Korgalzhyn State Nature Reserve ( kk, Қорғалжын мемлекеттік табиғи қорығы, ''Qorğaljyn memlekettık tabiği qoryğy'') is a
protected area
Protected areas or conservation areas are locations which receive protection because of their recognized natural, ecological or cultural values. There are several kinds of protected areas, which vary by level of protection depending on the ena ...
Karaganda
Karaganda or Qaraghandy ( kk, Қарағанды/Qarağandy, ; russian: Караганда, ) is the capital of Karaganda Region in the Republic of Kazakhstan. It is the fourth most populous city in Kazakhstan, behind Almaty (Alma-Ata), Astan ...
regions of
Kazakhstan
Kazakhstan, officially the Republic of Kazakhstan, is a transcontinental country located mainly in Central Asia and partly in Eastern Europe. It borders Russia to the north and west, China to the east, Kyrgyzstan to the southeast, Uzbeki ...
, located west of the city of
Astana
Astana, previously known as Akmolinsk, Tselinograd, Akmola, and most recently Nur-Sultan, is the capital city of Kazakhstan.
The city lies on the banks of the Ishim River in the north-central part of Kazakhstan, within the Akmola Region, tho ...
Ramsar site
A Ramsar site is a wetland site designated to be of international importance under the Ramsar Convention,8 ha (O)
*** Permanent 8 ha (P)
*** Seasonal Intermittent < 8 ha(Ts)
**
migratory birds
Bird migration is the regular seasonal movement, often north and south along a flyway, between breeding and wintering grounds. Many species of bird migrate. Migration carries high costs in predation and mortality, including from hunting b ...
and an important wetland of international importance. Extensive reserve waters provide the necessary living space in the largest Asian population of wetland birds.
Geography
Korgalzhyn State nature reserve has an area of . The territory is located in the steppes and semi deserts of the
Kazakh Uplands
The Kazakh Uplands ( kk, Сарыарқа, ''Saryarqa'' - "Yellow Ridge", russian: Казахский мелкосопочник, Kazakhskiy Melkosopochnik), also known as the Kazakh Hummocks, is a large peneplain formation extending throughout th ...
. It includes numerous salt and fresh water bodies. The main rivers are the Nura and
Kulanotpes
The Kulanotpes ( kk, Құланөтпес; russian: Куланотпес) is a river in the Nura District, Karaganda Region, Kazakhstan. It has a length of and a drainage basin of . Google Earth
It is the second most important river flowing i ...
, and the biggest lake is
Lake Tengiz
Tengiz Lake ( kk, Теңіз көлі, ''Teñız kölı''; russian: Тенгиз) is a saline lake in north-central part of Kazakhstan.
On 16 October 1976, the Soviet spacecraft Soyuz 23 unintentionally splashed down into the northern part o ...
In 1976 Tengis - Korgalzhyn lakes have been included in the Ramsar list of wetlands of international importance. Vingue lake tengiz, as its shores, had never been exposed to anthropogenic impact, this lake in 2000a goal was included in the list of the international organization ”Living Lakes”, which includes the most unique lakes in the world in 2007, the area has also become part of worldwide network of places recognized as extremely valuable for the conservation of birds(IBA).
In 2008 Korgalzhyn State Nature as part of the nomination “Saryarka- Steppe and Lake of Northern Kazakhstan” is included in the list of World Natural Heritage UNESKO.
In 2012 Reserve
UNESCO
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a List of specialized agencies of the United Nations, specialized agency of the United Nations (UN) aimed at promoting world peace and security through international coope ...
recognized as the first Biosphere Reserve in the Republic of Kazakhstan .
Flora
In general, the biodiversity of the protected area includes more than 500 species of plant (a quarter of the entire Flora of Kazakh Upland) and more than 1400 species of aquatic and terrestrial animals, including 43 species of mammals,350 species of birds(including nesting species -12). Wetland birds in the Tengiz-Korgalzhyn lake consists of 112 species, representing 87% of the wetland avifauna Kazakhstan. Also found here 2 species of amphibian, 4 species of reptiles, 14 species of fish. Insects are currently over 700 known species, although their diversity can reach more than 3000 species.
The steppe area is also important as a place of preservation of unique reference sites of natural steppe ecosystems subjected to degradation in other parts of Kazakhstan in its various degrees. Steppe ecosystems are habitats of conventional, as well as endemic, rare and endangered species.
Fauna
The protected reserve territory is home to more than 60 species of animals and plants listed in the Red Book. For example, 41 species in the list of
International Union for Conservation of Nature
The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN; officially International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources) is an international organization working in the field of nature conservation and sustainable use of natu ...
(IUCN). On the lakes, 10% of the global population of Dalmatian pelicans and up to 10-20% of the world population of the territory of food during the summer and autumn moult migration in belayet huge number of birds, tens of thousands of geese, hundred of thousands of dabbling and diving ducks and waders.
Among the Red Book species of steppe and around water areas should be nofel steppe sandpiper sociable lapwing, bustard, little bustard, booted eagle, steppe eagle, white tailed eagle, pallid harrier, steppe pustelku, Demoiselle crane and others.
8 species of mammals included in the, including souga and marmot IUCN. The Red Book of Kazakhstan listed 5 plants species, including tulip schrenka, which is of great importance as a reserve fund of material selection. This species is the ancestor of some cultivated varieties of tulips bred in the Netherlands in the XVl Century.
Preserving the natural state sites on its territory and adjacent areas is the main objective of the Korgalzhyn Nature Reserve.
The wetlands are home to pelicans, cranes and the northernmost population of
pink flamingos
''Pink Flamingos'' is a 1972 American film directed, written, produced, narrated, filmed, and edited by John Waters. It is part of what Waters has labelled the "Trash Trilogy", which also includes '' Female Trouble'' (1974) and '' Desperate Liv ...
. Altogether there are more than 300 bird species in the reserve. The steppes of the reserve are home to
wolves
The wolf (''Canis lupus''; : wolves), also known as the gray wolf or grey wolf, is a large canine native to Eurasia and North America. More than thirty subspecies of ''Canis lupus'' have been recognized, and gray wolves, as popularly un ...