Saiga reserve black earth. Black Lands (reserve). State Nature Reserve "Black Lands" and its climate, relief and general information

In the Kalmyk steppes, a region that can hardly be called comfortable for wildlife, there is reserve "Black Lands". This is one of the youngest natural reserves, created to protect and replenish the population rare representatives flora and fauna, in particular the saiga antelope and the unique tulip. The reserve is also interesting because it consists of two areas with different purposes, ornithological and steppe, significantly distant from each other.

I will tell you about this little-known corner of life in the desert region, about its animals and plant inhabitants, the main attractions, and also why the reserve was named “Black Lands”.

Where is the Black Lands Nature Reserve located?

State natural biosphere reserve“Black Lands” is located at the address: Republic of Kalmykia, Chernozemelsky district, Komsomolsky village, Nekrasova street, 31. Phone +78474391254.

What's the best way to get there?

The village of Komsomolsky, where the administration of the reserve is located, can be reached by road. To do this, you need to follow the P216 highway, from to east direction, from Astrakhan - in the west. In the village of Yashkul you should turn south.
In order to visit the ornithological site, you need to follow the P216 highway from Elista to the southwest, from to the northeast. In the village of Divnoye, turn towards Manychskoye and get to the village of Yashalta.

Visit

Visiting the territory of the Black Lands reserve is allowed subject to agreement with the administration. To do this, you must apply no later than two weeks before the date of the visit with a written application or by email.
The following ecological routes are available to travelers:

1. "Birds of Lake Manych Gudilo". Duration 11 kilometers, designed for 3.5 hours. Available from April to October, the most successful season is April-May. Excursion to the ornithological section of the reserve. During the route, travelers get acquainted with natural environment bird habitat of the reserve. Representatives of the avifauna such as pink pelicans, spoonbills, ibis, red-breasted geese, and lesser white-fronted lesser white-fronted geese are observed. In addition, on the territory of the site there is a large settlement of marmots. One of the main attractions of the reserve is the Schrenk tulip, which visitors can see blooming in the spring.
2. "The Saiga Trail". Duration 12 kilometers, designed for four hours. Available all year round except for May, the period of birth of saiga offspring. The route passes through flat terrain. Along the way, visitors observe steppe vegetation. In the blowing sand dunes one can observe traces of ancient burials of various cultures of the 16th-4th centuries. BC. On the route you can meet a variety of fauna, such as fox, hare, and corsac fox. There is a high chance of seeing a saiga. In addition, numerous rodents are observed: hamster, vole, gerbil. Travelers also encounter many representatives of birds: larks, cranes, steppe eagles, swallows, starlings. Tourists will also visit the visitor center, where they will receive information about the reserve, its history, inhabitants, as well as research and educational work.

Pelicans on Lake Manych Gudilo.

Animals and plants of the Black Lands reserve

Flora

The reserve's plants are represented by 291 species. Typical representatives are feather grass, wormwood, common grass, camel thorn, grass grass, chamomile, and potassium solyanka.
One of interesting representatives is Parmelia wandering, a type of lichen. This plant was used in traditional Kalmyk medicine as an anti-inflammatory, hemostatic and bactericidal agent.
In total, 13 species of protected plants grow on the territory of the reserve, including Schrenck's tulip, dwarf and leathery iris, Korzhinsky's licorice, crimson larkspur and Sarmatian bellvalia.

Schrenk's Tulip in the ornithological area of ​​the reserve during flowering.

Fauna

The following representatives of the animal world are observed on the territory of the reserve:

• fish – 22 species;
• amphibians - three species;
• reptiles – 12 species;

• mammals – 36 species;
• birds – 245 species.

Occurs a large number of rodents: ground squirrel, marmot, jerboa, tarbagan, hamster, gerbil, vole. In addition, brown hare, white-breasted and big-eared hedgehogs, shrews, and muskrats are common. Representatives of predators: wolf, corsac fox, fox, marten, weasel, ferret. Also inhabited are wild boar, badger, and raccoon dog.
Protected: 15 species of breeding birds, including pink and Dalmatian pelican, steppe eagle, white-tailed eagle and demoiselle crane.

Saigas at a watering hole, a symbol of the reserve and one of the most protected inhabitants.

