The majority of the territory of the Reserve is covered in taiga forest of differing types (among others deciduous trees, pines and cedars). In the high mountain tundra, covered in stones and lichens, cedar bushes grow, and nearer to the snow fields are areas of beautiful Alpine meadow. On the shore of Lake Baikal remain fragments of the ancient relic steppes. The flora of the Reserve includes more than 800 different species, including 36 endemic to the Baikal region and 9 species included in the Russian "Red List of Endangered Species." Mosses (230 species,) lichens (248 species) and mushrooms (around 100 species) are also widely represented.

The animal world of the Reserve is also rich and varied. There are 50 types of mammal, around 240 species of birds, and more than 30 types of fish. The Reserve is renowned for its high numbers of bears. It is not without reason that one sector of the Reserve is named "Shore of brown bears." Rare and interesting birds such as the white-tailed eagle, black stork, scoter, ruddy shellduck and the grey crane can be found in the Reserve.