Fauna
The landscape diversity of the Lower Dniester has conditioned the richness of the animal world. The territory is integrally and structurally rich, especially for the abundant population of birds. Alternating agricultural and natural lands creates conditions both for nest construction and for the feeding of all ecological groups of the ornithofauna, including the endangered and vulnerable species - the birds of prey and wetland birds. The territory is located on the Dniester cross-border birds migration route and includes an important point of resting and feeding, the only one of real value after the Dubasari reservoir. Moreover, probably here is one of the most important places in Moldova of mass concentration of waterfowls.
The territory is widely used for feeding by waterfowls that arrive from Ukraine. Among them are regularly observed flocks of Plegadis falcinellus (a rare species - an indicator of well-kept swamp) in the number of 200-300 birds, pelicans, a very large number of storks (Ardeola ralloides, Egretta garzetta, Ardea alba, etc.), Ciconia ciconia, some pray birds (Milvus migrans, Buteo Buteo, Falco tinnunculus, F. subbuteo), Hieraaetus pennatus, Falco vespertinus, etc. In total there are 228 of bird species, 127 of them are nesting here and 101 are migrants and seasonal migrants.
The most valuable for the water and wetland birds are the wetlands located in „Talmaza Meadow” and „Lunca tiganuselor” sector, next to the Palanca village, the "Pelicania" lake (Crocmaz village), "Unghiul Rascaieti" (between Rascaieti and Purcari villages). The Dniester old riverbed, all types of ephemeral channels and ponds located in the meadow are also important.
For birds of prey, the most attractive are open spaces such as meadows, plains, forest open spots. Among these are the Talmaza meadow, the wooded slopes in the Cioburciu-Stanca complex, the open spaces on the slopes and the plateau.
There are 54 mammalian species on the territory: fox, rabbit, otter, European mink, wild cat, mole, stoat, badger, bats (Myotis dasycneme, Nyctalus lasiopterus) and others. The deer are quite numerous among the hoof; the wild boar is common here, but not so numerous and can be met more often in wetlands. Here lives one of the most viable two populations of the noble deer on the territory of Moldova. In the area (in Talmaza Meadow) there is a large concentration of bats for Europe, 14 species all practically numerous.
Habitats of upper terraces are populated by viable populations of 4 rare snake species in Moldova: Elaphe longissima, Coronella austriaca, Elaphe quatuorlineata, Dolichophis caspius with a quite numerous population, and by perhaps the largest population of Emys orbicularis in Moldova that was registered in the valley.
Dragonflies, a group of insects characteristic for wetlands, counts 34 species, i.e. 64% of the estimated number of species in Moldova, indicating an impressive concentration of species representativeness. In the aquatic ecosystems, 83 species of fish were found.
Many species of amphibians, reptiles, mammals and especially birds that populate this territory are included in the lists of Bern Convention, the European Union Habitats and Birds Directives, many are included in the Red Books of Moldova and Ukraine.