Interesting facts about the Black Lands reserve

• Interesting origin names of the reserve. Before its creation, a group of scientists studied satellite images of the territory. By coincidence, it was at that time that there was no snow on the area, which was in particular contrast with the snow-covered surrounding areas. Over time, the situation with snow ceased to be any different from other places, but the name stuck.
• Saiga antelope is a symbol and one of the most protected animals of the reserve. At one time they were on the verge of extinction. All the “fault” of saigas is in their horns, which were highly valued in China as raw materials for medicines, which especially attracted poachers. After saigas were taken under protection, their numbers began to increase. On this moment There are about 15 thousand of them, which is still considered insufficient for the full existence of the population.
• Lake Manych Gudilo, on the banks of which the ornithological section of the reserve is located, has a salty water composition, which suggests its marine origin.

Reserve "Black Lands" - video

Blooming tulip steppe and saigas in the Chernye Zemli reserve. “Black Lands” is the only anthropogenic desert that is the object of study by hundreds of scientists from all over the world.

I am impressed visiting this reserve. I was glad that I was able to visit both sites, and especially that I was able to catch the tulips blooming. Unfortunately, when visiting the steppe area, we were not able to see saigas, although there was still something to see.

The unique biosphere reserve "Black Lands" is the only Russian reserve in which natural landscapes characteristic of deserts, semi-deserts and steppes are studied. In addition, he is trying to preserve the Kalmyk saigas by increasing their numbers. The reserve, created in 1990, was awarded the status of a biosphere reserve by UNESCO on December 3, 1993.

Location of the reserve

The reserve spreads across the southern European lands of Russia. In the same place where the Black Lands reserve is located, the Republic of Kalmykia is located. The national park consists of two sections, the natural and climatic conditions of which are sharply different.

The steppe territory covers the northwest Caspian lowland. It stretches along the lower reaches of the Volga and Kuma rivers, lands occupied by the Yashkul and Chernozemelsky districts. The ornithological territory extends around Lake Manych-Gudilo. It is located in the Kuma-Manych depression, or rather, in its center. Her possessions stretched across the Yashaltinsky and Priyutnensky districts.

The natural park is adjacent to the villages of Komsomolskoye, Khultukha, and the village of Priyutnoye. The Black Lands Biosphere Reserve is a place where two major world ecosystems meet. Dominion is shared in it temperate zone with herbaceous communities and a continental zone with freezing winters.

Geographical features

Spread over a gently undulating low-lying plain formed by vast massifs of ridge-hilly sands, national park"Black Lands". The reserve is located on lands covered with sediments formed during the period of the Caspian Sea's advance onto land. Therefore, its sandy lands are highly saline.

The junction of the Azov and Caspian lowlands - an ancient strait 500 kilometers long - was transformed into the Manych depression. The only reminder of the once existing strait is Lake Manych-Gudilo, located in the depression.

Initially, the lake's waters were overly mineralized. During the drought, the reservoir almost completely dried up. What remained of it was a chain of tiny lakes with salt water, connected by tiny channels or completely scattered. Artificial watering has reduced the salinity of the lake, but helps keep its width in the range from 1.5 to 10 kilometers, and the depth in the center of the extreme depression of the relief to 5-8 meters.

Ideal for brown hares and eared hedgehogs, gophers and jerboas reserve "Black Lands". Animals classified as predators have defined their hunting territories. In the vastness of the park, foxes and wolves, light-colored horis and bandages hunt. Occasionally you can come across steppe mice, black-legged jerboas and mottled jerboas. The most common artiodactyl is the saiga. The protected saiga population, which virtually disappeared in the 1980s, has now grown to 150,000 individuals.

A community of waterbirds nests on twelve islands. Colonies of rare lake birds stand out against the background of common bird species. Common gulls, spoonbills and cormorants become neighbors of a few pink and Dalmatian pelicans. Flocks of Anseriformes, migrating from long wintering grounds, take a break on the lake. During the migration period, white-fronted and gray geese are encountered.

Vegetation of the reserve

Two zones converge on the territory of the park - desert and dry steppe. The color palette of the desert and steppe changes depending on the season. In spring, the colors of ephemera in national park"Black Lands". The reserve is filled with colorful inflorescences of irises and tulips, interspersed with the greenery of cereals and growing wormwood with foliage in gray-green tones.

With the arrival of summer days, silvery-whitish islands shine among the lilac-brown thickets of brome and bluegrass that have gained strength. At the end of summer, brownish-yellow shades dominate, with which alfalfa, thinlegs, wheatgrass and wormwood blaze. In autumn, against a grayish-brown background formed by black wormwood and wilting grasses, interspersed with dark green saltwort communities are visible, gradually turning into blood-red spots.

