Siberia - A region of central and eastern Russia stretching from the Ural Mountains to the Pacific Ocean.

Taiga -tai·ga n. [Russian taĭga, of Altaic origin.] -A subarctic, evergreen coniferous forest of northern Eurasia located just south of the tundra and dominated by firs and spruces.

A zone of forest vegetation encircling the Northern Hemisphere between the arctic-subarctic tundra's in the north and the steppes, hardwood forests, and prairies in the south. The chief characteristic of the taiga is the prevalence of forests dominated by conifers. The dominant trees are particular species of spruce, pine, fir, and larch. Other conifers, such as hemlock, white cedar, and juniper, occur locally, and the broad-leaved deciduous trees, birch and poplar, are common associates in the southern taiga regions. Taiga is a Siberian word, equivalent to “boreal forest.”

The northern and southern boundaries of the taiga are determined by climatic factors, of which temperature is most important. However, aridity controls the forest-steppe boundary in central Canada and western Siberia. In the taiga the average temperature in the warmest month, July, is greater than 50°F (10°C), distinguishing it from the forest-tundra and tundra to the north; however, less than four of the summer months have averages above 50°F (10°C), in contrast to the summers of the deciduous forest further south, which are longer and warmer. Taiga winters are long, snowy, and cold—the coldest month has an average temperature below 32°F (0°C). Permafrost occurs in the northern taiga. It is important to note that climate is as significant as vegetation in defining taiga. Thus, many of the world's conifer forests, such as those of the American Pacific Northwest, are excluded from the taiga by their high precipitation and mild winters.

Soviet Union -  former federation of Communist states in Eastern Europe and northern and central Asia from 1922 until 1991. Moscow was its capital. Then the largest country in the world, the Soviet Union was the Communist superpower during the Cold War during 1945 - 1991.

Communism - A system of government in which the state plans and controls the economy and a single, often authoritarian party holds power, claiming to make progress toward a higher social order in which all goods are equally shared by the people.

Caucasus - a region in Eurasia bordered on the north by Russia on the southwest by Turkey, on the west by the Black Sea, on the east by the Caspian Sea, and on the South by Iran. The Caucasus includes the Caucasus Mountains and surrounding lowlands. The Caucasus is one of the most linguistically and culturally diverse regions on Earth. It is an area of great ecological significance. Among its native animals are leopards, brown bears, wolves, European bison, and golden eagles The natural landscape of the Caucasus is one of mixed forest, with substantial areas of rocky ground above the tree line.

The first three Siberians imported into the U.S. in 1990