Reserves and national parks of Altai. Altai Nature Reserve: animals, birds and plants In what year was the Altai Nature Reserve created

The Altai Nature Reserve is one of the largest in Russia and the second in terms of biodiversity after the Far Eastern protected areas.

Included in the Global 200 list of the World Fund wildlife is a list of little-changed ecological regions of the planet where 90% of the world's biological diversity is located.

Where is the Altai Nature Reserve located?

The world-famous protected area is located in the Altai-Sayan Mountains. Administratively, the reserve covers the Ulagansky and Turochansky districts of the Altai Republic. The reserve also includes the water area of ​​Lake Terletskoye.

Characteristics

The area of ​​the Altai Nature Reserve is more than 863 thousand hectares, the main part of which is forests, and the smaller part is water areas.

Due to the different topography of the reserve (highlands, highlands, canyons and gorges, valleys - the difference in altitude above sea level is 400 - 3,500m), the climate is mountainous and continental. Winters are long and cold, summers are short and humid and warm. Average annual precipitation - 870mm

Story

At the beginning of the 16th century, the inhabitants of Altai began to develop the territory of mountains, foothills, and mountainous regions. Local tribes of Mundus, Yamundus, Sayans and others hunted on this land. In the 18th century, nomadic tribes of local aborigines had already populated both banks of the Chulyshman River.

Altai Nature Reserve in winter. Terletskoe lake photo

The beauty of the local nature has attracted the attention of scientists, who have repeatedly drawn attention to the unique ecological system of the Altai Territory.

Based on the results of the study, numerous field expeditions, collected material and observations of flora and fauna, compiled maps and diagrams, the Altai Nature Reserve was officially opened in 1932.

The reason for the discovery was the need to preserve the ecosystems of Terletskoye Lake and the surrounding taiga, as well as to protect the population of animals that were subjected to intensive extermination - sable and deer. The reserve was closed twice, but since 1967 it has been operating continuously, and its boundaries have remained stable and unchanged since then.

Korbu waterfall photo

In 1998, the territory of the reserve was included in the UNESCO List as a natural heritage site. Since 2009, the reserve received biosphere status.

Altai Nature Reserve: animals

• Amphibians - 2 species (gray toad, sharp-faced frog);
• Reptiles - 6 species (patterned snake, common viper, steppe viper, viviparous lizard, sand lizard, common copperhead);
• Fish - 19 species (burbot, pike, taimen, perch, etc.);
• Birds - 343 species;
• Mammals - over 50 species.

Altai Nature Reserve animals photo

The fauna of the Altai Nature Reserve is typical for the taiga zone. Steppe animals are in the minority here. Among the taiga mammals that live here are roe deer, moose, lynx, deer, squirrels, wolverines, chipmunks, and bears. In alpine landscapes you can see snow leopards, mountain goats, reindeer, argali, Altai vole.

There are also quite a lot of birds in the reserve - partridges, jackdaws, snowcocks, white-naped accentors, larks, redstarts; you can see golden eagles and falcons on the mountain rocks.

The steppe fauna is represented by marmots, gophers, gazelles, and birds - quails, partridges, hoopoes, and horned lark. Waterfowl – goldeneye, swan, mallard, merganser, etc.

Altai Nature Reserve: plants

The flora of the Altai Nature Reserve bears the characteristics of 4 different zones: steppe, forest, subalpine and alpine. Most of the Altai Nature Reserve is occupied by mountain taiga forests, which mainly include coniferous trees- fir, spruce, pine, birch.

The forest ends at approximately 2 thousand meters above sea level. In the north of the reserve there is a kingdom of fir, in the south there are cedars and larches. There is almost no undergrowth here, and the grass is mostly grass. Pines grow in lake valleys, spruces grow in mountain valleys, birch and aspen grow in places of former fires or clearings.

vegetable world reserve photo

There are many clearings throughout the reserve where umbrellas, angelica, nettles, hellebores, and hogweeds grow. In alpine landscapes, birch forests and alpine meadows and lichen tundras are common. The main plants in the dwarf birch zone are dwarf birch and cuckoo flax moss.