• Schrenk's Tulip –Tulipaschrenkii (RF CC 2005, category 2)
• Dwarf killer whale –Irispumila
• Belvalia Sarmatian – Bellevalia sarmatica
• Crimson larkspur – Delphinium puniceum (RF CC 2005, category 2; Kalmykia CC, category 2)
• Leathery iris – Iris scariosa (RF CC 2005, category 2; Kalmykia CC, category 3)
• The most beautiful feather grass - Stipa pulcherrima (RF CC 2005, category 3; Kalmykia CC, category 2)
• feather feather grass – Stipa pennata (RF CC 2005, category 3; Kalmykia CC, category 2)
• Low bow - Allium pumilum (RF CC 2005, category 3)
• Maykaragan Volzhsky – Calophaca volgarica (RF CC 2005, category 2; Kalmykia CC, category 2)
• Wheat grass - Elytrigia stipifolia (RF CC 2005, category 2; Kalmykia CC, category 2)
• Asparagus shortleaf – Asparagus brachyphyllus (RF CC 2005, category 3)
• Zingeria Bieberstein - Zingeria biebersteiniana (RF CC 2005, category 2; Kalmykia CC, category 2)

Red Data Book of the Republic of Kalmykia – plants

• Two-flowered tulip –Tulipabiflora (Kalmykia CC, category 3)
• Koch's poultry farmer –Ornithogalumkochii (Kalmykia CC, category 3)
• Solonchak iris –Irishalophila (Kalmykia CC, category 2)
• Besser's hernia -Herniariabesseri (Kalmykia CC, category 2)
• Rough katran –Crambeaspera (Kalmykia CC, category 3)
• Schober's saltpeter -Nitrariaschoberi (Kalmykia CC, category 3)
• Two-spikelet ephedra –Ephedradistachya (Kalmykia CC, category 1)
• Strawberry clover – Trifolium/Amoria fragiferum
• Fenugreek straight – Trigonella ornthoceras
• Licorice naked - Glycyrrhiza glabra

As of 2004, the reserve recorded: 91 species of insects (including 7 species of the RF CC), 15 species of amphibians and reptiles, 223 species of birds (including 34 species of the RF CC and the IUCN list), and mammals – 31 species.

Red Book of the Russian Federation - insects

• Steppe rack –Saga pedo (RF CC 2004, category 2; Kalmykia CC, status 2; IUCN-VU, European Red List, Annex 2 of the Berne Convention). P prefers grass-forb and, above all, feather grass virgin steppes; It is also found in other arid landscapes (shrub-rocky or wormwood steppes), where it inhabits only ravines and other depressions with abundant grass-herbaceous vegetation, as well as areas overgrown with bushes.
• Hungarian ground beetle – Carabus hungaricus (RF CC 2004, category 2; Kalmykia CC, status 2). Usually lives in unplowed steppes with wormwood-grass vegetation, in adjacent biotopes (forest belts, meadow herbs along the bottom of ravines, etc.) and in mountain steppes ( up to an altitude of 1200 m above sea level). Disappears in crop rotation fields.
• Ascalafus motley - Ascalaphus macaronius (Kalmykia CC, category 2)
• Swallowtail swallowtail – Papilio machaon (Kalmykia CC, category 1)
• Bolivaria shortwing - Bolivaria brachyptera (Kalmykia CC, category 2)

