The North-East of Moscow has been surrounded by a huge forest for centuries - Losiny Island, and if in other areas such green areas are gradually being cut down and built up with high-rise buildings, then the status of a reserve and national park for now it protects this territory from outside interference. Even during the difficult war years, they continued to plant forests here and take care of the local inhabitants. All this made it possible to preserve a huge number of animal representatives and flora middle zone of the Moscow region. Residents of megacities sometimes need to get out into nature, and if they manage to see some wild animal, it will be a real delight. So, when we heard that very close you can admire real moose and deer in their natural habitat, we were inspired to go to the Moose Nursery.

Kennel Losiny Ostrov

A telephone number for contact was found on the national park website, since excursions on weekends are organized for individual visitors strictly by appointment. You must arrive either by 11-00 or by 13-00. The cost of the excursion is 424 rubles. Near the ranger section of the national park there is the Elk Biological Station. There are a lot of people who want to interact with animals, so it’s better to sign up in advance. When we arrived at the appointed time, the entire parking lot in front of the gates of the biological station was filled with cars, and we had difficulty finding a free space. There was a whole crowd at the gate, mostly with children of all ages. When we were allowed into the territory of the biological station, we found ourselves at the very end of this huge procession, so when we approached the first pet, the little elk calf Boniface, it was impossible to get close to him.

Kennel Losiny Ostrov

For now, I decided to at least take a photo from afar of an adult moose cow, which was in the next fenced compartment.

Kennel Losiny Ostrov

There is winter beauty all around.

Kennel Losiny Ostrov

Kennel Losiny Ostrov

Despite the fact that we bought carrots in advance to feed the animals (and we weren’t the only ones who did this), basically everyone had whole carrots. It can only be fed to an adult animal, and the elk calf eats only chopped vegetables.

Kennel Losiny Ostrov

They were given to us by an employee of the biological station. It took quite a long time to wait until the baby was more or less free. The children grabbed onto the elk calf and did not want to let it go. It was so funny to see how one boy closed his eyes in pleasure and repeated how cool this moose was. At this time, the guide told us about this pet and about the behavior of moose in wildlife. Since I didn’t approach right away, I couldn’t hear the whole story. It turned out that this calf was about nine months old, they found him somewhere either in the Tver or Yaroslavl region, he got away from his mother and walked alone. Such a baby in the forest was in danger of imminent death, so he was taken to a nursery.

Kennel Losiny Ostrov

We learned a lot of interesting things about the life of these animals. It turns out that in captivity they can live almost 20 years, while in the wild they can live about 12. Another unusual fact: The older the moose, the greater the chance that she will give birth to two cubs. We also learned with curiosity that at the end of summer - beginning of September, moose have mating season, at this time they are very aggressive. Moose perceive anyone shorter than them as a creature they can easily handle, so there is a good chance of attacking a person. In this case, you need to raise your hand up, preferably with some object that will visually increase your height, and shout loudly. And under no circumstances should you turn your back on him and run. It's better to hide behind a tree. Finally, most of the people left to feed the adult cow moose and we were able to pet the baby moose. I even felt sorry for him, he ran around his enclosure so scared.

Kennel Losiny Ostrov

Then we went to the adult animal.

Kennel Losiny Ostrov

Kennel Losiny Ostrov

While we were standing at the fence with the elk, we saw a whole herd of deer running out of the forest opposite.

Kennel Losiny Ostrov

Anyone standing nearby was very lucky to see them very close. The next cute pets of the biostation are wild boars.

Kennel Losiny Ostrov

The smaller and lighter one is a girl, and the darker and larger one is a boy. The female was very active: she ran, scratched her back, and jumped.

Kennel Losiny Ostrov

And the male just ate all the time. I managed to hear out of the corner of my ear that in a hungry year, a wild boar can eat its offspring, but this will allow it to survive and give birth to new cubs the next year. We stayed at the hogs for a very long time; all the people had already left somewhere. We thought that this was the end of the excursion, but we heard a noise behind the fence. They walked toward the voices and gasped: everyone was standing in a group around a whole herd of sika deer.

Kennel Losiny Ostrov

Moreover, these animals were not behind a fence like the previous ones.

Kennel Losiny Ostrov

Kennel Losiny Ostrov

Among them were several males with beautiful branched antlers.

