nis cygnis), white-tailed eagle (Haliaeetus albicilla), marsh harrier (Circus aeruginosus), merlin (Falco columbarius), hobby (Hypotriorchis subbuteo) and kestrel (Cerchneis tinnunclus). There is a unique colony of Polar tern (Sterna paradisea) on Malaya Muksalma island; occasionally exceeding 800 nestling couples, it is one of the largest colonies in Europe. Rare ecosystems are represented by co astal tundra (4.5% of the total territory) as well as herbaceous and herb bilberry areas. The coastal tundra is concentrated on the small islands of Bolshaya Muksalma, Malaya Muksalma, Zayatskie (Ha res) and the Eastern part of Anzer island. Reindeer have been successfully introduced onto Cape Kolguy, thanks to the unique species of tundra mosses which can also be found on the South-eastern part of Bolshoy Solovetsky island. The central and Northern part of this island are covered in spruce, mixed and smallleaved forests. Areas of motley grass resemble those found in middle taiga. This
herbage is the main characteristic of motley grass forests, e.g. forest geranium, oxalis, forest peas, etc. These ecosystems are not in keeping with the local climate and would not be able to survive without geothermal heating. Bolshoy Solovetsky Island: 45 species of flowers grow on the dry meadows of Saint Isaac’s Hermitage (Isakovo). These species are listed in the Red Data Book for the Archangel region and amount to 30% of the total number of species identified in the area. Isakovo is also a nesting place for a number of bird species, which are also listed. Every year, approximately 90 white whales reproduce off Cape Belushy (which actually translates as ‘White Whale Cape’) on Big Solovetsky Island during July and August. The Solovetsky Islands have hundreds of lakes, with most of the smaller lakes being of the deep reservoir type. The bottom of the lakes in the Solovetsky Archipelago are located below sea-level 91