Saryarka – Steppe and Lakes of Northern Kazakhstan () is a part of the

Kazakh Uplands The Kazakh Uplands or the Kazakh Hummocks, known in Kazakh as the ( , ; ), is a large peneplain formation extending throughout the central and eastern regions of Kazakhstan.

(known in Kazakh as ''saryarka'', or "yellow range") which has been designated a

World Heritage Site World Heritage Sites are landmarks and areas with legal protection under an treaty, international treaty administered by UNESCO for having cultural, historical, or scientific significance. The sites are judged to contain "cultural and natural ...

UNESCO The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO ) is a List of specialized agencies of the United Nations, specialized agency of the United Nations (UN) with the aim of promoting world peace and International secur ...

. It was inscribed on July 7, 2008. (''see''

List of World Heritage Sites in Kazakhstan The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) designates World Heritage Sites of outstanding universal value to cultural or natural heritage which have been nominated by countries which are signatories to the UN ...

) The site comprises the Naurzum State Nature Reserve (located in

Kostanay Province Kostanay Region (; ) is a Regions of Kazakhstan, region of Kazakhstan. Its administrative center is the city of Kostanay. The population of the region is 835,686. The population living in Kostanay is 207,000 which is equivalent to 23% of the re ...

) and Korgalzhyn State Nature Reserve (located in

Aqmola Region Akmola Region (, ; ) is a centrally located region of Kazakhstan. It was known as Tselinograd Oblast during Soviet rule. Its capital is Kökşetau. The national capital, Astana, is enclosed by the region, but is politically separate from Aqmola R ...

). The two reserves contain

wetland A wetland is a distinct semi-aquatic ecosystem whose groundcovers are flooded or saturated in water, either permanently, for years or decades, or only seasonally. Flooding results in oxygen-poor ( anoxic) processes taking place, especially ...

s which serve as important stop-over points for

migrating birds Migration, migratory, or migrate may refer to: Human migration * Human migration, physical movement by humans from one region to another ** International migration, when peoples cross state boundaries and stay in the host state for some minimum le ...

from

Africa Africa is the world's second-largest and second-most populous continent after Asia. At about 30.3 million km2 (11.7 million square miles) including adjacent islands, it covers 20% of Earth's land area and 6% of its total surfac ...

Europe Europe is a continent located entirely in the Northern Hemisphere and mostly in the Eastern Hemisphere. It is bordered by the Arctic Ocean to the north, the Atlantic Ocean to the west, the Mediterranean Sea to the south, and Asia to the east ...

, and

South Asia South Asia is the southern Subregion#Asia, subregion of Asia that is defined in both geographical and Ethnicity, ethnic-Culture, cultural terms. South Asia, with a population of 2.04 billion, contains a quarter (25%) of the world's populatio ...

. It is estimated that 15–16 million birds, including many

endangered species An endangered species is a species that is very likely to become extinct in the near future, either worldwide or in a particular political jurisdiction. Endangered species may be at risk due to factors such as habitat loss, poaching, inv ...

, use the site as a feeding ground. The

pink flamingo Flamingos or flamingoes () are a type of wading bird in the family Phoenicopteridae, which is the only extant family in the order Phoenicopteriformes. There are four flamingo species distributed throughout the Americas (including the Caribbe ...

s in particular are a major attraction within

Korgalzhyn Korgalzhyn (, ''Qorğaljyn'') is a village in the Akmola Region, Kazakhstan. It serves as the administrative center of Korgalzhyn District. The Nura River slowly flows around the selo. It is situated 120 km south-west of Astana. Population: ...

Reserve. The site is also home to wildlife commonly found on the

Kazakh steppe The Kazakh Steppe ( ), also known as the Great Steppe or Great Betpak-Dala, Dala ( ), is a vast region of open grassland in Central Asia, covering areas in northern Kazakhstan and adjacent areas of Russia. It lies east of the Pontic–Caspian step ...

, including

marmots Marmots are large ground squirrels in the genus ''Marmota'', with 15 species living in Asia, Europe, and North America. These herbivores are active during the summer, when they can often be found in groups, but are not seen during the winter, w ...

wolves The wolf (''Canis lupus''; : wolves), also known as the grey wolf or gray wolf, is a canine native to Eurasia and North America. More than thirty subspecies of ''Canis lupus'' have been recognized, including the dog and dingo, though gr ...

, and the endangered

saiga The saiga antelope (, ''Saiga tatarica''), or saiga, is a species of antelope which during antiquity inhabited a vast area of the Eurasian steppe, spanning the foothills of the Carpathian Mountains in the northwest and Caucasus in the southwes ...

. Korgalzhyn nature reserve, being a part of World Heritage Site, is one of the most popular areas in Kazakhstan in terms of

birdwatching Birdwatching, or birding, is the observing of birds, either as a recreational activity or as a form of citizen science. A birdwatcher may observe by using their naked eye, by using a visual enhancement device such as binoculars or a telescop ...

Notes

External links

Saryarka – Steppe and Lakes of Northern Kazakhstan
UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Kazakhstan Kostanay Region Geography of Akmola Region Kazakh Uplands {{KostanayRegion-geo-stub cv:Сар хырçă hr:Sarijarka