Kennel Losiny Ostrov

I really didn’t want to leave these amazing animals. Despite the fact that the website stated that the excursion lasts 45 minutes, we spent almost two hours at the biological station. So if anyone wants to get unforgettable experience from communicating with wild animals, and zoos have already been explored, it’s time to go to Elk Island.

National Park"Elk Island", located in the northeast of Moscow and the Moscow region is perfect place for those lovers of forests and fresh air who do not want to leave the city. There is unique opportunity find yourself face to face with nature without leaving the metropolis. But you won’t be able to cook barbecue or bake potatoes over a fire here; the park’s territory is strictly guarded.

Elk Island is a paradise for families with children, athletes and history buffs. It will also be good for those who just want to relax, wander along forest paths and be alone with themselves.

About the park

The park's territory is more than 116 km2. The forest occupies about 80% of the total area, 25% of which are located in Moscow. Losiny Island is one of the first national parks in our country. Reservoirs (ponds) occupy 2% of the territory, and 5% are swamps. Several rivers flow through the park. The Yauza and Pekhorka rivers originate here. There is also a tiny river called the Elk.

The park has three zones:

• Specially protected area, slightly less than half of the entire territory
• Walking and sports area
• Recreation area for mass visits.

Since one thousand four hundred and six, the territory of the current Losiny Island was part of the Taininsky palace volost, the lands of which served as hunting grounds for Russian tsars and princes.

Since 1800, the first forest districts appeared here, and the organization of the territory began. And in 1937, Losiny Island became part of the “green ring” around the capital.

In one thousand nine hundred and eighty-three, Elk Island became known as a National Park. In 2004, there was an attempt to reduce the forest area for the construction of the fourth transport ring. Fortunately, this idea was not implemented.

What is remarkable about Losiny Ostrov Park?

Connoisseurs of wildlife will find many rare plants on the territory of the reserve, and a wide variety of animals can also be found here. Elk Island is known for the fact that moose still live here, which from time to time come out onto the roadways of the streets adjacent to the park.

Twenty years ago, sika deer could be seen in areas designated for public recreation. Now they have been taken deeper into the regional part of the forest to avoid the extermination of these rare animals by poachers.

One of the most favorite pastimes for families with children is hand-feeding squirrels. You can see them in the park, they are not afraid of people, and readily take nuts and seeds from your hands.

Elk Island is popular with cyclists. Here they have freedom - many wide and comfortable paths make it possible to ride through the forest without interference.

By the way, one of the main attractions of the park is the Paper Clearing. It was cut down in time immemorial to transport timber that was used to make paper.

Now it is well paved wide road, cutting through the forest from north to south, where in the summer you can ride a bicycle or roller skate without fear of getting hit by a car. After all, the entry of vehicles into the park is strictly limited.

Elk Island has several playgrounds decorated with wooden figures of animals from favorite children's fairy tales. In general, animal figures carved from wood are constantly found in the park, in the most unexpected places: they stand along the paths, and some peek out from under the bushes. Kids are delighted when they find a bear cub or a wooden bunny near the path.

Ecological centers and excursions

In the northern part of the park (not far from Prokhodchikov Street) there is an equestrian club where you can rent a horse and ride through the forest along safe routes. Nearby is the Museum of Russian Life, the Bird Garden rare bird reserve and a biological station.

In environmental and historical centers parks, which include “Russian Life”, “Red Pine”, “Abramtsevo”, “Tea Party in Mytishchi”, excursions are organized that will be of interest to children and adults. The main topics are history, Moscow studies, and ecology. For example, an excursion for children, called the “Trail of Fairy Tales,” passes through such interesting forest places as Bear Corner, Sosnovaya Grivka and others. Children get acquainted with different plants, learn to understand bird and animal tracks, and observe the habits of small animals. During the excursion, you can relax in one of the environmental centers, where you will always be treated to tea from a samovar, they will tell you many fascinating stories about Russian hunting in ancient times, about the first water supply system and many others.

It is believed that somewhere in the park the hunting lodge of Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich, or rather what is left of it, is lost. Historians say the house may be of cultural and historical value. There are also rumors that treasures are hidden in it. But most likely, this is just idle gossip.

Elk Island is a huge forest with ancient history. A few weeks are not enough for an ordinary person to explore the entire territory of the park. Any visitor will find something to their liking here. History buffs can visit exciting excursions, athletes ride bicycles in the summer and ski in the winter, children play and learn to understand and appreciate nature. Tourists take walks to the sources of famous Moscow rivers. At any time of the year it is a good place to relax with the whole family.

