shaposhnikov, separate specimens of the marsh turtle have been recorded in the floodplains of the Sok, Kondurcha, Samara, Bolshoy Irgiz rivers, on the Volga islands of Vasilyevsky and on the Proran, and also in the Chapaevsky mouth. In past years, these animals were also noted on the Volga near the village of Vinnovka.

... Well, well, let a frog, a snake or a lizard not be very cute, but, in the end, it's not their fault. This is how they were born, and it is this appearance that makes them best adapted to specific habitats. After all, any form of life created by the great master - nature, is worthy of existence in itself, regardless of our like or dislike for it. And this fully applies to the green frog, and to the snake, and to the agile lizard.

Valery EROFEEV.

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Key to amphibians and reptiles of the fauna of the USSR. M., Education, 1977. 415 p.

Feoktistov V.F., Rozenberg G.S. 1994. The state of the animal world. - On Sat. "Ecological situation in the Samara region: state and forecast". Ed. G.S. Rozenberg and V.G. Fingerless. Togliatti, IEVB RAS, pp. 150-158.

Shaposhnikov V.M. 1978. Animals of the Kuibyshev region in need of special protection. - On Sat. "Issues of forest biogeocenology, ecology and nature protection in the steppe zone". Interuniversity collection. Issue. 3. Ed. N.M. Matveev. Kuibyshev, publishing house Kuib. state un-ta, pp. 120-130.

Shaposhnikov V.M. 2000. On the formation of the modern herpetofauna of the Samara region. - Sat. "Regional Notes". Issue IX dedicated to the 55th anniversary of the Great Victory and the 150th anniversary of the Samara province. Samara, publishing house of JSC "SamVen", Samara Regional Museum of History and Local Lore. P.V. Alabina, pp. 229-235.

Shikleev S.M. 1951. Amphibians (amphibians). - In the book. "Nature of the Kuibyshev region". Kuibyshev Regional State Publishing House, p. 288-289.

Samarskaya Luka is a unique region. The area is formed by the gulf (Usinsky) of the Kuibyshev reservoir and the bend of the majestic Volga River. There is a very special microclimate, amazingly beautiful mountains, blue-blue expanses of the Volga, unique flora and fauna. All the beauties have earned Samara Luka world fame.

History of the Samarskaya Luka National Park

Not so long ago, at the end of the eighteenth century, on the territory of Samarskaya Luka grew from centuries-old trees. These were predominantly pine-oak and oak-linden forests. However, later the trees were subjected to mass felling, which led to a significant reduction in arrays.

The Samarskaya Luka National Park was founded in 1984. The purpose of its creation was to preserve natural complexes, promote the development of national culture, and also create all the necessary conditions for the development of tourism in the region. Many rest houses and tourist bases have been built on the territory of the park, winter and summer routes have been laid. Next to it is the city of Zhigulevsk, or rather, it directly adjoins it from the south. So we can say that the inhabitants of this city are very lucky. For them, getting out for a walk in the park is not difficult.

Historical objects in the park

It should be noted that the Samarskaya Luka National Park is interesting not only for its flora and fauna, there are many archaeological sites on its territory. One of them is the Murom town. Once it was one of the largest settlements of Volga Bulgaria (from the ninth to the thirteenth century). Also here are the settlements of the Bronze and Iron Ages. All of them need further study, because they can tell a lot more new things.

Back in 2011, a wonderful exposition of archaeological finds called “Antiquities of the Samara Bend” was opened on the territory of the park. Just imagine that there are exhibits here belonging to different eras: the Stone, Bronze, Iron Ages and the Middle Ages. How interesting to see objects of the time of the Golden Horde live!

Since the city of Zhigulevsk is located very close, this exposition was opened with the support of its local history museum. Local residents do not always have the opportunity and time to visit museums. But those who come to the park on vacation just may have the very convenient case when it is quite possible to combine entertainment with educational excursions.

