Active recreation in nature reserves of Kazakhstan.

“No matter how much we believe in the mercy of nature the creator,
If in the spring world there are endless bounties,
If our cattle are fat, if there is plenty of food,
If people's hearts beat joyfully"

Abay Kunanbaev.

Tours around the Almaty Nature Reserve.

Almaty State Reserve was organized in May 1931 where in the river basin Malaya Alma-Ata on an area of ​​about 13,000 hectares. Already by 1935, the territory of the reserve amounted to more than 600,000 hectares.
In February 1935, the reserve was given state status, and over the next 5 years its area reached almost 1 million hectares. Location, area size and accessibility.
The reserve is located in the southeast Kazakhstan, in the central part of the ridge Trans-Ili Alatau, which is the extreme northern range. Main part protected area, approximately three quarters, is located on the northern macroslope of the ridge in the basins of the Talgar and Chilik rivers.
Western border territory passes through Left Talgar River, northern - by Right Talgar River, and the eastern one - along the crest of a high spur separating the river valleys Esik and Turgen.
The length of the reserve's border from west to east in a straight line is more than 32 km.
The rest of the border, the southern one, runs near the Toguzak pass and through glacier Bogatyr, upstream Chilik River to the spur between the rivers Kosbulak-2 and Tamchy. The rest, a smaller part of the reserve, is located here; it represents the southern high-mountain slopes of the Trans-Ili Alatau.
The protected area is located between 1500 – 4979 m above sea level. Except for the high peak Trans-Ili Alatau - Talgar peak 4973 meters above sea level, in the reserve 4 more peaks exceed 4500 meters above sea level, these are the peaks - Aktau 4686 meters above sea level, Korp 4631 meters above sea level, Bogatyr 4626 meters above sea level and Metallurg 4600 meters above sea level. The main ridge of the ridge within the reserve does not fall below 4200 m above sea level.
Administratively, the reserve is located on the territory Talgar and Enbekshi-Kazakh districts of Almaty region, Republics of Kazakhstan. The geographic coordinates of the central part of the protected area are 42 96"05" - 77 22"33"".
The area of ​​the protected territory is 71,700 hectares. Around the border of the reserve there is a 2-kilometer protective zone with an area of ​​8,518 hectares, on the territory Ile-Alatau State National Natural Park.
The territory of the reserve is divided into two sections: Talgar with an area of ​​40,652 hectares (105 blocks), Esiksky with an area of ​​31,048 hectares (36 blocks). There are 14 inspection rounds in total. The central estate of the reserve is located in city ​​of Talgar, 25 km from southern capital Kazakhstan Almaty.
In Almaty there are - international Airport, railway and bus stations. Directions to the estate of the reserve from the city. Almaty at any time of the year it will take less than an hour. At the central estate there is a “Museum of Nature”, where the excursion service of the reserve demonstrates the natural components of the protected area (collections of animals, plants, mountain minerals, etc.), and educational environmental and environmental activities are carried out.
There is a checkpoint installed at the entrance to the Talgar site, and there is telephone and radio communication with the central estate of the reserve. Duty at the checkpoint is carried out according to the approved schedule, around the clock. Most of the winter and especially in early spring(March, April) the territory of the reserve is at risk of collapse snow avalanches, and in the summer, during intense melting of glaciers and, in connection with this, summer floods on mountain rivers, there is a danger of mudflows and landslides.
The largest mudflows usually occur in July (1963 and 1979). During these periods, visiting the reserve for any purpose is stopped. The entire Trans-Ili Alatau, the adjacent semi-desert territory up to the river, was protected. Or deserted mountain ranges Turaigyr, Boguty and Syugat.
The northern slope of the Trans-Ili Alatau was covered with magnificent coniferous and deciduous forests, and a huge tract of saxaul forests stretched along the left bank of the Ili. The floristic composition included more than 1,500 species. Many birds and animals lived in protected areas; only in Syugatinskaya Valley thousands of herds of goitered gazelles roamed, now included in Red Book of Kazakhstan.