How to get there from the metro:

You can get to the park in different ways. One of them is the entrance from the street. Roterta, st. Prokhodchikov. The nearest metro stations are Medvedkovo and Babushkinskaya, you can also walk from the Los platform at Yaroslavskaya railway or get from the VDNH metro station by buses No. 172, 136. In addition, from the Ulitsa Podbelskogo metro station you can get to another part of the park by trams No. 36, 12, 29.

Moose biological station:who lives in the specially protected zone of the Losiny Ostrov National Park?

The Elk Biological Station is truly the pearl of the Losiny Ostrov National Park. Having created it in 2002, employees saved and raised a large number of elk calves that were once left without maternal care. Now on the territory of the Elk Biological Station you can see not only moose, but also sika deer, wild boars and even roe deer. But first things first.

Losiny Ostrov National Park is a unique natural complex surrounded by urban developments in Moscow and the Moscow region. It was created in 1983 and, along with Sochi, is one of the first national parks in Russia. Located northeast of Moscow, this 128 km2 forest patch is the size of a normal Central Russian city. (here you can put picture No. 1 - a map of Moscow and Losiny Island - from some parttext, you can write a signature under the picture) The Moscow Ring Road passes through the territory of the national park. highway, which divides the National Park into two parts - Moscow and Moscow region. So, without leaving the city of Moscow, you can find yourself in an unusually beautiful forest, in which all the trees that can be found in the forests of the Moscow region grow, moose, foxes, squirrels, hares, martens live, woodpeckers knock with their beaks, hawks and jays scream, other birds arrange their lives, the diversity of which is estimated at approximately 165 species. All this is the wealth of the Elk Island National Park, which visitors, observing the rules of behavior in the forest, can see with their own eyes.

Yours unusual name“Elk Island” received in the middle of the 17th century. Then it was an island of forest among arable land, now it is an island of forest surrounded by urban development. Speaking about the past, it is more correct to use the name “Elk-pogonny island”, “pogonny” because during the hunt for moose, they were driven from the dense forest to open spaces - fields and arable lands with the help of dogs, so it was easier to catch the animal. Elk meat was especially valued at that time, and the antlers served as an excellent trophy, and in the 18th-19th centuries in Russia, officer uniforms were made from the skin taken from the legs of animals - tight pants, which were called “leggings”. (picture No. 2: taken from Wikipedia - “Portrait of Life Hussar Colonel Evgraf Vladimirovich Davydov” by O. Kiprensky)

Years passed, and from the beginning of the 20th century, moose hunting began to be less popular - the number of individuals decreased, and the hunt itself was banned in an attempt to restore the population. Now, for 30 years, Elk Island has been a specially protected natural area, and the staff of the national park strictly monitors the number and living conditions of animals, the growth and development of plants. Inspectors ensure order within the boundaries of the national park and suppress any violations by visitors.

Elk biological station

The concept of “national park” implies carrying out three types of activities simultaneously: scientific, environmental and environmental education. And it was precisely for environmental, educational, and scientific purposes that the Elk Biological Station was created in 2002 in the ranger section of the national park, 2 km from the village of Druzhba, Mytishchi microdistrict. (picture No. 3: location of the Biological Station) The goals of the creation were to rescue lost moose calves and other animals, help them, provide food, and also to “dilute” the closed moose population of the national park with animals from other territories.

Thus, to enrich the gene pool of moose living in the park, 10 years ago a young elk Yadviga, a male Lukoil and a female Yanguta were brought from the Kostroma moose farm to the Moose Biological Station. The moose calves were raised at a biological station, carefully looked after, and closer to summer they were released into the wild, wearing special collars with radio tags-beacons to monitor the movement of their charges and the formation of the habitats of these animals. Every year, tamed moose gave birth to offspring, and the young animals were also fed and released into the wild. Some returned back - they feed at the Elk Biological Station and it is safe there, while others preferred wild conditions. The most “faithful” of the Elk Biological Station turned out to be the elk Malysha, who is now 12 years old. In 2004, employees of the National Park rescued her, taking her from a private zoo, where she was wasting away due to improper conditions of detention - the owners did not know how to feed the moose correctly, and she was in a cramped enclosure, which aggravated the situation. Finding herself on the territory of the biological station, with no restrictions on movement and a healthy diet, Malysha soon gave birth and gave birth to two calves at once. And now she is at the biological station with her young daughter - while she does not have a name, everyone simply calls the elk calf - Small. (picture No. 4 – Baby’s mother is lying down, Little one is standing next to her) The process of communication between moose and each other is very interesting; they make an unusual sound, similar to a mixture of mooing and meowing. This sound is also reproduced by the staff of the biological station, entering into a dialogue with the moose and creating an atmosphere of mutual understanding and trust.