In general, the whole history of this region is closely intertwined with the names of such historical figures as Stepan Razin, Yermak, Emelyan Pugachev, Alexander Menshikov and the Orlov brothers.

Nature of the national park

The nature of the Samarskaya Luka is rich in various plants that cover the steppes with all sorts of flowers from spring to autumn. The vegetation of this area is of deep scientific importance. Six species of plants were once discovered here for the first time, three of which are not found anywhere else. This sunflower is monetifolia, Euphorbia Zhiguli, Kachim Zhiguli. Many plants of the Samarskaya Luka are quite rare and are found only in these places.

Very interesting for research are relic trees that have survived to the present from ancient eras (pre-glacial, glacial, post-glacial periods). Oddly enough, but the glacier could not reach the Zhiguli Mountains, and therefore practically did not affect the nature of the Samarskaya Luka. The largest number of relics can be found in the rocky mountain steppe.

Fauna

The fauna of the Samarskaya Luka is rather peculiar. This is reflected in the fact that at least thirty percent of vertebrates live here on the border of their ranges. These include: a viviparous lizard, an ordinary viper, a boreal owl, a hazel grouse and a capercaillie. All of them are representatives of Siberian and taiga species. And at the same time, typical representatives of the southern steppe species live next to them: a marsh turtle, a patterned snake, a golden bee-eater, and a water snake.

There are also relic species. It is interesting that they are separated from the main habitat by a fairly large distance. This is a patterned snake, beetle

Modern animals of the Samarskaya Luka are also diverse: roe deer, elk, wolf, wild boar, lynx, marten, hare, fox, muskrat and many others. All of them live here in comfortable natural conditions.

Mountains of Samarskaya Luka

On the northwestern part of the Samarskaya Luka is the Molodetsky barrow. From it begin which stretched 75-kilometer ridge. The mound is shrouded in many traditions and legends. Its height is slightly more than two hundred meters. It hangs over the waters of the Volga reservoir next to the Usinsky Bay.

One of the fairy-tale legends tells that once upon a time a young man fell in love with a beautiful girl Volga. But the beauty did not like him. Her heart was occupied by the Caspian. And so the young man decided to block her way, not to let her in to her opponent. Then the Volga deceived him. She put to sleep with her sweet speeches both the young man and his squad. And she ran away to her beloved. Much time has passed since then, the young man and his warriors have turned to stone, turning into the Molodetsky mound. And ever since then, the Volga has been lulling them with the murmur of its waters. Here is such a beautiful story of the emergence of the Samara Luka and the Zhiguli Mountains. However, this is just a legend.

In fact, once the path of the river was blocked by a fold formed due to the movement of earth layers. The Volga had no choice but to rush its waters around the obstacle. This is how the legendary and bizarre bend of the river was formed.

Molodetsky mound has long been of interest to many scientists. This is a truly unique place. It seems very severe, it is given such a view by completely sheer cliffs. And only one of the slopes is covered with dense forest, and relic pines grow at the very top of the mound. The beauty of this place cannot be expressed in words. On the Molodetsky mound you can meet quite rare representatives of the fauna: the white-tailed eagle and the Apollo.

From the top of the mound, a beautiful view of the reservoir, mountains and Usinsky Bay opens up. Even before the flooding, Kalmyk Island was located opposite the Kurgan, and behind it, on the opposite bank of the river, was the one-story wooden city of Stavropol. But after the flooding of the territories, naturally, the water level rose by almost thirty meters, and the lower part of the shallow Us River turned into the Usinsky Bay.

Molodetsky mound is especially popular among tourists. And on the shores of the bay, environmental events, sports competitions, and all sorts of rallies are often held. The mound is included in the tour route of the national park.

Maiden Mountain

Maiden Mountain is located next to the Molodetsky mound. She is also known as little sister. After flooding, the Kuibyshev reservoir hid more than half of the mountain under its waters. Maiden Mountain is also shrouded in legends, like the entire Samara Luka.

