Golden Eagle

The golden eagle (Aquila chysaetos) is a predator common to the northern hemisphere. It lives in taiga, but not exclusively. They are highly territorial, and have been known to control areas 60 square miles in area.  About 90 percent of their diet consists of mammals, such as rabbits, ground squirrels and prairie dogs. However, their feeding varies greatly depending on the region.

 49°21'25.32"N
122°49'16.09"W

Brown Bear

The brown bear (Ursus arctos) is a large mammal native to Russia, North America, Romania, and Norway. At maturity, these can weigh anywhere between 660 and 1720 pounds. These animals chiefly feed on spawning salmon (Salmonidae), which are highly abundant in much of taiga. However, they sometimes predate larger animals, such as bison, moose elk, deer, and bighorn sheep.




Brown bears regularly compete with wolves for prey. Sometimes, a bear will scare a wolf away from its kill. However, if the wolf doesn't back down, a battle between the bear and the wolf pack may insue. Some other species against which the brown bear competes are the siberian tiger and black bear.


55°43'53.53"N
38° 8'42.99"E

Icelandic Sheep

          Icelandic sheep (Ovis aries) are a great example of domestic animals raised in taiga. For one thousand years, these sheep have been bred for their fur, milk, and meat. Currently, they are raised almost exclusively for their meat. Originally introduced to Iceland by Vikings, these sheep are now raised in Iceland, Canada, and America, among others. Due to the cold weather they usually are raised in, icelandic sheep are highly efficient herbivores.

 65°40'29.40"N
 18° 8'41.71"W

Coniferous Trees in Reykjavík, Iceland

This is the edge of a coniferous forest in Reykjavik. Forests like these are a major characteristic of taiga.

There is quite a variety of flora in taiga, but its forests can be separated into two basic types. This is an example of a closed canopy forest, which is found in more southern locations within the taiga biome. These are dense forests with mostly coniferous trees, and also contain wildflowers and shrubs. Some common species include birch (Betula), pine (Pinus),and fir (Abies). Further north are lichen woodlands. True to their name, these are sparse plains which consist mostly of coniferous trees and lichens. Parts of this type also have stunted growth, often due to permafrost. There is much less biodiversity in the north, but some species are the black spruce (Picea mariana) and tamarack larch (Larix laricina).

 64° 3'30.54"N
 21°54'30.56"W