Ustyurt State Nature Reserve

The Ustyurt State Nature Reserve is located in the Karakiyansky district of Mangistau oblast. It was organized on July 12, 1984. The total area of the reserve is 223,342 hectares.
The peculiarity of the relief of the protected area is the presence of Aeolian relief forms, dry riverbeds, extensive dry depressions, flat clay spaces. Cretaceous deposits are common. The Ustyurt Nature Reserve is characterized by numerous drainless depressions, which in some cases reach very large sizes. These include the Barsakelmes Depression, which covers an area of 2,000 km2.
The smallest depression is Shakhpakhta with an area of 45 km2. The bottom of the depressions is covered with viscous saline silt, so it is impossible to move along them. As for the vegetation of depressions, it is mainly represented by semi-shrubs and shrubs, such as Lessing meadow saxifrage and crithmifolious peganum. In addition, the local terrain is also characterized by hillocks and chukalaks.

The dry climate prevails on the territory of the Ustyurt Nature Reserve. It is characterized by a long and hot summer. In July, which is the warmest month of the year, thermometer rises up to +26-28 C. Winter is warm and short-lived, the average temperature in January ranges from -2 to -5 C.

The Ustyurt State Nature Reserve and its flora and fauna

The flora of the Ustyurt Nature Reserve is represented by 600 species of higher vascular plants. The most widespread are saltbush, astragalus, saltwort, sagebrush.

The following types of plants are under the protection of the Red Book of Kazakhstan: cup-shaped spurge, Malacocarpus crithmifolius, Khivin saltbush, Crambe edentula. Everywhere on the lands of the Ustyurt Reserve there are semi–shrubs - sarsazan, biyurgun, sagebrush.

The local fauna includes 111 species of birds, 45 – mammals, 22 – reptiles, 1 – amphibians. The following species are included in the Red Book of Kazakhstan: glossy ibis, black-bellied sandgrouse, short-toed eagle, houbara bustard, owl, golden eagle, steppe eagle, neophron, duck hawk, saker falcon, flamingo, hunting leopard, Hemprich’s arrow-eared bat, honey badger, dune cat, marbled polecat, Pallas’s cat, caracal, Persian gazelle, four-lined snake and others.

Typical representatives of the avifauna of the reserve include larks (red-capped and gray-capped), wheatear (pied chat, Isabelline chat, desert), griffin, short-toed eagles, neophrons, rock sparrows, rock-pigeons, black swifts, pied chats, whitethroat, red-headed bunting and others.