Mount Camel

This bizarre mountain is located near Krestovaya Polyana (the village of Shiryaevo). She got her name because of the bizarre shape of the peak, which seems to hang over the Volga and really resembles this animal. From the top of the mountain, a beautiful view of the surroundings and the banks of the Volga, Tsarev Kurgan and the Zhiguli Gate opens. The Tsarev Kurgan was once one with the mountain range.

As for the Zhiguli Gates, this is the narrowest place in the Volka valley, here the flow of the river is the strongest.

The bowels of Mount Camel are permeated with a network of adits, they are cool even in hot summers. Here, even the rails, along which the trolleys went at the beginning of the century, are still preserved. At present, the adits have become a haven for the largest colony of bats in all the Volga lands.

The village of Shiryaevo is located near the mountain. Repin once worked here. It has long been chosen not only by tourists, but also by climbers who have equipped a climbing wall on it.

The Zhiguli Mountains end near the village of Podgory, turning into a plateau. It rises above the river for about forty meters. Its surface is cut by ravines, hollows, alternating with rocks and forests.

Rock Visly stone

The rock is another local attraction. It consists of limestone rocks. And on its slopes grow lindens, oaks, maples, as well as violets, lilies of the valley, bean. The top of the cliff looks like a small platform. It offers a wonderful view of the Serpent's backwater, the Shelekhmetsky mountains.

snake backwater

At the foot of the cliff is Lake Vislokamenka (Snake). Although now it is more correct to call it a bay (after the construction of a cascade of reservoirs). People say that the lake got its name because there were always a lot of snakes here. And to this day, these places are considered the most serpentine in the entire Samara Luka. Do not think that it is directly teeming with them. More often you can meet snakes and snakes, but poisonous snakes are rare.

The white-tailed eagle, which is listed in the Red Book, lives in these places. Wild boars, roe deer, kites are also found on the adjacent lands of the backwater. Stony steppes and meadows, coniferous and deciduous forests prevail here. All this together perfectly combines and creates an indescribable beauty that attracts many tourists.

On the lands of Samarskaya Luka there is not only the Samarskaya Luka National Park, but also the Zhiguli National Reserve named after. I. I. Saprygin, which is one of the oldest in Russia.

edge birds

Many birds of the Samara Luka are listed in the Red Book. In general, there are more than two hundred species of birds here. Unfortunately, species diversity has declined over the last century. The black stork can be attributed to the disappeared. This situation is associated primarily with human influence. After all, roads were built here, oil was extracted, and the banks of the Volga were built up. All this to some extent affected nature.

Most of the bird species living on the Samarskaya Luka either nest here regularly or live sedentary. But there are also species that fly into the territory during migrations.

Capercaillie, black grouse and hazel grouse are especially interesting. There used to be a lot of them here. Now everything has changed. But, on the other hand, the white-tailed eagle became a settled permanent resident of these places.

The combination of floodplain and mountain landscapes creates unique conditions for numerous representatives of the animal world, many varieties of bats that have chosen local adits. So that no one disturbs the bats in winter, the entrances to the caves are blocked with gratings.

Instead of an afterword

Samarskaya Luka is the rarest natural phenomenon. The Ministry of Natural Resources created a national park for a reason. The local places are unique in terms of the composition of flora and fauna. Not so long ago, biosphere reserves were opened on the basis of the Zhiguli Reserve. Their goal was to ensure the protection of the lands of the Volga region and the landscapes of the Zhiguli. Most of the lands of the reserves are located on the territory of Samarskaya Luka. This is primarily due to the fact that these lands have not been affected so much by human influence. So, there is still a chance to somehow save everything that is currently. There are completely unique ecosystems on the territory of the bioreserve: the Samarskaya Luka plateau, stone steppes, mixed forests, etc. The Ministry of Natural Resources should carry out environmental protection measures aimed at protecting human impact on nature. Because not all human deeds are for her good.

The Samarskaya Luka National Park is a unique place that amaze with its beauties. Visit it and plunge into the wonderful world of nature.

