Kamchatka, Russia Photograph by O. Kosterin   Palaearctic Tundra   46,100 square miles (119,300 square kilometers) -- about the size of Louisiana and Tennessee combined Relatively Stable/Intact

· In the Ring of Fire
· Special Features
· Did You Know?
· Wild Side
· Cause for Concern
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In the Ring of Fire

The volcanoes of the Kamchatka Peninsula are not just quiet mountains in the background--they make their presence known. This ecoregion contains some of the most impressive, active volcanoes in the world. Although known for its geology, this area also has many large and interesting mammals.

Special Features

The Kamchatka Peninsula is situated along the Pacific "ring of fire," a zone of high tectonic activity. In addition to volcanic eruptions, other related volcanic phenomena can be found here, including geysers, thermal springs, mud pots, and volcanic vents. In addition, lakes and rivers thread through varying habitats, ranging from coastline and wetland to meadow and tundra. The high point, literally, is Klyuchevskaya Sopka, a smoldering volcano that, at 15,580 feet (4,750 m) tall, is the largest in Eurasia.

	Among male stone sheep, also called snow sheep and Siberian bighorns, dominance is based primarily on the size of a male’s horns. If two males have similar sized horns, they will duel, ramming their horns together until one animal emerges as the winner.

Wild Side

Mammals here are distinctive. Brown bears can be seen foraging for fruits, grasses, fish, and small animals, enjoying the occasional feast of a moose (elk) or reindeer (caribou) carrion. Stone sheep can be spotted high in the mountains, where they have adapted to walking on uneven terrain. Moose, the largest member of the deer family, prefer bogs and aquatic areas during the summer, but conifer forests in the winter. Black-capped marmots, beavers, and three bat species are also found in this ecoregion. Lake Kronotskoe provides habitat for two endemic species of fish, a type of char and a steelhead.

Cause for Concern

Ecotourism, fishing, and big game hunting are increasingly popular activities, and therefore of growing concern to this ecoregion’s biodiversity. Mining threatens certain protected areas.

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