Taiga Biome

The taiga is a huge forest that stretches across northern Russia, Canada, and Scandinavia. It is the largest land biome on Earth. The taiga is very cold, with long winters and short summers. Most trees here are evergreens like spruce and pine.

Tough Trees

Taiga trees are mostly conifers with needle-shaped leaves and cones. Their needle leaves help them survive the cold and keep water. The trees have a cone shape so heavy snow slides off their branches. These trees stay green all year long.

Taiga Animals

Animals in the taiga must be tough to survive harsh winters. Moose, caribou, and wolves are common. Bears hibernate through the coldest months. Lynxes hunt snowshoe hares through the snowy forest. Many birds migrate south when winter comes.

Fun Facts

• The taiga covers about 17 percent of Earth's land surface, more than any other biome.
• Winter temperatures in the taiga can drop to minus 65 degrees Fahrenheit.
• The taiga stores huge amounts of carbon in its trees and soil, helping fight climate change.

Did You Know?

The taiga is sometimes called the boreal forest. In Russian, the word taiga means 'land of little sticks' because the trees are often thin.