The Russian Government has approved the list of especially valuable wild animal species and aquatic biological resources included in Russia's Red Data Book. The list includes the Altai argali, the Amur tiger, the polar bear, the leopard, the snow leopard, the European bison, the saiga antelope, the saker falcon, the golden eagle, the gyrfalcon and the peregrine falcon, as well as the Amur, Atlantic, Beluga, Kaluga, Persian, Russian, Sakhalin, Siberian, starry and the Acipenser nudiventris sturgeon. 

In addition, clause no. 258 has been added to the Russian Criminal Code, stipulating criminal penalties for illegal catching, keeping, acquiring, storing, transporting, sending or selling of especially valuable wildlife. The offence carries a maximum fine of two million roubles.