In the post-war years, a gradual reduction of protected areas began. First, forest areas were confiscated, then hayfields and other lands. In September 1951, the final liquidation of the reserve took place, which shared the sad fate of many reserves in the country in those years.
The main part of the protected area - approximately three quarters - is located on the northern slope of the Trans-Ili Alatau. The western border of this part runs along the river. Left Talgar, northern - along the Right Talgar River, and eastern - along the ridge of a high spur separating the valleys of the Issyk and Turgen rivers.
The length of this part from west to east is more than 32 km in a straight line. The rest of the territory is located on the southern slope Trans-Ili Alatau. The border of the protected area is bordered by a two-kilometer protective zone.
But the appearance of the reserve also has its own, inimitable, unique quality. The mountain slopes, crowned by a powerful ridge of peaks covered with ice and snow, sharply contrasting with the foothill deserts, irresistibly attract you at all times of the year.
Within the reserve, the main ridge of the Trans-Ili Alatau reaches its greatest height and does not fall below 4200 meters above sea level. It is here that most of the peaks of the ridge are located, with a height of more than 4500 m.
The impressive Talgar peak is the highest point of the entire ridge, clearly visible from the foothill plain many tens of kilometers away. The peaks, “headed” by Talgar Peak, form the powerful Talgar Knot, occupying the entire middle part of the reserve.
This is one of the centers of modern glaciation in the Trans-Ili Alatau; the largest glaciers of the Northern Tien Shan are concentrated here: the Korzhenevsky glacier and the Bogatyr glacier. The first reaches a length of 11 km and has an area of ​​38 km.
The second one is slightly inferior to it: length - 9.1 km, area - 30.3 km. Almost as extensive glaciers of Shokalsky, Grigoriev, Kassin, Palgov, Kalesnik etc. Unique Talgar mountain junction widely known among the country's climbers.
For more than 40 years, the allied mountain camp “Talgar” operated here. In 1979 it was destroyed by a mudflow. In the upper reaches of the Issyk gorge there are two high-mountain moraine lakes - Ak-Kol (White), lying at an altitude of 3140 m, and Muz-Kol(Ice) 3400 m.
The glaciers sparkle dazzlingly - Zharsay, Palgova, Grigorieva, etc. The Talgar site includes three gorges - Left, Right and Middle Talgar. The longest of them - Left Talgar (more than 30 km) - has, like most others, a direction from south to north.
On the southern slope of the Trans-Ili Alatau there are the protected gorges of South-Eastern Talgar, South Issyk and a number of other smaller gorges ( Gubar, Kosbulak, Tamchy). The reserve is characterized by widespread development of modern glaciation.
Only in the pool Issyk River There are 49 glaciers (with an area of ​​53 square kilometers). There are a total of 160 glaciers in the reserve (with a total area of ​​233.7 km") out of 466 known in the Trans-Ili Alatau. The river network is well developed.
Quite turbulent rivers 5-7 m wide and up to 1 m deep flow along the bottom of most gorges; a lot of keys. In the northern part of the territory the largest (from 16 to 28 km long) rivers are the Issyk, Left Talgar, Right Talgar And Middle Talgar.
In the southern part, the South-Eastern Talgar (13 km), originating from the Bogatyr glacier, and the Southern Issyk (10 km), flowing from the Korzhenevsky glacier, flow into it. Both rivers are very full-flowing, especially in the warm season. South-Eastern Talgar and Zhangyryk, merging, give rise to the river. Chilik is the largest in the Northern Tien Shan.
Chilik flows 10 - 12 km along the border of the reserve. The rivers are fed mainly by seasonal melting of snow, firn fields and glaciers. The flood period begins in April and lasts throughout spring and summer.
Water flow reaches 12 - 15 cubic meters per second or more in July - August. On some hot days, as well as after heavy rains, the rivers turn into roaring mad streams, destroying the banks and carrying large stones, gravel and sand.
In winter, the rivers have low water and do not freeze, but at bends and turns they form powerful ice dams, and in narrow places - arched cornices of ice and snow between the banks. There are almost three dozen small (from 0.1 to 3.8 hectares) high-mountain moraine and glacial lakes in the reserve.
All of them lie in the beds of temporary watercourses and feed mainly melt water. These lakes are usually very deep and store significant volumes of water.