In the alpine meadows grows lush grass with large stems - white-flowered geranium, fighter, bitterweed, moral root. In the meadows between the rocks grow violets, hyacinths, mytniks, and kopeks. In the steppe part of the reserve, the main flora is feather grass and fescue.

• The grass in the clearings in the Altai Nature Reserve grows so high that it can sometimes hide a rider on a horse; Terletskoye Lake is fed by 70 rivers; there are many beautiful waterfalls along the shores of the lake;
• There are almost 2560 lakes in the reserve;
• Terletskoye Lake is called “Small Baikal of Siberia”;
• The highest mountain lake in the reserve is Julukul, located at an altitude of 2200 m above sea level;
• Some cedars in the reserve are over 400 years old and reach two meters in diameter;
• The territory of the reserve is very difficult to pass. Movement is carried out along special huntsman trails;
• 8 types bats, living in the reserve are included in the Red Book of the Altai Territory;
• There are camera traps in the reserve, with the help of which staff monitor the animals.

cedar old-timer photo

On the tops of the Altai mountains you can see, perhaps, some of the most beautiful places on the planet - alpine meadows. The “kingdom of permafrost”, which is located above, has not yet begun here, but the monotonous tundra has already ended. Alpine meadows are found not only in the Alps. This is a collective name that is used to designate low-grass vegetation at the upper limit of its existence in the Pyrenees, Apennines, Cordillera, Caucasus and Altai. During an extremely short warm period, a real miracle is formed here - a continuous carpet of herbs and flowers.

Lake Teletskoye is the heart of the Altai Nature Reserve, one of most beautiful places Siberia The Alpine meadow is truly a paradise: dozens of exotic flowers and herbs grow here

• Full name Altai State Natural Reserve biosphere reserve.
• IUCN Category: Ia (Strict Natural Reserve).
• Date of foundation: April 16, 1932.
• Region: mountains of Southern Siberia in the Turochaksky region of the Altai Republic.
• Area: 882,000 hectares.
• Relief: mountainous.
• Climate: continental.
• Official website: http://www.altzapovednik.ru/.
• Email: [email protected].

History of creation

The Altai Nature Reserve is one of the largest in Russia. Initially, it was allocated an area of ​​up to 1.3 million hectares, but gradually they were reduced to the size that exists today. It is interesting that since 1930, a family of Old Believers hermits, the Lykovs, lived in the Altai mountains, completely unfamiliar with modern civilization.

The Altai Nature Reserve is, without a doubt, a treasure of Russia. That is why today it is difficult to understand how it could happen that the reserve was liquidated twice - in 1951 and 1961.

Vegetable world

On the territory of the reserve grow 1,480 species of vascular plants from 107 families, 250 species of mosses, more than 500 algae, among which diatoms of Lake Teletskoe and other reservoirs, and about 37 species of lichens predominate. In total, about 200 plant species are endemic to this region.

The amazingly beautiful landscapes of the Altai Nature Reserve will not leave any visitor indifferent

The coniferous forests of the Altai Nature Reserve consist mainly of Siberian cedar (Pinus sibirica), Siberian larch (Larix sibirica) and Siberian spruce (Picea obovata). The main deciduous tree species are birch - warty birch (Betula pendula) and downy birch (Betula pubescens).

On the mountain peaks of Altai grows the outlandish edelweiss flower (Leontopodium), translated from Greek as “lion’s paw” (from leon - “lion” and podion - “paw”). It is also called the Alpine star, the silver flower of the rocks. As an image of strong love that overcomes any obstacles, as well as a symbol of inaccessibility and good luck, this flower is found in many Altai tales and legends.

Altai herbs... This phrase always sounds fascinating to admirers healthy image life, because Altai means healing, rare, possessing amazing properties. But these ideas are actually close to the truth. The most common here are goldenrod (Solidago dahurica), bitterleaf (Saussurea latifolia), thistle (Cirsiurn helenioides), raponticum (leuzea) safflower, or maral root (Rhaponticum carthamoides), a unique medicinal plant that grows in the Altai mountains. It effectively improves immunity and promotes overall strengthening of the body. It was “suggested” to man by deer - Siberian red deer (Cervus maral).

Animal world

58 species of mammals, 323 of birds, 6 of reptiles, 18 of fish and about 15 of invertebrates live here.

