Oksky Nature Reserve, east of Moscow, Russia Photograph by © WWF-Canon/Hartmut JUNGIUS   Eastern Europe: Bulgaria, Moldova, Romania, Russia, and Ukraine Temperate Broadleaf and Mixed Forests   280,800 square miles (727,200 square kilometers) -- about the size ofTexas Critical/Endangered

· Steppes to the South
· Special Features
· Did You Know?
· Wild Side
· Cause for Concern
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Steppes to the South

This ecoregion is a transition zone that links the temperate broadleaf forests of the north with the steppes (grasslands) of the south. The forests, grasslands, and riverside wetlands of the ecoregion provide habitats for hundreds of species of birds, reptiles, amphibians, and mammals.

Special Features

This vast ecoregion is primarily made up of lowlands intersected by many large rivers. Ample supplies of water and moderate temperatures allow a five-month growing season for many plant species. Forested areas feature trees such as common oak, littleleaf linden, field maple, and several ash species. Grasses such as grama, brome, and fescue dominate the steppe.

	The endangered Russian desman--a mole-like creature--is found in this ecoregion. It has an incredibly long, flared, flexible snout that grows to a length of about 8 inches (20 cm) and a tail of nearly equal length. Their beautiful reddish-brown fur and perfume-like musk made them a target for hunters until the late 1800s.

Wild Side

Wading and water birds such as common cranes, black storks, white-winged black terns, and citrine wagtails commonly use the wetlands of this ecoregion for breeding. The wetlands provide insects, frogs, and fish for the hungry birds. Amphibians such as pool frogs and green frogs, some of which are threatened, also inhabit these wetlands. European bison use this ecoregion’s grassy steppe habitat as grazing grounds. These bison, like American bison, can weigh more than 1,700 pounds (800 kg). The forest steppe viper can also be found here, though it is severely threatened and near extinction.

Cause for Concern

Many of the species found in this ecoregion are endangered. While some habitats are protected, such as Rzhycshevskoe Game Reserve in Ukraine and the Oka River Valley Biosphere Reserve in Russia, not enough land is preserved to ensure the survival of many species. Habitats are being fragmented by or lost entirely to increasing agriculture expansion, resource extraction, and industrialization.

For more information on this ecoregion, go to the World Wildlife Fund Scientific Report.