Snakes: common snake, water snake, copper snake, patterned snake, common viper, steppe viper.

And in total, 11 species of reptiles live in the Samara region (still quick and viviparous lizards, multi-colored foot-and-mouth disease, brittle spindle, marsh turtle).

Often the spindle is mistaken for a snake, but it is a lizard, although it is legless!

And among snakes, vipers are dangerous (poisonous), and more - steppe, but copperhead is not dangerous for people.

where they are common.

Already ordinary.
It lives most often along the banks of stagnant and flowing reservoirs, including sea coasts and rice fields. Dives and swims very well, snakes can often be found far out to sea. It can climb mountains up to 2000-2500 meters above sea level. As a shelter, he uses heaps of stones and brushwood, voids under the roots, holes of rodents. It can also be found in the vicinity of human habitation.

Already watery.
It is strongly associated with water bodies (both salty and fresh), where it spends much more time than an ordinary snake. It feeds mainly on fish (60%), less often on amphibians. It spends the night on land, in the morning it warms up in the sun and goes into the water to hunt.

Copperhead.
They prefer forested glades, sunny edges, dry meadows and clearings in various types of forests, avoiding damp places, although they swim well. In the mountains they rise to a height of up to 3000 m above sea level, inhabiting rocky steppe areas with xerophytic vegetation. Their shelters are burrows of rodents and lizards, voids under stones and bark of fallen tree trunks, cracks in rocks.

Common viper.
The most common poisonous snake in central Russia. The common viper can be found in the forest and forest-steppe zones. It is more common in mixed forests, in glades, swamps, overgrown burnt areas, along the banks of rivers, lakes and streams. Distributed in the European part of Russia, in Siberia and the Far East (up to Sakhalin), in the north - up to 68 ° N. sh., and in the south - up to 40 ° N. sh. In the mountains, the viper is found at altitudes up to 3000 m above sea level.

Steppe viper.
A typical inhabitant of flat and mountain wormwood steppes, it is also found on steppe alpine meadows, dry slopes with shrubs, in clay ravines and semi-desert habitats. It rises to the mountains up to 2500-2700 meters above sea level.

Patterned snake.
It is well adapted to living in a variety of conditions in several natural zones: from steppes and deserts to coniferous and mixed forests. It occurs in floodplains and river valleys, tugai and reeds, in alpine meadows and marshes, salt marshes and takyrs, dunes and rice fields, in gardens and vineyards, in juniper forests (juniper woodlands) and on rocky mountain slopes, rising to a height of up to 3600 m above sea level. It climbs superbly and moves quickly both along the branches of trees and on the ground, swims and dives excellently. As shelters, it uses voids under the roots and in the root zone of trees, hollows and cracks in the soil.

Samarskaya Luka: problems of regional and global ecology.

2018. - V. 27, No. 2. - S. 253-256.

UDC 598.115.33(470.43) DOI: 10.24411/2073-1035-2018-10033

MATERIALS FOR THE SECOND EDITION OF THE RED BOOK OF THE SAMARA REGION: VIPER SNAKE

© 2018 T.N. Atyasheva, A.G. Bakiyev, R.A. Gorelov, A.L. Malenev

Institute of Ecology of the Volga Basin RAS, Togliatti (Russia)

Received 15.02.2018

Information on the distribution, abundance, characteristics of biology, limiting factors and protection of the eastern steppe and common vipers in the Samara region is given.

Key words: viper snakes, Viperidae, eastern steppe viper, Vipera renardi, Bashkirov's viper, Vipera renardi bashkirovi, common viper, Vipera berus, Nikolsky's viper, Vipera berus nikolskii, Samara region, Red Data Book, protection.

Atyasheva T.N., Bakiev A.G., Gorelov R.A., Malenyov A.L. Materials for the second edition of the Red book of the Samara region: vipers. - Data on the distribution, abundance, biology, limiting factors and conservation of eastern steppe vipers and common adders in the Samara region are provided.