Sources:
Ishkov E.Reserves of Central Asia and Kazakhstan. Almaty, Kazakhstan, 2006. Under the general editorship of Roman Yashchenko. International Union for Conservation of Nature IUCN - TheWorldConservationUnion. Physiographical features (according to Kerteshev, Vagapov, Yashchenko, 2001).Reserves of the USSR. Reserves of Central Asia and Kazakhstan. Moscow “Thought”, 1990

Photos
Alexandra Petrov, Sergei Mikhalkov.

In the north mountain system The Tien Shan is a unique conservation zone of south-eastern Kazakhstan - the Almaty Nature Reserve. Plants and animals of the protected area are protected by the state, because among them there are endangered species and endemics that are not found anywhere else.

Almaty Nature Reserve: plants

The Almaty Nature Reserve was opened in 1931. Its area is 72,700 hectares. The main object of the reserve is the Trans-Ili Alatau mountain range, at the top of which stands the Talgar peak (4979 m).

The landscape and ecosystem of the protected area have no analogues in the world. By visiting this reserve, you will find yourself in a world pristine nature: snow-capped mountain peaks, endless dense forests, stormy mountain rivers with waterfalls and alpine meadows will make a lasting impression.

The flora of the protected area is very diverse. Rare plants of Kazakhstan are also found here. In total, there are 970 plant species in the reserve, including 8 endemics:

• Alberta killer whale;
• glacial parsnip;
• Mushketov's curly;
• Veronica Alatavskaya;
• Almaty orchard;
• Semenov's cortuza;
• Kumbel's hawkweed;
• Almaty nagolovatka.

Plants listed in the Red Book of Kazakhstan also grow in the protected area:

• Niedzwiecki's apple tree is a tree that, with its pink flowers resembles Japanese sakura;
• Ostrovsky tulip - a bright red flower with sharp petals;
• the Sievers apple tree is the ancestor of the domestic apple tree;
• Iridodictium Kolpakovsky - soft purple spotted iris;
• Gymnospermium Altai - medicinal plant;
• Adonis is a unique plant whose leaves resemble pine needles.

The deciduous forests at the foot of the mountains are rich medicinal plants. Hawthorn, valerian, celandine and honey plants grow here.

Found in the Almaty Nature Reserve and poisonous plants, the most famous of which is Djungarian aconite, it grows on steep banks of mountain rivers and in dense spruce forests. If you light a match near aconite on a warm evening, a bluish glow will appear around it - igniting vapors essential oils.

Relict plants are also common in the protected area - paleoendemics, originally from past geological eras: Caucasian hackberry, saffron jaundice, apricot, Schmalhausen astragalus, etc. Dense spruce forests on the mountain slopes are almost entirely represented by relict Schrenck spruce.

In high mountain areas, juniper from the cypress family grows. The age of this plant reaches 3000 years. You will not be able to pass by the bush indifferently: thanks to the vapors of essential oils, the juniper tree exudes a bright fragrant aroma.

Summer mudflows are common in the region, during which mountain rivers turn into turbulent streams. Unfortunately, mudflows often wash away and destroy a variety of plants, including perennial trees.

Almaty Nature Reserve: animals

In the mountain gorges and forests, on the plains and alpine meadows of the Almaty Nature Reserve they live unique representatives animal kingdom. In the environmental zone there are Central Asian and Mediterranean species animals.

What animals live in the reserve? In total, 195 species of animals live in the reserve, of which 37 are mammals. Rare animals that are listed in the Red Book of Kazakhstan also live here:

• Brown bear;
• Mountain sheep;
• stone marten;
• Central Asian otter;
• Turkestan lynx;
• Snow Leopard;
• manul

Tien Shan bears live in spruce forests, but closer to autumn they descend into the meadow zone, where they feed on apples. In total, there are about 20 bears in the reserve.

Most rare representative fauna of the environmental protection zone - snow leopard. These mammals of the cat family are distinguished by their amazingly beautiful colors. They live in mountainous areas, their white fur coat serves as camouflage on snowy slopes. In winter, snow leopards descend into mountain valleys, where they hunt mountain goats. Exact amount individuals are unknown in the reserve due to their secrecy.

The alpine and forest zones of the Almaty Nature Reserve are inhabited by wolves, foxes, wild boars, badgers, porcupines, marmots, roe deer and morals.

