The third edition of Moldova’s Red Book has been recently released. The updated version of the book includes over 200 species of plants and more than 200 species of animals. Among these are 75 species of plants that weren’t considered rare, but now are close to extinction. The book also contains new chapters about rare species of alga and mushrooms, IPN reports.

The Red Book includes such species of plans as snowdrop, houseleek, cockscomb, white and common alder, white water lily and forest peony. Among the rare fauna species are such fish as huck (salmo hucho) and sturgeon, such birds as the big egret, common and curly pelicans and crested and singing swans, and such animals as gopher, marten, mink, polecat and wild cat.

The Ministry of Environment said the first edition of the book, issued in 1976, contained about 50 species of plants and animals close to extinction. The second book, released in 2001, included 126 species of plants and 116 species of animals.

The third edition is bilingual, in Romanian and Russian. It is rich in illustrations showing rare species of animals and plants. The volume was printed with money allocated from the Ecological Fund.