Keywords: vipers, Viperidae, eastern steppe viper, Vipera renardi, Bashkirov's steppe viper, Vipera renardi bashkirovi, common adder, Nikolsky's viper, Vipera berus nikolskii, Samara region, Red book, conservation.

1 eastern steppe viper,

OR RENARD'S ASPER Vipera renardi (Christoph, 1861)

Conservation status: 3 - a rare species. In the Samara region on the northern border of the range. It is included under the trinomenon Vipera ursini renardi in Appendix 2 (List of objects of the animal world in need of special attention) to the Red Book of the Russian Federation (2001). Listed in the Red Data Books of the Republic of Tatarstan with the status of “Category I. Species that reduce the number, represented by the only one in the Republic of Tatarstan and the most

1 Atyasheva Tatyana Nikolaevna, research engineer, [email protected]; Bakiyev Andrey Gennadievich, Senior Researcher, Candidate of Biological Sciences, Associate Professor, [email protected]; Gorelov Roman Andreevich, research engineer, [email protected]; Malenev Andrey Lvovich, Candidate of Biological Sciences, Head of the Laboratory, [email protected]

northern population in the range" (p. 123), Saratov region (2006) with the category and status "3 - a small species with a relatively stable range and slowly increasing abundance" (p. 371), Ulyanovsk region (2015) with the category and status " 3b - a taxon with a significant range, within which they occur sporadically and with a small number of populations” (p. 432). Category in the first edition of the Red Book of the Samara Region (2009): 4/B - a rare species, gradually decreasing in numbers.

Spreading. Forest-steppe, steppe, semi-desert and desert zones in South-Eastern Europe, Central and Central Asia. Within the scope of the species established by W. Joger and O. Dely (Joger and Dely, 2005), V. re-m^ extends in the west to Romania, in the east to Altai and Dzungaria, in the north to Tatarstan, in the south to Northern Iran. In the Samara region, it is found in Bezenchuksky, Bolshegluchitsky,

Bolshechernigovsky, Isaklinsky,

Kinelsky, Krasnoarmeisky,

Pokhvistnevsky, Sergievsky,

Stavropol, Syzran, Khvorostyansky

and Shigonsky districts (Bakiyev et al., 2009, 2016; Gorelov, 2017; authors' data; Fig. 1). Adheres to steppe areas and sparse forests. The occurrence of adults in spring and autumn does not exceed 3-4 ind./ha, and in the summer months - 2 ind./ha. In the Krasnosamarskoye forestry (Kinelsky district), over the past 20 years, the number has decreased by at least 4 times.

Features of biology. The length of the body without a tail (L. corp.) reaches 630 mm (Magdeev and Degtyarev, 2002). In the Samara region, Renard's viper is represented by two subspecies - the nominative V. r. renardi and Bashkirov's viper V. r. bashkirovi. Bashkirov's viper differs from the nominative subspecies in larger sizes, frequent manifestation of melanism, and features of pholidosis; adheres not to steppe areas, as a nominative subspecies, but to sparse forests (Kinelsky, Sergievsky, Stavropolsky, Shigonsky districts). Vipers of both subspecies are active from April to September. They feed on mouse-like rodents, as well as lizards and orthopteran insects. Females give birth once a season, between

late July to early September, 4-19 cubs each (Bakiyev et al., 2004, 2015, 2016; Gorelov, 2017).

limiting factors. Overgrazing of livestock, plowing of indigenous biotopes. Burning dry herbaceous vegetation in habitats. High recreational load on stations. Direct extermination.

Security measures taken and required. There are no real security measures. It is necessary to limit economic activities that cause the destruction of habitats, limit the recreational load on habitats, explain to the population the need to protect the species, penalties for destruction, capture and sale.