Of the amphibians, the green toad lives in swampy areas. On the slopes of the mountains and in the valleys of the protected area live reptiles: snakes, vipers, Alai gologlaz and patterned snake.

As for birds, about 200 species of birds nest in the reserve. Ornithologists are interested in birds that are listed in the Red Book of Kazakhstan, including:

• Blue bird;
• shahin;
• sicklebeak;
• owl;
• peregrine falcon;
• black stork;
• dwarf eagle.

The coniferous forests of the reserve are inhabited by hawks, forest owls, wrens, nutcrackers and hawk owls.

The flora and fauna of the Almaty Nature Reserve is replete with rare species plants and animals. The employees of the environmental protection zone are doing their best possible efforts to prevent endangered species from becoming extinct. Raids are regularly organized throughout the reserve to prevent poaching.

Find out more about natural resources Kazakhstan!

Rich Natural resources Kazakhstan has been exhausted without looking back by man for centuries. In 1892, the first law was passed that provided for the protection wildlife on the territory of Kazakhstan. The country's first nature reserve was founded in 1926. Its goal was to preserve the natural habitats of rare animals, birds and plants. Currently, 10 nature reserves have been established in Kazakhstan. They carefully preserve the flora and fauna of the unique corners of Kazakhstan’s nature. From these protected areas, the traveler will always have the opportunity to choose a tourist route to enjoy the nature of Kazakhstan and follow its most interesting hiking trails.

Aksu-Zhabagly Nature Reserve

The country's first reserve was organized in 1926 and is located in the South Kazakhstan region, namely in the north of the Western Tien Shan. The total area is more than 128 thousand hectares. The climate is moderate continental. There are mountain lakes such as Kyzylkenkol, Kyzylzhar, Ainakol, Tompak, Oymak and Koksakkol, and the Zhabagly and Aksu rivers flow through.

Rich and varied vegetable world reserve. The most common are mountain coniferous forests, flora of rocks and screes. Over 23 species grow in Aksu-Zhabagly fruit trees: apple tree, pear tree, rowan tree, apricot, serviceberry, hawthorn and others. Also growing in the reserve ornamental plants: irises, tulips, eremurus, columbine, saffron, swimsuits and others.

The fauna is also diverse, there are over 330 species of vertebrates, including 50 species of mammals. The brown bear is the most frequently encountered of the predators. In addition to the bear and argali, there are five more Red Book species in the reserve: porcupine, snow leopard, bandage, Turkestan lynx and stone marten.

There are three zones around and inside the Aksu-Zhabagly Nature Reserve. The first zone is a specially protected area of ​​the reserve; tourism is prohibited in it. In the second zone, tourism is allowed. The third zone is a buffer zone, where hunting is prohibited. Permission to enter can be obtained from the administration of the reserve. There are many tourist attractions and several hiking routes.

Korgalzhinsky Reserve

The reserve was founded in 1968 and is located 130 km southwest of the city of Astana. It is located in the Tengiz-Korgalzhin depression; the total territory of the reserve after expansion is more than 543 thousand hectares. It has two large lakes Korgalzhin and Tengiz, which are the main objects of the reserve. The Korgalzhinsky reserve, located on the territory of Saryarka - the Kazakh small hills, is included in the list of objects World Heritage UNESCO. The Nura River flows through the territory of this environmental protection zone. The climate here is sharply continental.

In the flora of the reserve, herbs are in first place, and in general there are 350 species higher plants. You can find up to fifteen species of shrubs growing in floodplain thickets of rivers, for example, rose hips, shrubby willows, and honeysuckle. On the lakes you can see mainly plants that have adapted to salty soils, for example, various solyankas, swedes, and kermeks. There are endemic and rare plants in the reserve, a total of 45 species that need special protection, such as pure white water lily, yellow water lily, Schober's saltpeter. Among those listed in the Red Book, the drooping tulip, Schrenk's tulip, and lumbago - open and yellowish - grow here.

The fauna of this protected area is diverse; about 300 species of beetles alone are known. There are many fish in the reservoirs, except for Lake Tengiz. A special advantage of the reserve is the pink flamingos, which nest only in the shallow waters of Tengiz. In total, over 300 species of birds live here or are encountered during migration. There are birds in the reserve that are listed in the International Red Book, there are up to 20 species of them, and there are 37 species in the Red Book of Kazakhstan. Animals include saiga, wild boar, fox, wolf, badger, steppe polecat, and hares (hare and hare).

To enter the reserve, a permit is required, which can be purchased from the reserve administration. Tourists come here mainly to watch birds, including during the migration period.

Barsakelmes Nature Reserve

The reserve was founded in 1939 and is located in the Aral region of the Kzyl-Orda region on an island. The total territory of the environmental protection zone is over 160 thousand hectares. The climate here is typical of northern deserts - cold winters, hot summers. As the sea dried out, the salinity of the water became higher than normal. Absence fresh water complicates the existence of the animal world.

The flora is represented by vascular plants, of which 278 species are known in the reserve. There are only 14 endemics, among them wormwood (twig-shaped and Aral), zhuzgun (squat, curly and Talibina), Pratov's quinoa, Borschov's tulip.

The fauna of the reserve is diverse; up to two thousand species of insects alone are known here, including 400 species of beetles. There are 23 species of reptiles, which is equal to almost 50% of the total fauna of the country. In the reserve you can find 23 species of birds listed in the Red Book, for example, yellow heron, small egret, Dalmatian pelican, gray crane, whooper swan, shakhin and others. Large animals include kulans.

The Barsakelmes Nature Reserve is unique among all the country's nature reserves because its island location preserves the unique and distinctive flora and fauna of the island.

Western Altai Nature Reserve

This conservation area was founded in 1992 and is located 60 km from the city of Ridder. The total area is more than 86 thousand hectares. The reserve is located simultaneously in several natural areas– mountain tundra, mountain meadows, forest. The Belaya and Chernaya Uba rivers flow through it with the tributaries Lineichikha, Sidyashikha, Palevaya, Kamenushka. At the sources of these rivers there are small alpine lakes. The most big lakes– Shcherbakova and Kedrovoe – are located on the border of the alpine and forest zones.

Nearly 200 species of herbs grow on the territory of the reserve. Vegetation grows depending on the zones. The deciduous forest zone is known for trees such as poplar, birch, and cherry thickets; you can also find viburnum and mountain ash. Mountain taiga is rich in coniferous and cedar forests.

The fauna is represented by amphibians, fish, reptiles and mammals. The variety of birds reaches 190 species, among them there are the field harrier, the large merganser, the common buzzard, the Asian sandpiper, and the capercaillie.

Among the mammals in the reserve, the Altai mole, bear, fox, marten, deer, roe deer and others live. Despite the fact that there are lakes here, you cannot boast of the presence of fish, because there is very little of it there. Among the reptiles found here are viviparous lizards, toads, and common vipers.

The Western Altai Nature Reserve is quite remote from settlements, therefore nature has been preserved in its original form. The reserve will be especially interesting for botanists and ornithologists.

Naurzum Nature Reserve

The reserve was founded in 1931 in the Kostanay region. It is located in the Turgai hollow. The total territory is about 191 thousand hectares. The reserve consists of three sections: Terseksky, Naurzumsky and Sypsynsky. It has twelve large lakes. The climate here is sharply continental.

The flora of the reserve is diverse and includes 687 species of higher plants. For the steppe this is a lot, three times more than usual. Pine forests here they are considered relict. In the spring, lumbago blooms in the reserve, forming a carpet in places, bright adonis bloom in the forest meadows, and in the clay areas the two-flowered tulip and the drooping tulip, Schrenk's tulips are found.

The fauna is also diverse; there are 342 species of vertebrates. The most common mammals are voles, hamsters, mice, steppe marmots, and ground squirrels. Numerous predators: ermine, weasel, steppe ferret, corsac fox, badger, fox, wolf. The most large mammals- roe deer, elk, wild boar.

It is interesting to watch the arrival of rooks to the reserve. Every year at the end of March more than five thousand individuals fly here. One of the beautiful birds of Naurzum, the oriole, nests in pine forests and aspen-birch forests. Birds of prey can also be found in the reserve; there are only 25 species of them. The rarest bird that lives in this reserve is the mute swan. Naurzum lakes are located in flight corridors and during the migration period they provide rest for hundreds of thousands of waterfowl, including rare white cranes.

