Does your child know what a taiga forest is? No worries. Neither did I, until my kids and I studied biomes in our homeschool last year. Studying biomes can be extremely interesting, especially if you have animal lovers at home. These animals of the taiga printables will go great alongside your biome lessons.
The taiga is also called the coniferous forest or boreal forest. The taiga is an animal habitat that reaches extreme weather conditions. The weather is either a scorching summer or a bone-chilling winter. As a matter of fact, the spring and fall are so super short that if you blink, you might just miss it.
In its geographical location, you can find the taiga in the subarctic region of the Northern Hemisphere lying south of the Arctic Circle.
The weather conditions are quite harsh for many species to inhabit the area, but it still has its fair share of animals that call it home.
Animals you can find in the taiga:
- foxes
- lynxes
- bears
- minks
- wolverine
- grey wolves
- caribou
- reindeer
- moose
- Siberian tiger (It’s the world’s largest cat.)
OK, now, here is the fun part. Because animals live in different areas around the world with different temperatures, they are adapted to fit that area. Their bodies are made to withstand those weather conditions. Cool facts can help you teach your kids about the biomes and assist them in remembering the information.
Don’t miss this LIMITED TIME FREEBIE – Learning About Biomes Flip Book!
Check out these facts specific to the animals of the taiga:
Rodents store wood inside their lairs to live on during the winter (yes, I am starting with the rodents).
Many animals move to warmer areas in the severe weather conditions or hibernate in the taiga.
Those that do not hibernate have adjusted by God’s good grace to move unbothered and easily on the snow. For instance, reindeers and moose have broad, flat hooves to distribute their weight in the snow better. Oh, and of course, animals usually have very thick fur to keep their bodies warm.
The taiga biome is the largest terrestrial biome, stretching through Europe, North America, and Asia.
There are a lot of fires in the taiga area, but they are necessary to get rid of older and sick trees.
Not many varieties of plants are in the taiga. It is also called the coniferous forest because it’s covered with conifer trees.
Most of the softwood timber used to make paper comes from the taiga biome.
The temperature in the taiga biome is below freezing six months out of the year.
Most of the taiga biome is uninhabitable by humans, yet big cities like Toronto in Canada and Moscow in Russia are in the taiga biome.
Because the plants only grow during the summer, the growing season only lasts three months out of the year.
Many people confuse the taiga with the tundra; however, there are some differences. The main difference I see is that the tundra is, in fact, mostly treeless.
Sadly, the taiga is over-harvested for timber. In Canada, roughly one million acres of forest are cut every year, making the taiga an endangered habitat for animals. Which, in turn, means that many endangered animals in the taiga.
Scroll down for free printables and resources on animals of the taiga biome.
Wild Rescuers: Guardians of the TaigaWhat Is the Taiga? (Let’s Find Out! Biomes)Taiga: Forest of Frost and FireCounting in the Taiga (Counting in the Biomes)FoxMind TaigaTaiga (Biomes Atlases)Sastruga: A Tale of the TaigaPlants and Animals of the Taiga
These taiga biome printables will help your kids learn more about the animals in the beautiful taiga.
Grab your animals of the taiga printables below:
Taiga Biome FREE Download | Eni School Energy and Environment
Arctic Animal Update K-2nd | Royal Baloo
Canadian Animal Puppet FREE Printables | CBC.ca
FREE Taiga Ecosystem Worksheet | Education.com
Science + Art Activity: Structure and Function {Taiga Animal Adaptations} | Sockmonkey Science
Taiga Animals Coloring Pages / Siberian Tiger | Super Coloring
Taiga Plant and Animal Adaptations | Worksheetplace.com
Animal and Biome Worksheets|RedHelper.com
Taiga Forest Biome Internet Scavenger Hunt WebQuest Activity | Jersey Girl Gone South
Taiga Forest – Webquest | Linda McCormick
Biomes, Ecosystems, Food Chains, and Food Webs Unit Bundle | Jersey Girl Gone South
What Is The Taiga Biome? Discover The Boreal Forests Of The Northern Hemisphere | Active Wild
Tiger Facts & Worksheets | Kidskonnect
Studying all types of biomes can be really exciting for your kids, especially your animal lovers.
Here are some printables to study biomes in your homeschool:
FREE Biome Task Cards and Biomes of the World Sampler
I especially like teaching about the taiga because we live on a little island in the South Pacific Ocean, ions away from the Northern Hemisphere. Getting children to learn about other regions different from their own helps them understand the world around them.
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Jeannette is a wife, mother and homeschooling mom. She has been mightily, saved by grace and is grateful for God’s sovereignty throughout her life’s journey. She has a Bachelor in English Education and her MBA. Jeannette is bi-lingual and currently lives in the Tongan Islands of the South Pacific. She posts daily freebies for homeschoolers!