Sources of information. 1. Red Book..., 2001. 2. Red Book..., 2016. 3. Red Book., 2006. 4. Red Book.,

2015. 5. Red Book., 2009. 6. Joger, Dely, 2005. 7. Bakiyev et al., 2009. 8. Bakiyev et al.,

Rice. 1. Sites of finds of the eastern steppe viper in the Samara region

VIPER ORDINARY

Vipera berus (Linnaeus, 1758)

Viper snake family - Viperidae

Conservation status: 3 - a rare species. In the Samara region on the southern border

range, is represented by populations that combine the characteristics of two subspecies - the nominative Vipera berus berus and the forest-steppe (Nikolsky viper) V. b. nikolskii (Bakiev u.a., 2005; Bakiev et al., 2009, 2015; Gorelov, 2017). The last form of many

herpetologists continue to recognize it as an independent species. Nikolsky's viper as an independent species V. nikolskii is included in the Red Data Book of the Russian Federation (2001) with the category and status "4 - indeterminate by status, little studied species" (p. 348). The species V. nikolskii is listed in the Red Book of the Saratov Region with the category and status “3 - a small species with a relatively stable range and stable abundance” (p. 370), the species Vipera berus is in the Red Book of the Republic of Tatarstan with the status “II category. A species common in limited areas, reducing the number under anthropogenic impact "(p. 122) and Appendix 3 [List (list) of objects of flora, fauna and fungi of the Ulyanovsk region that need special attention] to the Red Data Book of the Ulyanovsk region (2015). Category in the first edition of the Red Book of the Samara Region (2009): 5/B - conditionally rare species, gradually decreasing in numbers.

Spreading. Taiga, forest and forest-steppe zones of Eurasia. In the Samara region, it occurs in Borsky, Volzhsky, Krasnoyarsky, Sergievsky, Stavropol, Chelno-Vershinsky and Shigonsky districts, the city of Samara (Bakiyev et al., 2009, 2016; Gorelov, 2017; Fig. 2). According to some authors (Gorelov et al., 1992), the total number of common vipers in the Samara region. by the early 1990s. could be around 80

100 thousand copies. We believe this estimate is several times too high. The number continues to decline. In some places in Samara, the species disappears due to the destruction of wintering grounds.

Features of biology. Body length without tail (L. corp.) reaches 765 mm (Barinov, 1982). The body coloration of adults is usually black, while juveniles are greyish-brown with a dark zigzag pattern on the back. Typical habitats are forest clearings, edges and clearings, as well as floodplain meadows bordering the forest. The deadlines for seasonal activity are March and October. It feeds mainly on small mammals, rarely on birds, reptiles, and amphibians. The female in mid-July - early September gives birth to 6 to 19 cubs (Bakiyev et al., 2009; Gorelov, 2017).

limiting factors. Anthropogenic transformation of habitats. Destruction of wintering grounds. High recreational pressure on habitats. Catching. Direct extermination.

Security measures taken and required. It is protected in the Zhiguli Nature Reserve, NP Samarskaya Luka and NP Buzuluksky Bor. It is necessary to protect wintering sites from destruction, limit the recreational load on habitats, explain to the population the need to protect the species, and penalize the destruction, trapping and sale.

Rice. 2. Places of finds of the common viper in the Samara region

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Bakiyev A.G., Garanin V.I., Gelashvili

D.B. Vipers (Reptilia: Serpentes: Viperidae: Vipera) of the Volga basin. Part 1. Tolyatti: Kassandra, 2015. 234 p.

Bakiyev A.G., Garanin V.I., Litvinov N.A., Pavlov A.V., Ratnikov V.Yu. Snakes of the Volga-Kama region. Samara: Publishing House of SamNTs RAS, 2004. 192 p.

Bakiev A.G., Gorelov R.A., Klyonina A.A., Ryzhov M.K., Solomaikin E.I. Snakes from the Red Data Book of the Samara Region: new finds // Samarskaya Luka: problems of regional and global ecology. 2016. V. 25, No. 1. S. 129-130.

Bakiyev A.G., Malenev A.L., Zaitseva O.V., Shurshina I.V. Snakes of the Samara region. Tolyatti: Kassandra, 2009. 170 p.