More about moose

Moose are the most important and largest “vegetarians” of Elk Island. In winter, in the wild, they feed on the bark and branches of deciduous trees and pine trees; at the biological station they are also fed steamed oatmeal. In the summer, being in their natural habitat, these animals eat herbaceous plants: they especially love fireweed and some marsh plants, and enjoy eating mushrooms and rowan fruits. Elk is the largest species of the deer family; at the withers it is significantly taller than a person of average height, and in weight it is 5 times heavier. Only males wear horns, and the larger the horns, and no matter how large the male himself is, the more respected he will be by other individuals. (picture No. 5: Elk with horns, and picture No. 6 Moose and calf) The elk is called “Eared” because its horn resembles a plow in shape. The elk need the antlers themselves not for defense at all, but in order to organize fights during the mating season. (picture No. 7: Fights between males) For defense, the elk uses strong hooves, which, unlike a horse, can fight off predators in all directions at once. (picture No. 8 – Caption: An elk with one blow of its hoof can kill even a wolf) Moreover, moose run very fast - up to 56 km/h, they are excellent jumpers - they can jump over a fence 1.5-2 meters high from a standstill, and they are good swimmers and divers. (picture No. 9: Elk is swimming) For example, on hot days of summer, moose escape from blood-sucking insects by staying for a long time in ponds and reservoirs.

This unusual forest animal can be found at the Elk Biological Station and you can even feed it carrots, bread and apples. In the summer, when large animals go into the forests, wounded, lost or abandoned elk calves in need of help are brought to the territory of the biological station. It often happens that a moose cow that has recently given birth leaves for a short time from her offspring in search of food, leaves them so as not to bother them with long journeys, and people, seeing moose calves alone, think that they are lost, feed and pet them. The moose, upon returning, will never approach the little elk calf that the man stroked - he is already a stranger to her. This is how abandoned cubs appear and are brought to the biological station. In the summer, moose calves are fed with whole goat milk, for which purpose several goats are kept on the territory of the biological station year-round.

Who else can you meet at the biological station?

However, moose are not the only inhabitants of the Elk Biological Station. Beautiful sika deer come here to feed. (picture No. 10: Sika deer at the feeder) The history of the acclimatization of these animals in the Moscow region goes back to the mid-20th century, when sika deer were brought from the Far East of Russia to enrich the local fauna. Initially, even before the formation of the Losiny Ostrov National Park, sika deer were kept in special enclosures in the Mytishchi Forest Park and were later released into the wild. When the National Park was created, sika deer continued to be fed, because in the winter conditions of the Moscow region with high snow cover, these animals cannot survive on their own. The animals are accustomed to the fact that the national park staff does not drive them away, feeds them and protects them from dangers, so every year before the onset of cold weather, a whole herd of about 100 sika deer come to spend the winter at the Elk Biological Station. With the arrival of spring, when living conditions in the wild become less harsh, sika deer, like moose, go into the forests.

Also, another representative of the deer family, the roe deer Masha, has been living at the Elk Biological Station for 3 years now. She was found on the border of the Moscow and Tver regions, her mother was hit by a car, and tiny one-month-old Masha was found and rescued, taking her to a biological station. Although she is the only roe deer in the entire territory of the national park, Masha is not at all lonely - she is friends and often plays with the cats living next to her (picture No. 11: roe deer and cat).

If you're lucky, you can also meet wild boars at the Elk Biological Station (picture No. 12: wild boars, if the quality is not suitable, you can take picture No. 12 boar 2). These animals are practically not shown to people; they are shy and come to the biological station solely in search of food. A special feeding trough has been built for them, 500 m from the biological station, where oats, bread, and some vegetables are brought. However, even the employees of the biological station, who bring them food every day, cannot get close to these animals. Hearing the noise of the engine from afar, the wild boars run away into the forest. But as soon as the employee pours the food and moves about 100 meters away from the feeder, the wild boars immediately run up to feed. (picture no. 13) The most interesting thing is that not only wild boars eat the poured food, but also sika deer and even O rons - this is how they help several species of animals at once at the Elk Biological Station.