Wolverine is one of the most interesting animals of the Altai Nature Reserve, the most major representative mustelidae family

The animal world of Altai is rich and diverse: from squirrels (Sciurus vulgaris) and Asian chipmunks (Tamias sibiricus) to deer (Cervus maral), bears (Ursus arctos) and wolverines (Gulo gulo). One of the most notable animals is the lynx (Lynx lynx). She has mastered all the landscapes and habitats of Altai remarkably well, climbs trees, runs and swims well. Lynx fur is considered a particularly chic item, so these animals are in danger.

Wolverine is a predatory animal of the mustelid family, resembling both a bear and a badger. Having long legs disproportionate to the proportions of the body (with maximum length body 86 cm, average length of limbs - 10 cm), the animal moves easily, like on skis, on the snow cover.

Among all the inhabitants of the reserve, birds most clearly characterize its main feature: altitudinal zonation. In general, 323 species of birds live on the territory of the Altai Nature Reserve. Black-throated loon (Gavia arctica) and red-cheeked grebe (Podiceps auritus) are found in the water bodies. In the forests you can always see the Chiffchaff (Phylloscopus collybita) and Song Thrush (Turdus philomelos).

There are 14 species of fish in the waters of Lake Teletskoye, among which the most common are taimen (Hucho taimen), Teletskoye grayling (Thymallus arcticus), and lenok (Brachymystax lenok).

The main attraction of the Altai Nature Reserve is Lake Teletskoye, which is 78 km long and has a maximum depth of 325 m. About 400 years ago, tribes who called themselves Teles lived along the shores of the lake, which is how this name appeared. But the local population called it Altyn-Kel - “Golden Lake”. In addition to the main river Chulyshman, 70 rivers and more than 150 temporary watercourses flow into it. Lake Teletskoye flows into the Biya River, feeding the Ob with its waters. Korbu Waterfall, a natural monument since 1978, is located at the foot of the Korbu ridge, a hundred meters from the shore of Lake Teletskoye. It, like the entire right bank of the lake, is located on the territory of the Altai Nature Reserve. The only way to get to Korbu is by boat on the lake. And such excursions are very popular among tourists.

Korbu Waterfall

In the Uimon steppe near the Chulyshman valley there is a unique a natural phenomenon- stone mushrooms, rocky formations that have formed over thousands of years under the influence of erosion and weathering.

Information for visitors

Reserve mode

The Altai Nature Reserve can be visited by agreement with its administration. The Teletska School of Youth Ecotourism has been established at the reserve. A number of interesting ecological routes are constantly operating.

How to get there

You can get to Gorno-Altaisk by train, then by car or regular bus to the village of Artybash at the mouth of Lake Teletskoye. After this there is a lake message. By car you can get to the village of Yailyu - the central estate of the Altai Nature Reserve.

Where to stay

In the villages of Yogach and Artybash, located near the reserve, at the mouth of Lake Teletskoye, there is a network of campsites, tourist centers and “green” houses. There is an information center of the Altai Nature Reserve, where you can find out all the information about accommodation, excursion and other tourist services. In the village of Yailyu there is a guest house, as well as “green” houses of local residents, where you can stay by prior arrangement.

Altai Biosphere Reserve- This amazing place, where many species of flora and fauna have been preserved. The purest lakes here coexist with the middle and high mountains, and the taiga coexists with the tundra. The Altai State Nature Reserve ceased to exist twice, but from 1967 to the present day it has been functioning again. This is definitely worth a visit for those who want to admire nature unspoiled by man, to see reindeer, snow leopard, and musk deer.

Where is it located and how to get to the Altai Nature Reserve

This unique place is located in the northern and eastern parts of the Altai Republic. The territory of the reserve covers the Ulagansky and Turachaksky districts.

The main office of the reserve is located in the capital of the Republic, in Gorno-Altaisk, at the address: Naberezhny lane, building 1. Office phone number - 2-14-19, code - 388-22. Opening hours - from 8.00 to 16.00, lunch - from 12.00 to 13.00.
As for the central estate of the Altai Nature Reserve, it is located in the village of Yailyu, you can contact it by phone 8-495-645-22-62.