Barinov V.G. Study of the herpetofauna of the Samarskaya Luka // Ecology and animal protection: Interuniversity. Sat. Kuibyshev, 1982, pp. 116-129.

Gorelov M.S., Pavlov S.I., Magdeev D.V.

Status of the common viper population in the Samara region // Byul. "Samarskaya Luka". 1992. No. 3. S. 171-181.

Gorelov R.A. Poisonous snakes of the Samara region and the properties of their poisons. Tolyatti: Kassandra, 2017. 124 p.

Red Book of the Republic of Tatarstan (animals, plants, mushrooms). Ed. 3. Kazan: Idel-Press, 2016. 760 p.

Red Book of the Russian Federation (animals). M.: AST; Astrel, 2001. 860 p.

Red Book of the Samara Region. T. 2. Rare species of animals. Tolyatti: Kassandra, 2009. 332 p.

Red Book of the Saratov Region: Mushrooms. Lichens. Plants. Animals. Saratov: Publishing House of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry Sarat. obl., 2006. 528 p.

Red Book of the Ulyanovsk region. M.: Buki Vedi, 2015. 550 p.

Magdeev D.V., Degtyarev A.I. Biology, distribution of the steppe viper (Vipera ursini renardii) in the Samara region and its breeding in the Samara Zoo // Scientific research in zoological parks. Issue. 15. Samara, 2002. S. 93-99.

Bakiev A.G., Böhme W., Joger U. Vipera (Pelias) nikolskii Vedmederya, Grubant und Rudaeva, 1986 - Waldsteppenotter // Handbuch der Reptilien und Amphibien Europas. Band 3/IIB: Schlangen (Serpentes) III. Viperidae. Wiebelsheim: AULA-Verlag, 2005. S. 293-309.

Joger U., Dely O.G. Vipera (Pelias) renardi-Steppenotter // Handbuch der Reptilien und Amphibien Europas. Band 3/IIB: Schlangen (Serpentes) III. Viperidae. Wiebelsheim: AULA-Verlag, 2005. S. 343-354.

In this selection, we have collected 10 of the most popular and inspiring places in Samarskaya Luka, which you need to visit at least once. So let's start.

1. Mount Strelnaya

The most popular place among tourists. It is also good that you do not need to get out of the car to visit it. Today, you can get to the most important historical and tourist peak of the Zhiguli, and bypassing the checkpoint where you buy a ticket.

Strelnaya Mountain offers breathtaking views of 270 degrees around, the entire Volga and the opposite bank are visible, and foreign delegations are constantly brought here to show off their native nature.

2. Mount Camel and its adits

Mount Camel is a point of attraction for many generations of sports tourists and rock climbers. The traditional peak of visiting occurs during the May holidays. In addition to the fact that there is a beautiful view of the Zhiguli Gates, an important component is the presence of limestone mining, which is located along the entire mountain at an altitude of about 60 meters above the Volga.

For those who like to conquer rocks, there is a spontaneous climbing wall near the very “head” of the Camel. By and large, there is something to see. The only inconvenience for the arrangement of the camp is the small amount of firewood around - believe me, over the years of active operation, everything that could be used as firewood has already been used up. And this is good: it is forbidden to burn fires on the territory of nature reserves and national parks.

3. Shiryaevo, Repin House Museum, Mount Popova

Shiryaevo is a truly original village that exists, among other things, due to the influx of tourists. During the last festival "Rock over the Volga", the band Rammstein was brought here to see the surroundings, and a few years earlier - President V.V. Putin. The Repin House Museum is a mandatory item in any tourist program, one can only say about it that it exists, but it does not leave a wow effect. Just a local history museum in miniature, and yes, the creator of the painting "Barge haulers on the Volga" lived here.

You can look at the village from a height by climbing the observation deck of Mount Popova. There is a monument to the working adit, and a little further and lower - a monument to the Volga Bulgaria. If you go around the observation deck and walk along the road along the Volga, you can see that it differs from the Camel in that the adits here are taken away with bars. According to the official version - to protect the population of bats that winter here.

