Fauna is represented by squirrels, rabbits, skunks, birds, deer, mountain lion, bobcat, timber wolf, fox, and black bear. Only scattered remnants of original temperate forests remain. Boreal forests, or taiga, represent the largest terrestial biome. Seasons are divided into short, moist, and moderately warm summers and long, cold, and dry winters. The length of the growing season in boreal forests is 130 days.
Temperatures are very low.
Precipitation is primarily in the form of snow, 40-100 cm annually. Soil is thin, nutrient-poor, and acidic. Canopy permits low light penetration, and as a result, understory is limited. Fauna include woodpeckers, hawks, moose, bear, weasel, lynx, fox, wolf, deer, hares, chipmunks, shrews, and bats. Current extensive logging in boreal forests may soon cause their disappearance.