Altai Nature Reserve. General

Photo: Altai State Nature Reserve

Photo and description

Altai State Nature Reserve is a unique specially protected territory of Russia, which is an object of global natural and cultural heritage UNESCO. The history of the reserve began on April 16, 1932.

By biological diversity The Altai Nature Reserve occupies one of the leading places among protected areas countries. The reserve is located in the northeast of the Altai Republic, in the Turachaksky and Ulagansky regions. Central estate nature reserve is located in the village of Yailyu, and the central office is in the capital of the Republic, the city of Gorno-Altaisk. Today the Altai Nature Reserve consists of four departments: the science department, the environmental education, security department, economic department.

Total area The reserve covers more than 881,235 hectares, including the water area of Lake Teletskoye with an area of 11,757 hectares. The territory of the Altai Nature Reserve gradually rises towards the southeast. The main ecosystems of the reserve are lakes, Siberian taiga, taiga low and middle mountains, alpine and subalpine highlands and middle mountains, glacial-nival highlands, tundra-steppe highlands, tundra highlands and middle mountains.

The purest springs, streams with cold water. The biggest alpine lake– Dzhulukol, located at the source of Chulyshman. Its length is about 10 km. Among the most common tree species are pine, cedar, spruce, fir, and birch. The real pride of the reserve is the high-mountain cedar forests. In general, the flora of the reserve consists of more than 1,500 species of higher vascular plants, 111 species of fungi and 272 species of lichens.

One of the main species of animals living in the Altai taiga is the sable. Of the ungulates that live here reindeer, maral, Siberian goat and Siberian roe deer, mountain sheep, musk deer and so on. The Siberian mountain goat is very common in the mountain ranges. Altai mountain sheep live in the south of the reserve and in the adjacent territory.

Altai Nature Reserve- one of the oldest modern reserves. This is evidenced by the fact that the territory of the reserve is included in the UNESCO list with the label “Golden Mountains of Altai”, which also includes Ukok plateau And Lake Teletskoye. In addition, this reserve is one of the largest in Russia. Its uniqueness lies in the fact that it is surrounded on almost all sides by mountain ranges, and on the southern side it is washed by Lake Teletskoye.

The year of foundation of the Altai Nature Reserve was 1932. Over all the years of its existence, the reserve was liquidated several times, or its area was changed, then restored again. Today, the Altai Nature Reserve spreads over an area of more than 880 thousand hectares, and with an average latitude of about 35 km, it stretches to the South for 250 km. There is not a single road inside the reserve, which complicates accessibility, but nevertheless attracts tourists even more.

Ukok plateau.

Wild forest with rare trails occupies a significant part of the Altai Nature Reserve. However, a large area is also occupied by lakes with cold water, of which experts counted 1,190 in the reserve area.

Lake Teletskoe.

The local mountain landscapes are extremely beautiful, and very close to highest point Altai mountains and Siberia - peak Belukha. Only experienced tourists can climb there if available special equipment, but the view of the Altai region from there is simply amazing.

Mountain Altai - Mount Belukha.

Along the boundaries of the reserve there are high ridges: in the north - Abakansky, in the south - Chikhacheva, in the east - Shapshalsky. From the west, the territory is limited by the valleys of the rivers Chulyshman, Karakem and Lake Teletskoye. Several separate mountain ranges are located in the center of the reserve, herself high mountain here – Bogoyash(3143 meters).

Abakan Range, Abakan River Valley.

Numerous rivers of the reserve are very picturesque - with powerful rapids, rifts, quiet reaches and waterfalls. On the Chulcha River there is the largest waterfall in Altai - “Inaccessible”, its height is 150 meters. In the middle and lower reaches of the river there are steep slopes covered with forest, their beds are cluttered with stones, the flow speed reaches 2-5 meters per second!

Big Chulchinsky waterfall (sometimes called Uchar, which means Impregnable in Altai).