4. Molodetsky Kurgan and Devya Gora

Molodetsky mound offers stunning views of the Usinsky Bay and the Zhiguli Sea! The area is very "photogenic", you can do it in almost any direction. A visit to Molodetsky is paid, but they take it modestly. You can leave the car at the parking lot, and related souvenirs are also sold right there - cards, key chains, etc. Devya Gora is located below the Kurgan and there is a monument to Yuri Zakharov and three of his comrades on it.

Unlike Strelnaya, here you have to climb the mountain on your own two feet. The ascent takes about 40 minutes at a leisurely pace. Hearts and obese people are advised to think three times before lifting.

5. Bogatyrskaya Sloboda

The famous epic complex, located to the west of the village of Zhiguli. The brainchild of Father Feoktist at one time amazed casual tourists, but time put everything in its place - here on foot and on horseback. There are also disadvantages - if you want to try all the services offered, you will have to fork out a lot. However, if you came to Gelandewagen, you will not feel the outflow of money. A country road leads to the complex, so take care of the suspension of the car. The traffic is small, there will be no inconvenience.

Among the services of Sloboda: ride horses, shoot from a bow, taste Russian cuisine, ride a yacht around the water area, visit a local museum and try on chain mail. Beautiful views of Usa and the opposite coast open from the banks.

6. Bald Mountain

In the region of Zhigulevsk - Morkvashakh, on the very bank of the Volga, Mount Lysaya stands. From here you can see. The place is quite accessible, the main thing is to find a good parking place closer to the mountain.

In Morkvashi themselves, by the way, there was a service center for the Razin Cossacks, who hunted for robbery. Here, the locals repaired plows, uniforms, cooked food and washed the clothes of the robbers.

7. Stone Bowl

The Stone Bowl is accessible to both the motorist and the hiker. It is only necessary to issue an appropriate permit or buy a ticket for a visit, after listening to the necessary instructions. It is better to visit here by car in the summer, and on foot you can get there at any time of the year from the village of Solnechnaya Polyana. Going down the slope to the Bowl, you will pass where you can get delicious water spouting straight from the rock. There is also a small chapel in honor of St. Nicholas, the World of the Lycian Wonderworker and benches for vacationing pilgrims and travelers.

There is a rich nature in the Stone Chalice, the slopes around are covered with dense forest, and mobile communications do not catch because of the mountains around. Facilities include a trash can and toilets. Going south along the Shiryaevsky ravine and turning your head to the left, you will see the Bear Grotto and Fox Grottoes.

8. Usinsky mound or Mount Lepyoshka

The mountain, which protrudes into the waters of the Zhiguli Sea, is located at the confluence of the Volga and Usa rivers. Initially, it was completely free from the forest, for which it was named Lepyoshka. From it you can clearly see the Golden Sands of Berezovka and the bay of the Molodetsky barrow, which passes into the Zhiguli pipe.

According to legend, the treasure of Stepan Razin was buried here. Unfortunately, the treasure is enchanted, and anyone who disturbs it is teleported to the deep forests (so the legend says).

9. Parking around the world at Brusyan

Everyone who has ever visited the Zhiguli around the world knows about it. After long passages along the Volga, here for three whole days the circumnavigators devote to rest - active and not very active.

The place is relevant for visits for only three days in the month of May, but what three days it is! A tent city for 600 people, musical equipment and a joyful atmosphere - you will find all this right here.

10. Cordon Charokaika

Not very visited, but a place that is significant for every tourist -. The cordon is located between the Kochkarny and Shiryaevsky ravines, and to visit here means to conquer Samarskaya Luka. Here is a forester's house and dogs bark, and wolves howl at night.

Among the difficulties is the lack of civilization within a radius of 10 kilometers. However, in an emergency, move south to Shelekhmeti.

Location of objects on the map: