Berezina Preserve

a state preserve in the Byelorussian SSR on the upper reaches of the Berezina River.

The Berezina Preserve was established for the protection and breeding of beavers. Its area is 76,500 hectares (1967). Of the forested area, 42.3 percent is covered with pine forest, 23.2 percent with birch woods, 18.2 percent with virgin black alder forests, and 11.9 percent with spruce. The remaining area is covered with gray alder, oak, and unusual ash forests. There are many swamps, as well as numerous channels, backwaters, and old channels of the Berezina River—the main habitat of beavers.

On the whole, the fauna at the Berezina Preserve is very diverse. Both northern and southern types of mammals (48 species) and birds (200 species) are found there. Mammals at the preserve include the elk, deer, boar, beaver, brown bear, mink, pine marten, otter, fox, and rodents—the blue hare, hare, squirrel, and others. Many species of valuable game birds, such as the capercaillie, black grouse, hazel hen, and willow ptarmigan, are widely distributed in the preserve. Scientific research on the ecology of the beaver, ungulates, and otter is conducted at the Berezina Preserve.