Relief features and transfer conditions air masses generate significant diversity climatic conditions with a generally continental climate. The northern part is characterized by warm and humid summers, snowy and relatively mild winters. In the southern part of the reserve the climate is more severe; in winter frosts reach –30ºС.

The reserve's vegetation is represented by forests, alpine tundra, meadows, swamps and steppes. Forests occupy more than 45% of the reserve's area and are represented by fir, mixed, cedar forests, and there are small spruce and pine forests. Some specimens of cedar reach an age of 600 years. The flora of the Altai Nature Reserve includes about 1,500 species of plants, many endemics and relicts: dendranthema emarginata, cystophyte, Siberian kandyk, loose sedge.

Altai Nature Reserve.

The diversity of the animal world is determined by the complex natural and historical development of the region. Here you can meet inhabitants of high latitudes (reindeer, partridge), and inhabitants of the Mongolian steppes (gray marmot), and many typical “taiga inhabitants”. Predators presented brown bear, trot, wolverine, sable. Birds include: capercaillie, hazel grouse, ptarmigan, golden eagle and black stork. Lake Teletskoye and its tributaries are home to grayling, taimen, and lenok.

Animals of the Altai Nature Reserve.

You can only get to the reserve via Lake Teletskoye, so you will definitely get to know and appreciate Altyn-Kolya. Russian name The lake was given to the pioneer Cossacks who appeared here in the 17th century; it comes from the name of the Altai tribe Teles, who lived on the shores of the lake.

November 25, 2014

Altai State Natural biosphere reserve, founded in April 1932, has an area of 8812.38 km 2, which is 9.4% of the territory of the entire Altai Republic.

Location of the central estate of the reserve (territory of the Turachak and Ulagansky districts, northeast Gorny Altai) - the village of Yailyu, the main office is the administrative center of the Altai Republic, Gorno-Altaisk. The reserve is part of the Golden Mountains of Altai site, included in the UNESCO World Heritage List.

Territory

The reserve is located in the central part of the Altai-Sayan mountainous country, its borders are outlined by the high ridges of the Altai Mountains, the northern - the Torot ridge, the southern - the spurs of the Chikhachev ridge (3021 m), the northeastern - the Abakan ridge (2890 m), the eastern - the Shapshal ridge (3507 m). The western limits of the reserve run along the Chulyshman River and the right bank and 22 thousand hectares of Lake Teletskoye, this is the pearl of the Altai Mountains or the “little Baikal” of Western Siberia.

The main goal of creating this environmental facility was to preserve the biodiversity of the flora and fauna of the shores and waters of Lake Teletskoye, its natural landscapes, protection and restoration of cedar forests, populations of rare animals (sable, elk, deer) and endemic plants, for carrying out research work in the ecological, biological and environmental sphere.

Animals of the reserve

Abundant and varied vegetation contributes to the creation favorable conditions life for large quantity various animals: more than 66 species of mammals, 3 species of reptiles, 6 species of amphibians, 19 species of fish, such as taimen, whitefish, grayling, dace, perch, char, sculpin, teletska sprat.

The population has been restored here valuable representative of the marten family - sable, among the predators in the reserve there are numerous animals such as bears, wolves, lynxes, wolverines, badgers, otters, and ermine is often found. 8 species of artiodactyls live here: red deer, musk deer, elk, mountain sheep, Siberian roe deer, ibex, reindeer, wild boar. Numerous squirrels jump from branch to branch; in the forests near Lake Teletskoye there live several species of rare representatives of bats: Whiskered bat, Brandt's bat, Brown long-eared bat, Rufous noctule, etc., listed in the Red Book of Altai and living exclusively in local landscapes.

Species diversity of avifauna

The reserve is home to 343 species of birds. Nutcrackers live in the forests; they eat pine nuts and also bury them in the ground as a reserve, thereby increasing the number of new, young seedlings. The motley hazel grouse lives here; it is practically invisible due to its camouflage, ruffed plumage.

Gray partridges and quails flutter in the valley of the Chulyshman River. They fly to protected lakes migratory birds (various types waders), 16 species of ducks nest, for example, in the lakes and swamps of the Chulyshman Highlands there are nests of the small teal duck. Lives on the Shapshalsky ridge rare bird Altai Ular.

Flora

The reserve occupies a huge territory, in which there is room for both mountains and coniferous forests, And alpine meadows, and mountain tundra, and stormy rivers, and the purest alpine lakes, all this splendor stretches for 230 km, gradually increasing in its southeast. The most common tree species in the reserve are Siberian cedars, fir, larch, spruce, pine and dwarf birch. The reserve can be proud of its high mountain cedar forests, because the trunk diameter of these ancient 300-400-year-old trees can reach two meters.

The flora is rich and diverse, these are higher vascular plants (1500 species), fungi (136 species), lichens (272 species), algae (668 species). Highways there are none here, grass grows under the trees giant size in impenetrable thickets of raspberries, currants, mountain ash, viburnum and bird cherry. On the rocky slopes of the mountains grow wild gooseberry bushes and evergreen shrubs - Daurian rhodendron or maral. More than 20 species of relict plants grow here: European hoofweed, woodruff, black crow, and circe.

Red Book flora and fauna of the reserve

Among the 1.5 thousand species of vascular plants of the reserve, 22 are listed in the Red Book of the Russian Federation, 49 in the Red Book of Altai. Plants of the Red Data Book of the Russian Federation: feather grass, feather grass, 3 species of Lady's slipper, Altai rhubarb, Chuysky horygum, Siberian toothwort, Altai drupe, etc.

Among the 68 mammals of the reserve, 2 species are listed in the International Red Book - snow leopard and the Altai mountain sheep, in the Red Data Book of the Russian Federation - reindeer (forest subspecies - Rangifer tarandus), rare species of insects - Rhymnus blueberry, Apollo vulgaris, Kinderman's Erebia, Mnemosyne.

Among 343 species of birds, 22 are listed in the Red Book of the Russian Federation: spoonbill, black stork, common flamingo, bar-headed goose, steppe eagle, white-tailed eagle, etc., 12 species in the IUCN (International Red Book) - Dalmatian pelican, white-eyed pochard, steppe harrier, imperial eagle, long-tailed eagle, white-tailed eagle, bustard, black vulture, steppe kestrel, etc.

Altai Republic, Turachaksky district

Founding history
The Altai Nature Reserve has existed since 1932, and has a very turbulent history. So, its area changed several times, it was liquidated twice, and then restored. Currently one of the largest reserves Southern Siberia has an area of more than 880 thousand hectares (the original area was 1.3 million hectares), and with an average latitude of about 35 km it extends from north to south for 250 km.
The originality and uniqueness of this territory have also received international recognition: together with the quiet zone of the Ukok plateau, Lake Teletskoye and the lakeside taiga, the Altai Reserve is included in the World Natural Heritage Site "Golden Mountains of Altai".

Physiographical features
Along the boundaries of the reserve there are high ridges: in the north - Abakansky, in the south - Chikhacheva, in the east - Shapshalsky. From the west, the territory is limited by the valleys of the rivers Chulyshman, Karakem and Lake Teletskoye. Several separate mountain ranges are located in the center of the reserve; the highest mountain here is Bogoyash (3143 meters).
Numerous rivers of the reserve are very picturesque - with powerful rapids, rifts, quiet reaches and waterfalls. On the Chulcha River there is the largest waterfall in Altai - “Inaccessible”, its height is 150 meters. In the middle and lower reaches of the river there are steep slopes covered with forest, their beds are cluttered with stones, the flow speed reaches 2-5 meters per second!
There are 1190 lakes in the reserve, the largest and most famous of them are Dzhulukul, located at an altitude of 2200 meters above sea level, and Teletskoye, or Altyn-Kolyu - Golden Lake. Thanks to great depth this lake contains a huge amount of excellent fresh, oxygenated, clean water.
Features of the relief and conditions for the transfer of air masses give rise to a significant variety of climatic conditions with a general continental climate. The northern part is characterized by warm and humid summers, snowy and relatively mild winters. In the southern part of the reserve the climate is more severe; in winter frosts reach –30ºС.

Diversity of flora and fauna
The reserve's vegetation is represented by forests, alpine tundra, meadows, swamps and steppes. Forests occupy more than 45% of the reserve's area and are represented by fir, mixed, cedar forests, and there are small spruce and pine forests. Some specimens of cedar reach an age of 600 years. The flora of the Altai Nature Reserve includes about 1,500 species of plants, many endemics and relicts: dendranthema emarginata, cystophyte, Siberian kandyk, loose sedge.
The diversity of the animal world is determined by the complex natural-historical development of the region. Here you can meet inhabitants of high latitudes (reindeer, partridge), and an inhabitant of the Mongolian steppes (gray marmot), and many typical “taiga inhabitants”. Predators are represented by brown bear, lynx, wolverine, and sable.
Birds include: capercaillie, hazel grouse, ptarmigan, golden eagle and black stork. Lake Teletskoye and its tributaries are home to grayling, taimen, and lenok.

What to watch
You can only get to the reserve via Lake Teletskoye, so you will definitely get to know and appreciate Altyn-Kolya. The Russian name for the lake was given by the Cossack pioneers who appeared here in the 17th century; it comes from the name of the Altai Teles tribe, which lived on the shores of the lake.
The reserve has several interesting routes, including the Korbu ridge, Kishte, Korbu, Inaccessible waterfalls, and Lake Cold.
The Korbu waterfall, 12.5 meters high, is one of the most beautiful in the reserve. It is located in the middle part of Lake Teletskoye and has a well-equipped observation deck and information stands.

Based on materials from oopt.info and zapoved.ru

IOL Country Nearest cityGorno-Altaisk altzapovednik.ru Media files on Wikimedia Commons

Altai State Natural Biosphere Reserve- specially protected natural area in the Altai Mountains. Founded in 1932, it was subsequently abolished and recreated again. Part of an object world heritage UNESCO "Golden Mountains of Altai". Member of the Association of Nature Reserves and national parks Altai-Sayan ecoregion.

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In 1929, by decree of the State Interdepartmental Committee for the protection and promotion of development natural resources A scientific and fishing expedition was sent to Altai under the leadership of Professor V.I. Baranov with the aim of surveying the territory for the purpose of organizing large nature reserve. According to the presented project, the future reserve was supposed to cover a vast territory of over 2 million hectares from Tuva to the Katun River. Lake Teletskoye would be in the center. The project was not destined to come to fruition. He was not approved. The decision to organize the reserve was made on May 4, 1930 by the Resolution of the Council of People's Commissars of the USSR.

The People's Commissariat for Education was instructed to clarify the boundaries of its location, for which a second expedition was organized in 1931 under the leadership of F. F. Schillinger. The work was carried out from the beginning of autumn until the first half of winter. The future boundaries of the reserve were outlined and justified. As a result, the Oirot regional executive committee on December 10, 1931, and the Khakass regional executive committee on December 28, 1931, by special resolutions, recognized the expediency of organizing the reserve. On April 16, 1932, the Council of People's Commissars of the RSFSR finally approved its borders. This date is considered to be the day the reserve was founded.

On May 27, 2009, on Jeju Island, in the Republic of Korea, during the 21st session of the International Coordinating Council of the Man and the Biosphere Program, it was decided to include World Wide Web biosphere reserves(BR) UNESCO Altai Nature Reserve.

The reserve is under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Natural Resources and Ecology of the Russian Federation.

Geography

Along the boundaries of the reserve there are high ridges: in the north - the Torot ridge (a spur of the Abakan ridge, extending from it to the west almost at a right angle), in the northeast - Abakansky (Mount Sadonskaya, 2,890 m above sea level), in the extreme in the south - the spurs of the Chikhachev ridge (Mount Getedey, 3,021 m), in the east - the Shapshalsky ridge (Mount Toshkalykaya, 3,507 m). Several isolated mountain ranges are also located in the center of the reserve: Kurkure (Kurkurebazhi town, 3,111 m 51°03′29″ n. w. 88°24′21″ E. d. HGIOL), Tetykol (up to 3,069 m), Chulyshmansky (Mount Bogoyash, 3,143 m). The western border runs along the Chulyshman River and Lake Teletskoye. More than 20% of the reserve's area is covered with rock, scree and pebble. The reserve has 1,190 lakes with an area of more than 1 hectare each. On the Chulcha River, 8 km from the mouth, there is the largest waterfall in Altai - Bolshoi Chulchinsky (Uchar), this is a 150-meter cascade of water.

Altai Nature Reserve is one of the most large reserves Russia, its area is 9.4% of the entire territory of the Altai Republic. The entire right bank of Lake Teletskoye and 22 thousand hectares of its water area are located on protected area. The territory of the reserve does not have a single road (except for the recently extended crushed stone road in the north from the village of Biyka to the village of Yailyu.) The territory is practically impassable unless you use rare paths laid by foresters and staff of the reserve. However, you need to know the location of these trails well when going on a trip without a guide. A visit to the reserve is only with the permission of the administration and is issued with the appropriate pass.

Climate

The climate of the reserve is continental, mountainous. Depends on the terrain features. Winter on the shores of Lake Teletskoye is one of the mildest in Siberia, which is due to the influence of eastern and southeastern foehn, which are common at this time of year. Northwest winds, on the contrary, bring cooling. South winter temperatures fall. Due to the elevated position of the reserve, summer is cool and absent on the mountain peaks. In the north it is humid, in the south it is drier.

Climate of Lake Teletskoye (norm 1981-2010)
Indicator	Jan.	Feb.	March	Apr.	May	June	July	Aug.	Sep.	Oct.	Nov.	Dec.	Year
Absolute maximum, °C	11,6	13,4	21,4	29,3	33,0	34,3	36,9	34,7	29,1	23,2	15,9	14,1	36,9
Average temperature, °C	−7,6	−7,1	−2,3	4,0	10,1	14,2	17,3	15,7	10,2	4,5	−2	−6,1	4,2
Absolute minimum, °C	−36,2	−38,7	−28,8	−24,3	−10,1	−1,3	1,6	0,1	−4,9	−18,7	−33	−33,5	−38,7
Precipitation rate, mm	16	14	26	75	115	131	147	132	98	71	46	29	900
Source:

Flora

On the territory of the Altai Nature Reserve there are 1,500 species of higher vascular plants, of which 22 species are listed in the Red Book of the Russian Federation:

Polushnik lake - Isoetes lacustris L(The species is endangered. Listed in the Red Book of Russia in 2008. Status: 2 (V). Vulnerable species),
Feather feather feathers - Stipa pennata L(Red Book Russian Federation 2008, Red Data Book of Mongolia. Vulnerable species. Reduces population sizes. Status: 2 (V)),
Kovyl Zalessky - Stipa zalesskii Wilensky(Red Book of the Russian Federation 2008. Status. III category. Rare species),
Kandyk Siberian - Erythronium sibiricum(Fisch. et Mey) Kryl. (Red Book of the Russian Federation 2008 Status. III category. Rare species),
Lady's slipper swollen Cypripedium ventricosum
Venus's slipper is real - Cypripedium calceolus L. (Red Book of the Russian Federation 2008 Status. 3 (R). Rare species.),
Lady's slipper large-flowered - Cypripedium macranthon Sw. (Red Book of the Russian Federation 2008 Status. 3 (R). Rare species.),
Leafless muzzle - Epipogium aphyllum(F.W.Schmidt) Sw. (Red Book of the Russian Federation 2008 Status. 4 (1). Species with uncertain status.),
Neottiante clobulata - Neottianthe cucullata(L.) Schecht. (Red Book of the Russian Federation 2008 Status. 3 (R). Rare species.),
Liparis Lezelya - Liparis loeselii (L.) Rich (Red Book of the Russian Federation 2008 Status. 3 (R). Rare species.),
Fingercorn Baltic - Dactylorhiza baltica(Klinge) Orlova (Red Book of the Russian Federation 2008 Status. 2 (U). Vulnerable species with uncertain status.),
Helmeted Orchis - Orchis militaris L.(Red Book of the Russian Federation 2008 Status. 3 (R). Rare species.),
Altai rhubarb - Rheum altaicum Losinsk. (Red Book of the Russian Federation 2008. Resource plant, endemic Status: 3 (R). Rare species),
Wrestler unfound - Aconitum decipiens Worosch. et Anfalov (Red Data Book of the Russian Federation 2008. Status: 2 (V). Vulnerable species. Altai-Tuva endemic),
Wrestler Pascoe - Aconitum paskoi Worosch. (Red Book of the Russian Federation 2008. Status. 3 (R). Rare species. Endemic),
Oxyphyte swelled - Oxytropis physocarpa Ledeb. (Red Book of the Russian Federation 2008 Status: 3 (R). Rare species. Endemic to South-Eastern Altai and South-Western Tuva),
Chuyskiy orchard - Oxytropis tschujae
Siberian catfish Dentaria sibirica(Red Book of the Russian Federation 2008. Status: 3 (R). Rare species. Altai-Sayan Endemic),
Dendranthema emarginata - Dendranthema sinuatum(Red Book of the Russian Federation 2008. Status: 2 (V). Vulnerable species. Endemic to Altai,),
Volodushka Martyanova - Bupleurum martjanovii(Red Book of the Russian Federation 2008. Altai-Sayan endemic Status: 3 R). Rare species. Endemic to the mountains of Southern Siberia),
Rhodiola rosea Rhodiola rosea L. (Red Book of the Russian Federation 2008 Status: 3 (R). Rare species),
Kostenets Altai Asplenium altajense(Kom.) Grub. (Red Book of the Russian Federation 2008. Status. 4 (I). Species with uncertain status. Relict of the Tertiary flora. Paleoendem.).

49 plant species are listed in the Red Book of the Altai Republic.

Fauna

Rare species insects of the Altai Nature Reserve. Red Book of the Russian Federation: Rhymn's blueberry - Neolycaena rhymnus Common Apollo - Parnassius apollo (Category and status - 2nd declining species. Listed in the Red Book of the Russian Federation 2001), Erebia Kindermanni (Category and status - 2 species declining in numbers. Listed in the Red Book of the Russian Federation 2001). Species noted in the territory adjacent to the reserve, that is, the presence of which in the territory of the reserve is possible: Mnemosyne - Parnassius mnemosyne (Category and status - 2 species declining in numbers. Listed in the Red Book of the Russian Federation 2001)

Mammals lives on the territory of the Altai Nature Reserve 68 types. Of these, two species are listed in the International Red Book (IUCN) - Snow Leopard - Uncia uncia, which is extremely rare, lives mainly high in the mountains, above the forest line. Altai mountain sheep - Ovis ammon ammon, Siberian musk deer - Moschus moschiferus. Listed in the Red Book of Russia reindeer (forest subspecies) - Rangifer tarandus . Of the mammals in the reserve, there are 11 species of insectivores, 8 chiropterans, 2 lagomorphs, 24 rodents, 15 species of carnivores (bear, lynx, otter, wolverine, sable, weasel) and 8 species