• First of all, you need to get to. The most convenient and fastest way to do this is by plane.
• If you decide to go by train, you need to take a ticket to Biysk station, and from there by regular bus or at Taxi get to Gorno-Altaisk.
• The next section of the road is the path from the capital of Altai to the villages of Yailyu or Artybash. The most convenient way to do this is by car(please note that to travel you must fill out an online application a month before your visit).
• You can also overcome part of the path on the boat- in the warm season.

Visit

To visit the Altai Nature Reserve, you don’t have to save money for a long time - an entrance ticket will cost from 20 to 100 rubles (the exact cost depends on the chosen route and vacation spot).
It is best to go here in the summer, as well as in the first half of autumn. Traditionally September is best time for relaxation on the lakes.
Tourists will not be able to stop at the cordons - this is not provided for. However, you can live in the villages, which are located in Artybash or Yogach - villages nearby (green tourism is well developed here), as well as at the mouth of Lake Teletskoye. There are tourist centers, campsites, and guest houses here. There is a guest house in Yailyu; Here tourists are also accepted by local residents.

• There are several routes in the Altai Nature Reserve: to the observation deck at Korbu waterfall, route to Uchar waterfall– the cost of tickets in this case is 100 rubles per person daily.
• You can also go to estate in Yailya, to the cordons Karatash, Baigazan, Chelyush, Kokshi, an interesting journey through Belinskaya terrace– each of these routes will cost 50 rubles.
• Here's a visit eco-parking area “Urochishche Karagai” will cost only 20 rubles per tourist.

Flora and fauna of the Altai Nature Reserve

Plants of the Altai Nature Reserve

The highest species of vascular plants here include about one and a half thousand. Of these, 22 species are from the Red Book: lake grass, feather feather grass, Siberian kandyk, Zalessky feather grass, three species of Lady's slipper (swollen, large-flowered and true), Baltic fingerhorn, leafless migratory plant, as well as clopaceous neottiante, Lezel's liparis, helmeted orchis, Altai rhubarb , unfound wrestler, swollen-fruited oleaginous, Pascoe's wrestler, Siberian toothwort, Maryanova's cape, notched-leaved dendrathema, Altai kostenets, Rhodiola rosea.
There are almost five dozen plant species, which are listed in the Red Book of Altai.

Due to the vast area of ​​the reserve, it includes various zones: this and taiga, And tundra, And alpine meadows, And steppe areas. As for the forest, or rather the taiga, it is predominantly dark coniferous (black): spruce, cedar, and fir grow here. The lower tier of plants consists of ferns and tall grasses. Also in the undergrowth there are many rowan trees, bird cherry trees, viburnum bushes, red and black currants.

Found in the mountains and foothills bushes, for example, rhododendron (here it is called maral), gooseberry. Onions grow near Lake Teletskoye, and bergenia grows in dry areas. Almost everywhere - abundance herbaceous plants, including honey plants.

Animals of the Altai Nature Reserve

Thanks to the diverse flora of the Altai Nature Reserve, you can find a large number of various animals and birds. The answer to the question of what animals live in the Altai Nature Reserve will take a lot of space, because fauna is represented by no less diversity than the flora: according to scientific research, more than 65 species of mammals, 330 of birds, 6 of reptiles, 19 of fish, and three species of amphibians live here.
Since the Altai Nature Reserve has several natural areas, some representatives of the animal world lead a sedentary lifestyle, while others move from one zone to another.

• In the Altai Nature Reserve found as very rare animals, listed in the Red Book, and more common representatives of the fauna. Here you can meet sable and bear, red deer and ermine, wolverine and roe deer, lynx and weasel, snow leopard and Siberian ibex, flying squirrel and weasel.
• When talking about what animals are in the Altai Nature Reserve, one cannot fail to mention chipmunks– these charming animals are found literally at every step.
• As for the rare representatives of the fauna of the Altai Nature Reserve, it is worth first of all remembering snow leopard and Altai mountain sheep– they are listed in the International Red Book. But reindeer are under federal protection.
  Generally animal world Altai Nature Reserve includes almost six dozen rare or endangered fauna– these are more than half of the animal species that are protected by law in Altai. It’s not just about mammals: three species of insects and eight species of bats are also protected.
• Birds of the Altai Nature Reserve– another pride of scientists. There are more than 330 species, of which a significant part (184) nest here. These include the steppe eagle, the gray crane, the white-tailed eagle, the great godwit, the demoiselle crane, the gray-headed bunting, and the Mongolian bullfinch. All of them are listed in the Red Book. There are also other protected bird species here, for example, stilt and Dalmatian pelican. 12 bird species are included in the international Red Book, and 23 - in the federal Red Book.
• There are a lot here and fish, including rare ones. One of most interesting species is taimen, a predator that lives in Lake Teletskoye.
• Many tourists are interested in what animal is depicted on the emblem of the Altai Nature Reserve. The logo includes an image of not one, but two inhabitants of the Altai Nature Reserve: snow leopard(i.e. snow leopard), as well as argali ram. The latter is one of the largest species of argali. This is what tourists most often ask about, wondering who is depicted on the emblem of the Altai Nature Reserve. It should be emphasized that both the argali and the snow leopard are not only a symbol of the Altai Nature Reserve, but also the flag species of the entire Altai-Sayan ecological region.

Mountain sheep are one of the rarest inhabitants of the reserve.

Sights of the Altai Nature Reserve

Among the nature reserves of Russia, the Altai Nature Reserve occupies a special place, since there are not only many rare species plants and animals, but also many natural attractions.

• One of the most interesting places in the Altai Nature Reserve is Lake Teletskoye, included in the UNESCO list. It is one of the deepest lakes in the country, and its maximum depth recorded to date is more than 320 meters. Because of its purest water, it is called the younger brother of Baikal, and local residents call it Golden.
  The clear waters of Lake Teletskoye are home to many rare species of fish.
• Uchar, or Big Chulchinsky, is the largest cascading waterfall in Altai, the total height of which is 160 meters. It amazes with its beauty and scale, attracting many tourists.
  Cascade waterfall Uchar is the largest in the Altai Mountains.
• Not far from Lake Teletskoye there is another waterfall – Korbu. It can be reached by car, so this is where most tourists go.
  The Korbu waterfall is located on the river of the same name, which carries its waters to Lake Teletskoye.
• Very interesting and journey to "To the Tramp", as the locals call the group of Bascon waterfalls. They differ from each other in both size and power, forming a single natural ensemble.
• Julukul is a high-mountain lake, which is inferior to Teletskoye in size, but not in beauty. It is here that many species of fish spawn, and birds organize bird markets.
  The high-mountain lake Dzhulukul amazes with its purity and beauty.

History of the creation of the Altai Nature Reserve

1. As already mentioned, this protected area has a complicated history. Initially, the idea of ​​the Altai Nature Reserve, the purpose of which is to preserve the species diversity of the flora and fauna of Altai, arose in 1929, when a large expedition was sent here. At the same time, they developed a plan according to which the reserve would cover about two million hectares (today the area is slightly less than 900 hectares), but it was not approved.
2. A year later, the decision to create a reserve was nevertheless made, but the next expedition was organized to clarify its boundaries. In 1932 The Altai Nature Reserve began its existence.
3. In 1951 together with the liquidation of the Office of Nature Reserves, the Altai Nature Reserve was abolished, but in 1958 it was restored. Having existed for three years - until the summer 1961 , it was disbanded again.
4. In the mid-sixties, the public raised the question of its resumption, and in March 1967 The Altai nature reserve was again organized on the same territory as before. To the question of what the Altai Nature Reserve protects, the answer was given in the founding document: the complex of the Priteletskaya taiga, as well as Lake Teletskoye.

   Did you know? According to the original documentation, Lake Teletskoye was supposed to become the center and real heart of the Altai Nature Reserve.

5. Since then, this reserve has not stopped its work, and since 2009 included in the World Network of Biosphere Reserves.

   Did you know? This reserve, together with Katunsky, forms the “Golden Altai Mountains” and has been included in the UNESCO list since 1998.

