Realm of the Volga

S01E02

Episode 2

This episode leads from the forest border of Central Russia through the southern Russian steppes to the Caspian semi-deserts. It grazes the edge of the Asian continent along the Kazakh border. The Volga has hardly any inflows here. It has collected its water in the forested north and now flows into the interior of the continent. Smaller rivers branch off from it to return to the main stream a few hundred kilometers further on. In their up to 20 kilometers wide stream valley, river forests press forward into the dry south. With them the strange Russian Desmans that only occur in the Volga Basin. The strange water moles hunt for insects and fish in poorly flowing old arms. Along the middle course of the Volga, steppe marmots colonize the dry slopes and great bustards display on the fields. Steppe foxes, young cranes and saiga antelopes are messengers of the Central Asian steppes, which extend far from the Volga to Eastern Mongolia.