Katun Nature Reserve (russian: Катунский заповедник) (also Katunsky) is a Russian
zapovednik
Zapovednik (russian: заповедник, plural , from the Russian , 'sacred, prohibited from disturbance, committed o protect committed o heritage; ) is an established term on the territory of the former Soviet Union for a protected area whi ...
(strict nature reserve) located in the highlands of the central
Altai Mountains
The Altai Mountains (), also spelled Altay Mountains, are a mountain range in Central Asia, Central and East Asia, where Russia, China, Mongolia and Kazakhstan converge, and where the rivers Irtysh and Ob River, Ob have their headwaters. The m ...
of south
Siberia
Siberia ( ; rus, Сибирь, r=Sibir', p=sʲɪˈbʲirʲ, a=Ru-Сибирь.ogg) is an extensive geographical region, constituting all of North Asia, from the Ural Mountains in the west to the Pacific Ocean in the east. It has been a part of ...
. The
Katun River
The Katun (, ''Katuń''; , ''Kadın'') is a river in the Altai Republic and the Altai Krai of Russia. It forms the Ob as it joins the Biya some southwest of Biysk. runs down through a valley in the reserve, serving as the primary source of the
Ob River
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The Ob ( rus, Обь, p=opʲ: Ob') is a major river in Russia. It is in western Siberia; and together with Irtysh forms the world's List of rivers by length, seventh-longest river system, at . It forms at the confluence of the Biya (river), Biya ...
. The headwaters of the Katun River originate on
Mount Belukha, the highest mountain in Siberia at , which is located on the far eastern edge of the preserve. Katun is an internationally important center of biodiversity, forming part of the "Golden Mountains of Altai" UNESCO World Heritage Site. Katun Nature Reserve is situated in the
Ust-Koksinsky District
Ust-Koksinsky District (russian: Усть-Ко́ксинский райо́н; alt, Кӧк-Суу Оозы аймак, ''Kök-Suu Oozı aymak'') is an administrativeLaw #101-RZ and municipalLaw #10-RZ district (raion), one of the ten in the Alta ...
of
Altai Republic
The Altai Republic (; russian: Респу́блика Алта́й, Respublika Altay, ; Altai: , ''Altay Respublika''), also known as Gorno-Altai Republic, and colloquially, and primarily referred to in Russian to distinguish from the neighbour ...
.
Topography
The topography of the reserve includes glaciers, alpine tundra, meadows, and forests. Much of the terrain has been formed through glaciation, and there are small lakes, streams, waterfalls, and steep slopes.
Ecoregion and climate
Katun is located in the ''
Altai alpine meadow and tundra'' ecoregion (WWF ID #PA1001). This ecoregion displays a complete sequence of altitudinal vegetation zones in central Siberia including steppe, forest-steppe, mixed forest, sub-alpine vegetation and alpine vegetation. The region is also an important habitat for endangered the snow leopard and its prey.
The Katun Reserve has an ''
Alpine climate
Alpine climate is the typical weather (climate) for elevations above the tree line, where trees fail to grow due to cold. This climate is also referred to as a mountain climate or highland climate.
Definition
There are multiple definitions of ...
'' (
Köppen climate classification
The Köppen climate classification is one of the most widely used climate classification systems. It was first published by German-Russian climatologist Wladimir Köppen (1846–1940) in 1884, with several later modifications by Köppen, notabl ...
''
(ET)''). This indicates a local climate in which at least one month has an average temperature high enough to melt snow (0 °C (32 °F)), but no month with an average temperature in excess of 10 °C (50 °F).
Flora and fauna
The reserve features 700 species of plants, 51 mammals, 140 of birds, three types of reptiles and eight fish species. Endangered species include the fawn lily (Erythronium sibericum), peony (Paeonia hybrida), spleenwort (Asplenium exiguum), and, rarely, the snow leopard (Uncia uncia).
Ecotourism
As a strict nature reserve, the Katun Reserve is mostly closed to the general public, although scientists and those with "environmental education" purposes can make arrangements with park management for visits. There are "ecotourist" routes in the reserve, however, that are open to the public, but require permits to be obtained in advance. The main office is in the town of Ust'-Koksa. Reserve rangers lead ecotourist hikes to Upper Lake Multinskiye, with groups assembling at 11:00 daily in season (July–September). There are other ecoroutes, requiring guides, to the headwaters of the Katun River.
See also
*
List of Russian Nature Reserves (class 1a "zapovedniks")
*
References
External links
Map of the Boundaries of Katun Reserve Entry for Katun, UNESCO-MAB Biosphere Reserve Directory
{{Authority control
Geography of the Altai Republic
Nature reserves in Russia
Biosphere reserves of Russia
World Heritage Sites in Russia
Altai Mountains
Protected areas established in 1991
1991 establishments in Russia
Zapovednik