Research is constantly carried out in the Naurzum Nature Reserve; for many years it has been a field base for students and scientists.

Markakolsky Reserve

The reserve was founded in 1976. The total territory after expansion is over 102 thousand hectares. The reserve is located in the East Kazakhstan region. Lake Markakol is a landmark of this area and the largest body of water in Altai. There are five high-altitude plant zones on the territory of the reserve: mountain-taiga, meadow-steppe, high-mountain, subalpine and nival.

The meadow-steppe belt is represented by forb-grass meadows. In the mountain taiga zone there are deciduous forests, mainly Siberian larch grows here. Spruce forests grow along the river valleys flowing into Lake Markakol. The subalpine belt is represented by tall grass subalpine meadows. The high mountain belt is a zone of alpine meadows and mountain tundras.

The reserve has many useful plants. Medicinal, fodder, food, technical, melliferous and essential oil plants grow here.

The fauna of the reserve is quite diverse. There are 55 species of mammals alone and 20 species of rodents. Among predatory animals, the brown bear is the most common. The mustelid family is represented by the following species: weasel, common ermine, badger, light polecat. You can also find wolverine, otter and sable. Traces of a snow leopard and a lynx were found on the territory of the reserve. Roe deer and red deer are characteristic ungulates of the Marakol forests.

Waterfowl here include tufted duck, goldeneye, wigeon and duck. Of the birds of prey, 24 species have been identified in the reserve.

The Markakolsky Nature Reserve was created to preserve the Altai-Sayan biologically diverse region.

Ustyurt Reserve

The reserve was organized in 1984 and is located in the west of the Ustyurt plateau and the Turan lowland. The total territory is more than 223 thousand hectares. Ustyurt is characterized by many drainless depressions, which are very often huge. One of them is the Barsakelme depression. They are difficult to access and therefore little studied.

There are 600 species of higher vascular plants in the reserve, among them solyanka, wormwood, astragalus and quinoa. A characteristic endemic of Ustyurt is the Khiva solyanka; it, together with the soft-leaved critmofolia, the toothless katran, and the hard-bottled milkweed, is included in the Red Book of Kazakhstan.

Rare species of animals have found their habitat in the Ustyurt Nature Reserve. For example, saiga, Ustyurt mouflon, goitered gazelle, cheetah, jackal, fox and others. Typical birds of the reserve are larks, houbara bustards, wheatears, vultures, vultures, vultures, snake eaters and many others. Among the predatory animals you can find the cheetah.

The Ustyurt Nature Reserve has many attractions - archaeological sites. There was once a route for merchant caravans here. The famous road of the Khorezmshahs united Khiva with the Emba and Volga rivers. Among the archaeological sites you can visit the famous Alan fortress, ruins ancient city Shahr-i-Wazir and the Beleuchi caravanserai. This reserve is of interest to scientists.

Almaty Nature Reserve

The reserve appeared in 1931 in the Almaty region. Its area is 71,700 hectares. The territory of the reserve is located in the central part of the Zailiysky Alatau ridge. It was created with the aim of protecting and studying the nature of the Northern Tien Shan.

The reserve's vegetation is diverse and is represented by steppes, deciduous, coniferous and mixed forests, alpine meadows and glaciers. About 30% of the reserve's territory is glaciers. The mountain rivers Issyk, Talgar and Chilik originate here.

The fauna consists of 200 species of birds, 7 species of reptiles, 38 species of mammals, several thousand species of invertebrates and insects. Here you can see the snow leopard, as well as various animals, including wild boar, deer, gazelle, and eagles. In the Red Book there are 22 species of animals that live in the reserve.

On the territory of the reserve there are 28 species of plants from the Red Book of Kazakhstan. In the mountains there are deciduous forests with aspen and rowan, with wild apple and apricot trees, and even higher coniferous forest, then alpine meadows, mountain cliffs and glaciers.

There is a museum on the territory of the reserve, the collections of which reflect its activities. Tourists can walk through the halls of the museum and learn about the flora and fauna of the area.

Alakol Nature Reserve

The reserve has been operating since 1998 and is located in Almaty and East Kazakhstan regions. The total area after expansion is more than 65 thousand hectares. On the territory of the reserve there are lakes Alakol, Sasykol, Uyaly, Zhalanashkol. The climate here is sharply continental with cold winter and dry summers.

