Lake Baikal

Lake Baikal Lake Baikal is a one-hour drive from Irkutsk. It is one of the unique wonders of the world. It is called the Pearl of Russia and the blue heart of Siberia. It contains 1/6 of the world’s fresh crystal clear water. The Baikal is the world’s oldest lake – its age is about 25 – 30 million years. And it is the deepest lake in the world – 1,642 metres.

Lake Baikal The Baikal has many beautiful places. One of them is the island Olkhon. It is the biggest of about 30 islands in Lake Baikal. The Olympic Flame has been lit in the Baikal as a part of the Sochi 2014 Olympic Torch Relay.

Lake Baikal Over 300 rivers flow into the lake but only the Angara-river runs out of it. There is a tale about an old man Baikal and his beautiful daughter Angara.

Lake Baikal The freshwater seal known as the nerpa, is endemic to Lake Baikal. It is also the only mammal which inhabits the lake. It is a mystery how they came to settle in the Baikal. The world-famous sable of the Barguzin region, distinguished for its dark and beautiful pelt, is the pride of the forest and endemic to the Baikal. In 1916 Tsar Nicholas II created the Barguzin Preserve for the protection of the sable.

Lake Baikal Golomyanka or Baikal oil fish is the most unique fish in the world. It gives birth to live young. The fish normally lives in depth of 200 – 500 m. It is so transparent that you can read a newspaper through it. Epischura, being the dominant zooplankton species there is endemic to Lake Baikal. It is the tiny epischura (no bigger than a poppyseed) that keeps Lake Baikal clean. It sucks tiny scraps of food out of the lake.

Lake Baikal Omul, the delicate fish, has always been a favourite with Siberians. It is caught, smoked and then sold widely in markets around the lake.

Lake Baikal People enjoy visiting the Baikal and admire its nature. They go fishing in summer and in winter. Беречь Байкал – святое дело:  Его судьба – у нас в руках!  Сама Природа нам велела,  Чтоб жил Байкал родной в веках!