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Key Places for biodiversity

Learn the wildlife of the Altai Mountains

Russia · Mongolia

Ahe Altai Mountains is one of E.O. Wilson's Key Places, irreplaceable for life on Earth. 3,968 species have research-grade observations there on iNaturalist, and KnowKi turns the most recorded into short lessons with real photos.

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Āki the kiwi, KnowKi's guide

Most recorded here

The species with the most research-grade observations on iNaturalist, and how many each has. Most recorded doesn't mean native.

Birds

  1. Black Kite Milvus migrans1,184
  2. Steppe Eagle Aquila nipalensis1,046
  3. White Wagtail Motacilla alba925
  4. Water Pipit Anthus spinoletta835
  5. Upland Buzzard Buteo hemilasius801
  6. Northern Wheatear Oenanthe oenanthe796
  7. Horned Lark Eremophila alpestris784
  8. Red-billed Chough Pyrrhocorax pyrrhocorax689
  9. Cinereous Vulture Aegypius monachus686
  10. Ortolan Bunting Emberiza hortulana685

Plants

  1. Siberian larch Larix sibirica916
  2. Siberian pine Pinus sibirica719
  3. Spiny pennywort Orostachys spinosa719
  4. Elephant's-ears Bergenia crassifolia562
  5. Daurian Rhododendron Rhododendron ledebourii543
  6. Scots pine Pinus sylvestris529
  7. Shrubby cinquefoil Dasiphora fruticosa468
  8. Altaic Violet Viola altaica369
  9. Hybrid Stonecrop Phedimus hybridus369
  10. Siberian Catmint Nepeta sibirica320

Mammals

  1. Long-tailed Ground Squirrel Urocitellus undulatus660
  2. Grey Marmot Marmota baibacina289
  3. Siberian Chipmunk Eutamias sibiricus281
  4. Argali Ovis ammon250
  5. Alpine Pika Ochotona alpina224
  6. Eurasian Red Squirrel Sciurus vulgaris167
  7. Pallas's Pika Ochotona pallasii124
  8. Tolai Hare Lepus tolai116
  9. Siberian Ibex Capra sibirica92
  10. Red Fox Vulpes vulpes69

Insects

  1. Spongy Moth Lymantria dispar425
  2. Bryodema gebleri192
  3. Black-veined White Aporia crataegi187
  4. Asian Lady Beetle Harmonia axyridis169
  5. Small Tortoiseshell Aglais urticae144
  6. Nomion Apollo Parnassius nomion143
  7. Silver-washed Fritillary Argynnis paphia137
  8. Green-veined White Pieris napi129
  9. Map Araschnia levana107
  10. Dryad Minois dryas99

How a trip works

A trip has its own trail of lessons: meet six species, match them to new photos, then practice with four choices. Species you learn go into your Fieldbook, and starting a trip earns its Passport stamp. Your home place stays as it is.

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Species lists and counts from research-grade observations on iNaturalist, as of October 2026. KnowKi is not affiliated with the E.O. Wilson Biodiversity Foundation. Free, with no ads, no account and no purchases.