Red Data Book of the Russian Federation – birds

• Bustard –Otis tarda dybowski (RF CC 2000, category 2; Kalmykia CC, category 3; IUCN-VU; CITES Appendix 2). Protected in 4 nature reserves. The typical biotope is grass steppes and wide meadows, but does not avoid dry ridges among wetlands and sands with meadow-like areas. It often nests in swampy meadows along river valleys and around forest lakes surrounded by larch taiga. It nests in agricultural fields (wheat, barley, millet, corn, sunflower, potatoes), arable lands and pastures. A migratory species for the reserve.
• Demoiselle crane –Anthropoides virgo (RF CC 2004, category 5; Kalmykia CC, category 5). Inhabits flat and slightly hilly steppes and semi-deserts. In foothill trails it nests in steppe river valleys and in mountain steppes. The East Asian population is known to nest on gradual forest edges. Prefers fescue-feather grass and wormwood-grass steppes, with low grass stand, pebble, gravelly, hard clay areas or solonetzes. Settles in sandy deserts. In the last decade, the species began nesting in agricultural fields. Breeds in the reserve.
• Spoonbill –Platalea leucorodia (RF CC 2000, category 2; Kalmykia CC, category 3; Appendix 2 of CITES, Appendix 2 of the Bonn Convention, Appendix 2 of the Berne Convention). Inhabits floodplains and river deltas, fresh and salt lakes. Breeds in the reserve.
• Lapwing –Chettusia gregaria (RF CC 2000, category 1; Kalmykia CC, category 1). During nesting time it is associated with landscapes of semi-deserts, dry and mountain steppes. In the northwestern part of the range it penetrates into forb-grass steppes. Favorite habitats - Various types wormwood and wormwood-grass low-growing associations with patches of salt marshes and bald patches devoid of vegetation. In dry mountain and rocky steppes there are areas with gravelly soils and very sparse grass. In recent decades, it has developed overgrazed pastures and fallow lands in areas where forage grasses are sown.
• Dalmatian Pelican –Pelecanus pelecanus (RF CC 2000, category 2; Kalmykia CC, category 3; IUCN-VU; Appendix 1 of CITES; Appendix 2 of the Bonn Convention, Appendix 2 of the Berne Convention). It prefers deltaic flowing reservoirs rich in fish, fresh and brackish lakes with thickets, islands of salt lakes devoid of surface vegetation. Breeds in the reserve.
• Buzzard – Buteo rufinus (KK RF 2004, category 3; KK Kalmykia, category 5), protected in 6 reserves. The main nesting habitats are steppes, semi-deserts and deserts with sparse vegetation. Breeds in the reserve.
• Burial ground –Aquila heliaca (RF CC 2004, category 2; Kalmykia CC, category 1; IUCN-VU; Appendix 1 of CITES; Appendix 2 of the Bonn Convention, Appendix 2 of the Berne Convention). Typical nesting habitats are dry forests with tall pines, surrounded by open areas, forested beams, island forests of birch, oak, poplar. Required condition habitat – abundance of food supplies: settlements of gophers or marmots, large colonies of rooks, etc. Breeds in the reserve.
• White-tailed eagle –Haliaeetus albicilla (RF CC 2004, category 3; Kalmykia CC, category 5; IUCN-LR; Appendix 1 of CITES; Appendix 2 of the Bonn Convention, Appendix 2 of the Berne Convention). Nesting habitats are confined to coastal landscapes (sea coasts, valleys large rivers, lake shores and islands). Found annually on migration.
• Lesser white-fronted goose -Anser erythropus (RF CC 2004, category 2; Kalmykia CC, category 2; IUCN-VU; Appendix 2 of the Bonn Convention, Appendix 2 of the Berne Convention). It prefers narrow V-shaped valleys of streams and areas of valleys with high steep slopes or even cliffs, where it most often locates nests. Flying view.
• Pink Pelican –Pelecanus onocrotalus (RF CC 2000, category 1; Kalmykia CC, category 3; Appendix 1 of the Bonn Convention, Appendix 2 of the Berne Convention). It lives in river deltas - flowing reservoirs with developed reed thickets, interspersed with open reaches. On salt lakes Manych-Gudilo and Manych, devoid of above-water vegetation, nest exclusively on islands. Breeds in the reserve.
• Savka –Oxyura leucocephala (RF CC 2004, category 1; Kalmykia CC, category 3; IUCN-VU; Appendix 2 of CITES; Appendix 2 of the Bonn Convention, Appendix 2 of the Berne Convention). Inhabits water bodies with dense thickets of reeds and rafts. Nests are located at the water's edge. On the lake Manych-Gudilo prefers deep-water (up to 3-5 m) bays formed at the confluence of small brackish rivers with developed reed borders. A species that periodically nests in the reserve.
• Steppe kestrel –Falco naumanni (RF CC 2000, category 1; Kalmykia CC, category 3; IUCN-VU; Appendix 2 of CITES, Appendix 2 of the Bonn Convention, Appendix 2 of the Berne Convention). Inhabits various types of flat and hilly landscapes of steppes and semi-deserts. In small numbers it penetrates into the southern forest-steppe and deserts. A migratory species for the reserve.
• Steppe eagle –Aquila nipalensis ( RF CC 2004, category 3; CC of Kalmykia, category 2; CITES Appendix 2; Annex 2 of the Bonn Convention) is protected in 14 nature reserves. Settles exclusively in open spaces, avoids agricultural lands. It makes nests on the ground or old stacks of straw. The success of reproduction depends on fluctuations in the number of main foods, mainly gophers). Breeds in the reserve.
• Little Bustard –Tetrax tetrax (RF CC, category 3; Kalmykia CC, category 5; CITES Appendix 2 ), protected in 7 nature reserves. Prefers virgin, fallow areas of the steppe, steppe semi-deserts with low sparse but varied herbaceous vegetation. Breeds in the reserve.
• Stilt -Himantopus himantopus (RF CC 2004, category 3; Kalmykia CC, category 5; Appendix 2 of the Bonn Convention). It nests on open muddy banks of brackish and fresh water bodies of steppe and desert zones, sometimes in grassy swamps, on salt marshes in river and lake valleys, etc. It readily colonizes all kinds of random spills in meadows and steppes, settling ponds and other artificial reservoirs, often in close proximity to human habitation. Breeds in the reserve.
• Black-headed Laughing Gull – Larus ichthyaetus (RF CC 2004, category 5; Kalmykia CC, category 5). Breeds on islands of seas, estuaries, large (mainly salty) lakes and, less commonly, reservoirs of steppe, semi-desert and desert zones isolated from terrestrial predators; during non-breeding time it stays on sea ​​coasts and the banks of large bodies of water. Breeds in the reserve.
• Avocet – Recurvirostra avosetta (RF CC 2004, category 3; Kalmykia CC, category 3; Appendix 2 of the Bonn Convention, Appendix 2 of the Berne Convention). Inhabits open islands and coasts of brackish lakes and seas in steppe and desert zones - both muddy and sandy or shell-rich. Breeds in the reserve.

