Distribution and mammal fauna composition in protected areas of Saint Petersburg

The features of the historical formation of modern natural landscapes in the city area of Saint Petersburg are described. The role of protected areas of the city as an "ecological framework" for the preservation and maintenance of the urban environment and the specific problems of urban nature protected areas (PAs) are considered. The data on the location, area, and species diversity of mammals in each of the existing nature protected areas of Saint Petersburg are presented. The reasons for the differences in the faunas of the protected areas of the northern and southern coasts of the Gulf of Finland due to their landscape and geographical characteristics and the current state of habitats are revealed. Based on the above data, it is concluded that the increased anthropogenic load in some protected areas leads to the reduction or disappearance of mammal groups such as ungulates or large carnivores. However, in other areas, the composition of fauna remains close to the natural, and the number of observed mammal species is up to 80% of the region's inhabitants.