EnchantedLearning.com Biomes - Habitats

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A taiga, also called a boreal forest or northern coniferous forest, is a cold woodland or forest. Taigas span across the northern parts of North America, Europe, and Asia. Taigas are generally located south of tundras and north of temperate deciduous forests and temperate grasslands. The taiga is the largest biome on Earth, covering about 50 million acres of land (20 million hectares); this is about 17% of the Earth's land area. Taiga is a Russian word for marshy pine forest.

The taiga is characterized by a cold, harsh climate, a low rate of precipitation (snow and rain), and short growing season. There are two types of taigas: open woodlands with widely-spaced trees. and dense forests whose floor is generally in shade.

Taigas are relatively low in animal diversity because of the harsh winters. Some taiga animals are able to cope with the cold winter environment, but many migrate south to warmer climates during the winter and others go into hibernation.

Some animals found in taigas:

Ant Ants are social insects.

Arctic Fox This small, white fox lives farther north than any other land animal.

Arctic Hare This white hare lives in the Arctic and has huge hindfeet.

Arctic Wolf Arctic wolves are carnivores that live in Northern Canada.

Badger The badger is a nocturnal mammal with a black-and-white striped face.

Bald Eagle The bald eagle is a large bird of prey. It is the symbol of the USA.

Beaver The beaver is a large rodent that builds dams and dens.

Black Bear A large, black to brown bear.

Brown Bear The Brown Bear is a large bear with a muscular hump on its shoulders.

Canada Goose The Canada goose is a large North American bird that honks.

Caribou Caribou are herbivores that live in Arctic regions.

Dall Sheep A wild, white sheep from the Arctic and sub-Arctic of North America.

Deer The deer is a shy, fast-moving plant-eater.

Earthworm An earthworm is a little animal with a long, soft body and no legs.

Ermine Also known as stoat or short-tailed weasel, this tiny, ferocious mammal lives in cold areas.

Fox The fox is a meat-eating mammal with a long, bushy tail. The red fox lives in the taiga.

Gray Wolf Gray wolves are carnivores that live in packs and howl.

Great Horned Owl A large bird of prey from North and South America.

Husky A hard-working, fast-running sled dog that was originally from Siberia.

Lemming Lemmings are small, short-tailed rodents from North America and northern Eurasia.

Lynx A powerful wild cat from Eurasia and North America.

Malamute The Alaskan malamute is a powerful sled dog from Alaska.

Moose The moose is the largest member of the deer family.

Musk Ox Musk oxen are large, hairy mammals that live in the far north.

Muskrat Muskrats are rodents that often build dome-shaped houses.

Red-Tailed Hawk The Red-Tailed Hawk is a bird of prey, a raptor from North America.

Reindeer Reindeer are herbivores that live in Arctic regions.

Scorpion A venomous arachnid with a large stinger on its tail.

Short-tailed Weasel Also known as stoat or ermine, this tiny, ferocious mammal lives in cold areas.

Snow Goose Snow Geese are migratory birds from North America.

Snowy Owl A white owl that lives in the North American tundra.

Squirrel Squirrels are rodents. They live in a variety of biomes, including the taiga.

Weasel A carnivorous mammal that has a long, slender body and short legs.

White-Tailed Deer The white-tailed deer is a shy, fast-moving plant-eater.

Wolf Wolves are carnivores that live in packs and howl.

Wolverine The Wolverine is a large, ferocious weasel that lives in cold areas.

Woodland Caribou A rare caribou from Canada that eats lichens.

An Enchanted Learning Web Page Biomes - Habitats

Arctic	Desert	Chaparral or Scrub		Taiga = Coniferous Forests	Grassland		Tropical Rainforest	Pond	Ocean
Antarctic	Tundra	Cave	City	Temperate Deciduous Forest	Savanna	Prairie	Freshwater Marsh	Swamp	Intertidal Zone	Coral Reef	Sunlit (Euphotic) Zone	Twilight (Disphotic) Zone

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