Mammals

• Saiga –Saigatatarica (IUCN Red List: Critically Endangered (CR); CITES Appendix 2; Convention on Migratory Species (CMS) Appendix)
• Dressing – Vormela peregusna (RF CC, category 1; Kalmykia CC, category 1; IUCN-VU). It is confined to steppe undisturbed biotopes, and therefore this species is characterized by a mosaic distribution within its range and its modern range in Russia is a lacy network of individual areas. It has been noted that ligation is disappearing in all areas used for agricultural crops. It is protected in 3 more reserves, in addition to the Black Lands reserve.

“Black Lands” is a state natural biosphere reserve established on June 11, 1990. The Black Earth Nature Reserve is the only testing ground in Russia for the study of steppe, semi-desert and desert landscapes, as well as for the protection and study of the Kalmyk saiga population.

The Chernye Zemli reserve includes two distinct territories - the main Chernye Zemli area protects and restores the saiga population, and the Lake Manych-Gudilo area is a wetland of international importance, with nesting and wintering grounds for many rare species waterfowl and semi-aquatic birds. The latter was created by transferring the territory of the former republican reserve “Manych-Gudilo” to the reserve in May 1996.

The main section of the Black Lands reserve is located in the Caspian lowland, between the lower reaches of the Kuma and Volga rivers. The total area of ​​the Chernye Zemli reserve is 121,900 hectares.

Areas of plots:

• “Black Lands” (steppe) - 94,300 hectares,
• “Manych-Gudilo” (ornithological) - 27,600 hectares.

The protected area of ​​the reserve is 91,170 hectares. The Black Lands Nature Reserve received official UNESCO biosphere status on December 3, 1993.

The main part of the territory of the Chernye Zemli reserve is a gently undulating low-lying plain with a slight slope to the southeast, with massifs of finely hilly and hummocky sands. Located in the northwestern part of the Caspian lowland.

The main territory of the Chernye Zemli reserve is a gently undulating low-lying plain with a general slope to the southeast from 0 to 29 m.

The morphostructure of the Caspian lowland contributed to the penetration of numerous transgressions of the Caspian Sea and the formation of accumulative flat and gently sloping plains.

Massifs of hummocky-ridge sands arose as a consequence of aeolian processes during the continental period of relief formation 10-12 thousand years ago, and more late time due to anthropogenic activities and deflation.
Zonal vegetation is represented by white wormwood, tyrsik-white wormwood and wheatgrass-white wormwood communities on brown semi-desert sandy loam soils in combination with semi-desert solonetzes and with massifs of weakly fixed sands with psammorphyl vegetation. Soil-forming rocks are Upper Quaternary marine sediments.