The fauna includes 290 species of animals. Among them, the most common are the bandage, wolf, wild boar, fox, roe deer, steppe polecat and others. In the delta of the Tentek River there are nesting places for cormorants, pelicans, night herons, herons, gulls and other birds. On delta lakes you can see gray duck, red-headed duck, greylag goose, shoveler and others. Of the rare endangered birds that are listed in the Red Book of Kazakhstan, there are 38 species, including 27 nesting ones. The advantage of the Alakol Nature Reserve is the relict gull.

The flora of the reserve is represented by 269 species of vascular plants. Phytoplankton is expressed by 58 species of algae. Common reed, reed grass, sedge, cattail, reed and others grow along the lake. Thickets are the most important nesting and feeding areas for numerous shorebirds and waterfowl. Also in the reserve you can see thickets of blackberries, rosehips, combs, and honeysuckle bushes.

Karatau Reserve

The reserve was organized in 2004 and is located in the South Kazakhstan region, in the central part of the Karatu ridge. It borders on the Kyzylkum, Moyynkum, and Betpak-Dala deserts. The total territory of the reserve is more than 34 thousand hectares. The rivers Biresik, Bayaldir, Taldybulak, and Khantagi flow here. None of them brings its waters to the Syrdarya River, losing them at the foot of the slopes. The climate here is continental and arid.

The flora includes over 400 plant species. Endemic and rare plants 53 species are known, another 10 are endemic to the Western Tien Shan and Karatau. 42 species are included in the Red Book.

The fauna is not so rich; in total, about 30 species of mammals are known, including three listed in the Red Book - stone marten, Karatau mountain sheep and porcupine. The birds of the reserve are varied and interesting; there are up to 80 species here. Among the birds of prey there are such as the golden eagle, balaban, dwarf eagle, vulture, bearded vulture and snake eagle, which are in the Red Book of Kazakhstan.

Nature reserves in Kazakhstan are centers for the conservation of valuable species of plants and animals. By visiting any nature reserve, you can see and enjoy the interesting, diverse and picturesque nature of a huge country.

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Alma-Ata Nature Reserve organized in 1931 within the Malo-Alma-Ata forestry on the northern slope of the Trans-Ili Alatau. In 1951 the reserve was closed, and in 1961 it was restored. Located in the central part of the Trans-Ili Alatau and on the left bank of the river. Or. In terms of area, it is one of the largest in Kazakhstan - almost 92 thousand hectares, of which 9.5 thousand hectares are forested, 14 thousand hectares are meadows and 137 hectares are reservoirs.

The territory of the protected area is located in the Talgar mountain range; the most high mountain reserve - peak Talgar(5017 m), Due to the mountainous terrain, only two rivers flow here - Talgara And Issyk.

The soils in the lower part of the slopes are dark gray podzolized, to varying degrees degraded chernozems; in the higher parts the percentage of humus decreases, and even higher the podzolization and thickness of the soil horizons decrease.

The climate is varied: from hot and dry in the desert-steppe area to the harsh and humid, typical arctic tundra, in the subnival belt of Talgar.

Rivers in Alma-Ata Nature Reserve small, up to 10 m wide and up to 1 m deep. During low water periods they are calm, but during periods of intense melting of snow and ice in the mountains they turn into stormy torrents, often mudflows.

The reserve features three plant belts : forest-meadow-steppe, subalpine and alpine. The lowest part of the forest zone (1300-1700 m above sea level) is dominated by deciduous, mainly wild fruit forests, consisting of apple trees, apricots, hawthorn in combination with aspen and willow, as well as shrubs honeysuckle, rose hips, sea buckthorn, barberry, raspberries They are small in area, a little over 150 hectares. Higher deciduous forests conifers consisting exclusively of spruce are located Schrenk with an undergrowth of rowan, willow and chokeberry. U upper limit the forests are usually clumps of Siberian juniper bushes.