Losiny Island – extraordinary natural area, rich different types plants and animals. The Elk Biological Station is that section of the national park where, literally five kilometers from Moscow, you can see animals almost in natural conditions, learn the history of the distribution of species, their characteristics and habits. Anyone can come to the Elk Biological Station by pre-registering for an excursion. Come, we are always glad to have guests!

Good afternoon friends!

Today I want to take you on an excursion to one wonderful place - the Elk Biological Station in the Losiny Ostrov National Park. Excursions to the Elk Biological Station are conducted only in winter, since it is at this time that moose and herds of sika deer come to the territory of the biological station.

Just entering the territory, we see a huge herd of sika deer.

The entire population of sika deer on the territory of “Losiny Ostrov” numbers more than 200 individuals, half of which come to the biological station at a time for feeding (and we saw approximately the same number of deer during the excursion). During the hungry winter months, feeding areas for moose, deer, and wild boar are set up in the protected area of ​​the national park.

Brief information about the sika deer from Wikipedia:

Dappled deer(lat. Cervus nippon) is a mammal from the deer family (lat. Cervidae). In summer it has a reddish-red color with characteristic white spots; in winter it becomes dull. Height at the withers is 95-115 cm, body length 160-180 cm, weight 75-130 kg. Males are much larger than females. Lives in southern Primorye, brought to the central zone of the European part of Russia, to the Caucasus. Deer feed on herbaceous plants, fallen acorns, nuts and fruits, leaves of trees and shrubs, mushrooms, berries, and in winter they eat bark and young branches. The number of deer in the wild is less than 3,000 heads; the status of Endangered Species (I category) has been assigned.

Female sika deer do not have antlers.

The larger and stronger the male, the more horns he has. Usually the length of the horns does not exceed 80 cm, the approximate weight is 1.3 kg.

Sika deer sheds its antlers in late April - early May. Almost immediately he begins to grow new horns. Growing, non-keratinized antlers are called antlers. The antlers are covered with velvety leather with short soft hairs. If, during the growth of antlers, a deer hits them against something hard or otherwise injures them, then the antlers may grow deformed. For example, this deer has asymmetrical antlers and the lower process of the right antler is missing, which does not prevent it from being the main male in the herd. Do you see how much free space there is around him? The females and young deer around prefer to give up their feeding place to him.

If, after this deer sheds its crooked antlers in the spring and begins to grow new ones, it does not damage them anywhere again, then they will grow even and beautiful. As, for example, with other representatives of this herd.

By spring, the horn processes wear away (the white ends of the processes are visible in the photo). During the rut (October), males fight for females. Sika deer do not often wound each other in fights. But it may happen that two males, having locked horns, cannot separate. If they fail, the deer may die.

The female carries one, or less often two, cubs for 7.5 months. Fawns are born in June-July.

During the first year of life, the fawns grow small straight horns without shoots - an awl. They can be seen on the head of the left deer.

During the rut, the male maintains a herd of 10-20 females. Later, the herd breaks up and the males unite into small male groups. In winter, due to a lack of food, the sika deer of Elk Island unite in large groups, which can be observed on excursions. In the spring they will disperse throughout the surrounding area.

Of course, we went to the Elk Biological Station to see the beautiful elk. The elk is a solitary animal and does not gather in herds, so not many elk can be seen on the territory of the biological station at the same time. Adult moose are placed in large enclosures, while young ones are allowed to roam freely around the area.

This elk calf is not yet a year old. Two large tubercles are visible above his eyes - horns will subsequently grow from them.

Elk(lat. Alces alces) is an artiodactyl mammal, the largest species of the deer family. The height of the male at the withers is up to 2.3 m, body length is up to 3 m, weight is 360 - 650 kg. Females are smaller. On the territory of Eurasia, the largest subspecies is the Far Eastern one. The spatulate horns of males are huge - up to 180 cm in span (from the very left edge to the very right), weighing 20-30 kg. Males shed their antlers every year in November-December, and new antlers begin to grow in April-May. Females are hornless. Moose feed on trees, shrubs and herbaceous vegetation, as well as mosses, lichens and mushrooms; in winter they switch to feeding on branches and bark. Moose run fast (up to 56 km/h) and are excellent swimmers, looking for aquatic plants and can keep their heads under water for more than a minute.

Mashka the elk is a frequent guest at the biological station. She has a radio transmitter on her neck, which helps to learn about all the movements of the moose cow. Many of the reserve's moose wear similar collars. They do not cause any inconvenience for the animal, and help scientists better study the life of the beautiful forest giants.

In the territory Russian Federation There are two moose farms where extremely healthy moose milk is obtained. There were seven such farms on the territory of the USSR, where they tried to use moose not only as a dairy animal, but also as a riding animal. Due to the difficulties in breeding animals, these projects were considered economically ineffective.

And Masha’s daughter.

Also on the territory of the biological station, one roe deer lives in an enclosure; she was brought to Losiny Ostrov as a cub, she was taken out, raised, but she cannot be released into the wild - stray dogs could kill her. In general, dogs are a big problem for the national park. Dogs kill up to 20 sika deer every year. And not for food, but for hunting. They are afraid of moose, because a moose can easily kill a dog with a blow of its hoof. But a tiny roe deer will have no chance.

The excursion was wonderful and I really enjoyed it. Not only did I learn a lot of new and interesting things about the horned inhabitants of the forest, but I was also able to communicate with them. And petting a beautiful elk and feeding her by hand is an incomparable pleasure.

I would highly recommend everyone to go on an excursion to the Elk Biological Station, both you and your children will probably really like it!

Elk biological station
tel: 8-965-230-60-31
Yutkin Ivan Alexandrovich

Visiting hours: 11:00 and 13:00
(Due to the peculiarities of keeping animals at the biological station: feeding time, rest time)
Duration of the excursion: 45 min

PRE-REGISTRATION IS REQUIRED

Directions:
from metro station VDNKh : any regular bus going to the region. Drive to the 1st stop after the MKAD (~1 km from the MKAD - before turning to the village of Druzhba). Then walk about 40 minutes along main road through the village (~3-4 km) until the road ends in the forest. Then turn left (a checkpoint with a barrier is visible). Then go straight all the time (keep to the left at the fork) - we get straight to the gate of the biological station.
from the railway station "Los" : bus No. 547 (rarely runs - you need to check the schedule), or
from the Perlovskaya railway station ": bus or minibus No. 3 to the final stop (near the forest), then - checkpoint and straight ahead all the time (at the fork to the left).
by car - you can drive directly into the territory of the biological station, access is the same as from the VDNKh metro station.

Cost of the excursion: 220 rubles - adults, children ~100 rubles, parking on site (after the barrier) - 200 rubles.

There is a national park in Moscow, which is located on Losiny Island. This is where the green massif got its name. The first mention of the park dates back to 1406. The green area, located in the northeast of the capital, was a favorite territory for royal falconry and chase hunting. Since then, Losiny Ostrov (park) has not lost its attractiveness. But now the territory is used for other purposes.

History of the park

Losiny Ostrov National Park begins its history in the 15th century, but acquired its status later. The green area was first mentioned in written sources during the period when Moscow became the center of northeastern Rus'. At that time, the island belonged to the Taininsky volost, located along today's Yaroslavl highway. Ivan the Terrible loved to hunt in the park.

Later, a royal hunting farm arose on the island. The park began to be called the “Sovereign Trap Route” and acquired the status of a nature reserve. As before, hunting was organized in this territory, often with foreign ambassadors. The name “Losiny Island” appeared only in 1710. In the 18th century. it began to belong to the state department, and hunting on the territory was prohibited to everyone without exception.

With the advent of St. Petersburg, attention to the park decreased significantly, and it began to be overgrown with trees; trees were mercilessly cut down by peasants for their own needs. In 1804, the position of the island changed. Forest protection has resumed again. In 1805, the island again received the status of a nature reserve.

In 1822, the territory was divided into 55 quarters with a surrounding common boundaries one boundary shaft. Organized forestry began only in 1842. Until 1912, audits were carried out natural resources, and the island was divided into 4 parts: one operational and three reserved. Losiny Ostrov National Park was created in August 1983. It was based on a ministerial resolution. Since then, the territory has been considered a very valuable natural monument.

Description of the park

Today, Losiny Island (Moscow) has an area of ​​over 116 square kilometers. Forest occupies 80 percent of the territory. It is divided into three zones. The first is the reserved part of the park, which is home to rare species of birds and animals. This part of the island is closed to visitors and is carefully guarded.