The Kuma-Manych depression, where the “Lake Manych-Gudilo” section is located, is an ancient strait almost 500 km long, which once connected the Azov and Caspian lowlands.

Soils of the Chernye Zemli reserve

The soil cover of the main area of ​​the Chernye Zemli reserve is represented by zonal brown semi-desert sandy loams and their complexes with semi-desert solonetzes in combination with pockets of deflated sand.
In hydromorphic conditions, meadow-brown leached meadows, carbonate ones, as well as solonchaks and solonetzes are common. The salinity of these soils depends on the level of occurrence of mineralized groundwater and the nature of the soil-forming rocks. The type of soil salinization is chloride-sulfate and chloride.

The banks of reservoirs and islands of the Manych-Gudilo site are composed of clays. The soil cover is represented by southern chernozems.

Climate of the Chernye Zemlya reserve

The climate of the main cluster is sharply continental: summers are hot and dry, winters are usually snowless. average temperature January −6.5ºС, July +24.5ºС degrees. The minimum temperature in January is −35ºС, the maximum temperature in July is +42ºС. The name “Black Lands” is not associated with the color of the soil (it is light brown), but with the constant lack of snow in winter. This area has been used for winter grazing since ancient times.

In contrast to the main site, the climate of the Manych-Gudilo ornithological cluster is moderately continental. Winter is mostly cloudy, moderately cold, and relatively snowy.

Summer is warm and very warm, with little clouds. The Primanychye region is characterized by a stable manifestation of not only arid, but also dry-dry type of weather. The average air temperature in spring is +7-9°C, in summer +21-24°C, in autumn +7-1°C, in winter -8-9°C.
Average annual temperature- about +8-9°С. The amount of precipitation ranges from 300 to 400 mm.

Eastern, southeastern, less common westerly winds. Complete freeze-up on Lake Manych-Gudilo is not observed every year (once every three years) in December. Ice break-up is observed at the end of February, at the beginning of March.

Temporary appearance of ice fields (2–7 days) may occur in November.

Flora and fauna of the Chernye Zemlya reserve

The vegetation cover is represented by desert wormwood-turf-grass steppes of feather grass, wormwood (black and Lerch), wormwood, prostrate grass, and chamomile. Sands in the overgrowing stage are characterized by grate, camel thorn, potassium solyanka, and wormwood (sandy and broom). There are communities of steppe meadows and salt marshes.

On the Manych-Gudilo islands, turf-grass steppes with Lessing's feather grass and ephemeral synusia are common. From rare plants there are Taliev's cornflower, feather grass (the most beautiful and Zalessky's), and Schrenk's tulip.

Sands in the overgrowing stage are characterized by gristle grass, camel thorn, potassium solyanka, sand wormwood and broom. There are communities of steppe meadows and salt marshes.

On the Manych-Gudilo islands, steppes with Lessing's feather grass and ephemeral synusia are common. Among the rare plants in the Black Lands reserve are Taliev's cornflower, beautiful feather grass and Zalessky's feather grass, and Schrenk's tulip.

The fauna of the “Black Lands” consists of typical steppe and semi-desert species. The background reptiles are the multi-colored and fast foot-and-mouth disease, the long-eared roundhead and the spiny tail, sand boa, yellowbell, lizard snake, steppe viper.

The most common mammals are saiga, brown hare, long-eared hedgehog, small gopher, large and small jerboas. Less common are the steppe mouse, the black-legged jerboa, and the mottled jerboa. From carnivorous mammals- corsac fox, light polecat, dressing. IN last years the number of wolves has increased.

The nesting and wintering grounds of many rare species of waterfowl and shorebirds (mute swan, greylag goose, red-breasted goose, pink and Dalmatian pelicans, mallard, pintail, gray duck, shoveler, red-headed pochard, tufted duck and many others) are protected by the ornithological branch of the Black Lands Nature Reserve .

There are also protected desert-steppe species - bustard, little bustard, several species of larks, demoiselle crane, a number birds of prey- steppe eagle, long-legged buzzard.

The reserve with the frightening name “Black Lands” is a famous haven for saigas. They come here in early May to show their offspring, and then move on. Why Black Lands? Because it rarely snowed in the reserve, and from space these lands looked like a gaping hole. And even when the snow returned here, they decided not to change the name.