In the subalpine belt, spruce grows in separate groves, rising along the valleys and saddles in tongues to the alpine belt. The northern slopes are mainly covered with forest; on the southern slopes, in the zone of the lower forest belt, predominantly steppe vegetation grows. Common here timothy grass Bremer, fescue Geneshina, wormwood, feather grass. The western and eastern slopes are, as a rule, areas adjacent to river valleys, so meadows are more often found here, the vegetation of which consists of bluegrass, hogweed, wheatgrass, bellflowers, astragalus, etc. Forget-me-nots, geraniums, cuffs, buckwheat, geraniums and gentians. Even higher, in the alpine meadows, there are low-growing grass and forb groups adapted to the harsh climate of the highlands.

Alma-Ata Nature Reserve is a complex relief and mosaic of rocks, which greatly influence animal world. 64 species of mammals and about 200 species of birds are found here. Jeyran and argali live in the desert-steppe part, in Kalkan tract, where several treeless hills are cut by a network of dry gullies. In some places there are quite good steppe pastures, which allows animals to exist normally. However, in winter time pastures do not provide them with enough food and the animals are forced to migrate outside the reserve.

In the mountainous part, roe deer, red deer, wild boar and tek are common - Siberian ibex. The first three species are not numerous, mainly due to deep snow, and also due to the lack of winter food. There are much more Siberian ibex. They live in the subalpine and alpine zones, at the upper border of the forest, in the area of ​​open rocks and rocky placers, but quite often descend into the forest zone. In winter, during periods of deep snow, the ungulates of the mountainous region sometimes migrate to the southern slopes of the mountains, where there is either no snow at all or it quickly melts. As a rule, such areas are located outside the reserve, in the protected zone.

Leopard It is rare in the reserve and does not occur every year. Traces of its vital activity are observed only in high mountain areas, in the habitats of teks - the main victim of this large cat. Lynx are common, but their numbers are small. Few and white-clawed brown bears, which live in mid-mountain spruce forests, but during the period of ripening and falling of wild fruits they descend into deciduous forests, where they feed on apples and apricots. Wolves stay in the reserve mainly in summer time, in winter they often migrate following herds of domestic animals grazing on mountain pastures near the borders of the reserve. The fox lives in treeless high mountain areas. In winter, however, it descends lower into the forest zone.

Quite fully represented in Alma-Ata Nature Reserve mustelids. Meet badger,otter, stone marten, stoats, sable running, brought to the Trans-Ili Alatau in the early 60s. The most common species is the white marten. She lives throughout the entire forest zone, sometimes even going down to the foothills. Depending on the season of the year, it moves from the upper border of the forest (during the snowless period), where it feeds on rodents, to deciduous forest(in winter), in which it hunts for fruit carrion, berries and random small animals and birds.

There are many red pikas in the reserve, living in the highlands, in the zone of alpine and subalpine meadows and rocky areas. On the southern slopes of some spurs you can find small colonies of gray marmots; Teleut squirrels, acclimatized in the forests of the Trans-Ili Alatau in the early 60s, also come here. The dormouse is numerous, there is the Tianypan mouse, gray hamster, mole vole, mountain silver, forest and common vole, wood mouse, Tanypanskaya and small shrew, mustachioed night bat, dwarf pipistrelle, common long-eared bat and late long-eared bat. By Issyk valley Sometimes a tolai hare runs in.

Common in spruce forests spruce crossbills, nutcrackers, a lot of small feathered creatures: forest pipits, pikas, Djungarian chickadees, Tyanypan kinglets, blue-headed redstarts, black-throated accentor. Common owl, three-toed woodpecker, hawk owl, long-eared owl, black raven and eagle owl. In river valleys, in riverbed areas, there are many brown and white-bellied dippers, garden warblers, gray warblers, and bluethroats. Bluebirds and Indian warblers are common here. In the alpine and subalpine zones, wall climbers are common, juniper grosbeak, painted tit, red-throated nightingale, black redstart, redback redstart, juniper lentil, mountain pipit, Altai jackdaw, chough, Altai finch, red-bellied redstart, hermit snipe, etc. The reserve is inhabited by bearded vulture, snowcock, chukar, black grouse and even pheasant. Among the reptiles, there are the Alai holly eye, the copperhead and the lake frog.

Direction scientific research Alma-Ata Nature Reserve - comprehensive study ecology of valuable plants and animals, identification of factors influencing the normal functioning of biogeocenoses protected in the reserve.