The second zone is called educational excursion. Tourist and ecological routes are laid through this territory, accompanied by professional guides. There are four visitor places in this part. The third zone is called recreational. It is intended for mass recreation.

Park location

"Losiny Island" (Moscow) originates from Sokolniki. It borders with the cities:

• Korolev;
• Balashikha;
• Mytishchi;
• Shchelkovo.

Losiny Ostrov Park is located on an area of ​​12,000 hectares, but only 2/3 of the forest area is located outside the Moscow Ring Road. From the southwestern border of the reserve to the Kremlin is only eight kilometers. The length of the park from south to north is 10 km, from east to west - 22 km.

Nature

"Losiny Ostrov" (park) is very beautiful. In the center of the territory there is a small swamp, from which the river begins. Yauza. There are also many streams and reservoirs in the reserve, forming a large water network. Previously, the park contained canals over 100 kilometers long. Now most of them are abandoned.

The largest canal is called Akulovsky and has been operating to this day. It appeared in the pre-war years and connects the Pekhorka and Yauza rivers with the Volga. Through the Akulovsky Canal, water flows into the Russian capital.

Separately, it is worth paying attention to Alekseevskaya Grove, which for a long time also had the status of a nature reserve. This is a unique territory, which is 250 years old. There are many swamps in the park, and they occupy a fairly large area.

Vegetable world

"Losiny Ostrov" (park) always, even in war time was under the close attention of the country's leaders. Trees were constantly being added to the area. Thanks to the work of many volunteer designers, the reserve has acquired a wonderful appearance, as evidenced by numerous reviews.

Now more than 800 species of various plants grow in the park: lichens, mushrooms, etc. Many plants are listed in the Red Book of Russia. Pine trees mainly grow in Alekseevskaya Grove. Miraculously, centuries-old linden trees, taiga spruce forests and oak forests have been preserved. The grass cover is also varied. Growing in the park:

• forester;
• lungwort;
• wintergreen;
• buttercup anemone;
• two-leaf mine;
• sedge;
• Zelenchuk.

There are a lot of wild strawberries, blueberries and wood sorrel growing in the park, which visitors love. Since it abounds in swamps, there is also an abundance of lingonberries on the territory.

Animal world

The animals of Losiny Island are also very diverse. There are over 280 species of birds and animals in the park. Among them:

• 180 - birds;
• 8 - amphibians;
• 4 - reptiles;
• 40 - mammals;
• over 20 freshwater fish.

“Losiny Ostrov” (park) got its name for a reason. Since ancient times, many horned artiodactyls lived in the territory. The number of moose has survived to this day. In the post-war period, sika deer also appeared in the reserve.

Wild boars began to breed, and now their population has increased significantly. The number of beavers has been completely restored. There are many fur-bearing animals in the reserve:

• ermine;
• squirrel;
• black ferret;
• marten;
• mink.

At night, the park is dominated by owls and bats. Rodents get along well with animals, harmoniously complementing the reserve with their presence.

Biological station on Losiny Island

The biological station in the Losiny Ostrov park is located next to the ranger’s station. This is a place where you are allowed not only to look at artiodactyls. You can pet and feed not only adults, but also young ones. Moose take this calmly. These are very cautious animals and in the wild they always try to avoid meeting people.

At the biological station, artiodactyls are already accustomed to the presence of humans and willingly make contact. The staff of the reserve tell those interested about the peculiarities of animal behavior, their domestication and nutrition. There are separate individual excursions. In winter you can even watch sika deer. Visits to the biological station are by appointment.

How to get to the biological station?

It will take a long time to get to the biological station. There are many regular buses from the VDNH metro station towards the region. You need to take any of them and get to the first stop after the Moscow Ring Road. Get out before turning towards the village of Druzhba. Then walk along the main road for another 40 minutes. The path will take approximately 4 kilometers and will pass through the village.

When the road reaches a forest, you need to turn left. From there you will be able to see the barrier with the checkpoint. Go straight all the time, turn left at the fork and get to the biological station, which is equipped with a gate.

Losiny Island (park): how to get there?

There are several ways to do this. The entrance to the park is located from Prokhodchikov and Roterta streets. Nearby are the Babushkinskaya and Medvedkovo metro stations. The park can be quickly reached from the Los railway platform.

Or you can get there by buses No. 136 and 172, which depart from the VDNH metro station. Trams No. 29, 36 and 12 go to another part of the park. They depart from the station. m. "Ulitsa Podbelskogo".