How to get there

The largest section of the reserve is located in the Caspian lowland between the lower reaches of the Volga and Kuma rivers. The total area of ​​the Black Lands is more than 120 thousand hectares.

Tourists get to two areas - steppe and ornithological. In the first case, you need to take the Elista-Astrakhan highway to the village of Yashkul, and then turn to Komsomolskoye. The administration of the reserve is located here. Well, instructors will guide you to your final destination.

In the ornithological site, access is only available to the tulip islands. Along the highway from Elista to Stavropol you get to the village of Divnoye, and from there to the village of Yashalta, which is located on the shore of Lake Manych-Gudilo. To avoid getting lost, check with local residents for directions.

Rules for visiting the reserve

It is impossible to enter the territory of the reserve just like that, at any time. Stay is permitted by prior arrangement with the administration of the Black Lands. This is due to the fact that the animal and vegetable world are under protection.

Tulip Island, one of the popular tourist destinations, is accessible only after obtaining permission from inspectors. In addition, you will have to negotiate with the boatmen who will take you to the flowers.

Flora and fauna

Scientists all over the world study black lands. This man-made desert is visited by hundreds of researchers every year. The area is interesting because it contains two dissimilar habitats: the Kalmyk steppes and the lake wetlands.

The symbol of the reserve is the saiga antelope. Actually, the Black Lands were created for their protection. These animals could completely disappear from the face of the earth due to poachers. Saiga horns were sold to China, where they were used to make medicines. To prevent the antelopes from being completely consumed by medicine, they had to be taken under protection. Gradually, the population of these animals began to recover. However, there are still few saigas - about 15 thousand.

The wildlife of the reserve is typical of a desert. There are a lot of reptiles here - snakes, vipers, boas, lizards. Mammals include hares, corsacs, jerboas, hedgehogs and saigas.

The nature here is extraordinary: desert steppes of feather grass, wormwood and chamomile. There are even camel thorns, which we are used to seeing in African deserts. In the area of ​​Lake Manych-Gudilo there are steppes with Lessing feather grass.

One of the main decorations of the reserve is Schrenk's tulips. These flowers grow on an island that can be reached by boat. Also in the Black Lands you can find cornflowers and feather grass.

Reserve Black Lands

3 things to do in the Blacklands:

1. Film everything - under no circumstances should you take anything from the reserve. God forbid you pick flowers or try to catch an animal! As a souvenir of your visit to the Black Lands, you should only have impressions, video and photographic materials. People always come here for beautiful pictures. famous photographers. Join them and add Black Lands to your portfolio.
2. Watching saigas - for any zoologist the opportunity to see saigas in their natural habitat is a great success. In general, it is more interesting to watch animals in person. The main thing is not to disturb them. Imagine yourself as a National Geographic explorer and just watch.
3. Seeing tulips bloom is an amazing sight: in April, thousands of flowers bloom simultaneously on an island in the Manych River. Under no circumstances should you pick them, because these are very rare tulips, each of them counts. Better, as mentioned above, take pictures.

Entertainment and attractions of the Black Lands reserve

Two attractions of the Black Lands reserve - and both are water.

Manych-Gudilo

It's big salt Lake, which used to be part of a huge reservoir. Back in the days when the Caspian and Black Seas were almost a single whole.

Manych-Gudilo is vital for birds: here birds make nests and rest before a long journey. Near the lake you can find several species of geese, pelicans, herons, gulls, sea pigeons, ibis, goose, geese and many others.

There are two islands on the territory of the lake: Vodny and Bird. The first one has long been home to a herd of wild horses. How they got here is unknown. In the summer, during the hellish heat, the horses are saved from thirst by the reserve's staff, because there is no fresh water on the island.

The Birdhouse is so named because of its inhabitants: swans, pelicans, gulls and herons live here. Every year the lake welcomes thousands of birds. You look at them and your eyes are dazzled by such a colorful picture.

Manych River

The river's waters shelter the western part of the Black Lands. Here the fauna and landscapes are very different. For example, there is no steppe here - all around are swampy banks that are overgrown with reeds up to the sky.

This coastline is called an ornithological site. In the thickets you can find many birds - pelicans, cranes and little bustards. Before visiting the reserve, tourists decide in advance where to go: to see the animals or the birds.