Interesting facts about the Altai Nature Reserve

• The Altai Nature Reserve presents a huge number of animals and plants, which allows it to be included in five nature reserves with maximum biodiversity.
• Reserve area makes up almost 10% of the territory of the Altai Republic, which makes it one of the largest in the country.
• Cedar forests- This is a special pride of the reserve: the age of the trees here exceeds four centuries, and the diameter of the cedars is up to two meters.
• Climate of the Altai Nature Reserve combines mountain and continental features, which makes it unique.
• The relief of the Altai Nature Reserve is very diverse: These include highlands, highlands, valleys, and gorges. The elevation difference here ranges from 400 to 3.5 thousand meters above sea level.
• The reserve's logo previously featured snow leopard and mountain sheep, however, this year, the anniversary year, a new emblem of the Altai Nature Reserve was approved, depicting a mountain with three heads. There is a tree on it that raises its branches up. At the bottom, the mountain seems to be washed by the purest waters of the lake.

Altai Nature Reserve – photos and videos

The snow leopard is another “mascot” of the Altai Nature Reserve.


The cedar forests are the pride of the reserve.


The Altai Nature Reserve is truly an amazing place where you can spend more than one week. Peering into clear waters lakes, listening to polyphonic bird choirs, watching animals and admiring the grandeur of waterfalls, you will experience the power of nature in a new way and be able to feel its splendor.

Altai Nature Reserve was founded in 1932, modern borders designated in 1968. It is located in the Chulyshman River basin and is included in the top ten largest nature reserves in the Russian Federation. Area - 881,238 hectares, of which 13 thousand hectares are water bodies and 247.8 thousand hectares are forest zones. Altai Nature Reserve is part of the Altai territories included in the list world heritage UNESCO. The purpose of creating a protected area is to protect natural complex Siberia, study of the region's ecosystems.

Landscape and climate features

The Altai Nature Reserve of Russia, stretching for 230 km, amazes with its diversity of landscapes. Here there was a place for taiga forests, steppes, tundra, and meadows. The pearl of the protected zone is Lake Teletskoye (water area - 223 km2). 70 rivers flow into it, the largest of which is Chulyshman. The shore of the lake is decorated with 150 waterfalls.

The main part of the Altai Nature Reserve lies at an altitude of 1,450-1,650 m above sea level, the ridges rise to 3,000 - 3,500 m. The mountains are characterized by a pronounced altitudinal zone: coniferous taiga, where cedars, larches and fir grow, gives way to open forest. Higher up are alpine meadows and tundra with a predominance of low shrubs and lichens. Mountain areas are rich in springs, springs and lakes, covering an area of ​​15 thousand m2.

The territory of the Altai Nature Reserve is dominated by continental and mountain climate. The first is due to the location - the protected zone lies in the central part of the continent, where the weather is influenced by Arctic air masses and Asian anticyclones. The mountain climate prevails in the Altai ridge zone.

Formation climatic conditions depends on the specific landscape of individual areas. So, South part, where the valleys of the Chulyshman River and Lake Teletskoye are located, is characterized by mild winters and short, cool summers. There is almost no snow here, the annual precipitation is 400-500 mm. In the northern part of the Altai Nature Reserve and the mid-mountain taiga zone, on the contrary, cold winters prevail. Snow falls already at the end of October. In summer the air temperature rises to +30 °C. The amount of precipitation per year is 800-900 mm.

Plants of the Altai Nature Reserve

According to botanists, the number of vascular plants growing in the Altai Nature Reserve is 1,480 specimens from 107 families. Among them there are endemics and relicts: loose sedge, circe, Siberian kandyk, Voronets and dendranthema notamata. Business card are cedar forests. The diameter of some trees is 1.8 meters, and their age reaches 500 years!

The flora of the alpine meadows enchants with its diversity. Numerous violets, azure gentians, crimson pennyworts, golden adonis and rare edelweiss bloom here. Among the herbs, saxifrage, five-leaf clover, cotoneaster, cinquefoil, bergenia and beautiful flower dominate. The mountain slopes are decorated with raspberries, gooseberries, sea buckthorn, viburnum and Daurian rhododendron. The steppe belt is represented by feathery feather grass and fescue. The marshy area is covered with ferns. Of the lower plants in the Altai Nature Reserve, about 100 species of fungi are known, 668 of algae and 272 of mosses and lichens carpeting the tundra soil.

Animals of the Altai Nature Reserve

The fauna protected by the Altai Nature Reserve is typical of the taiga forests of western Siberia. However, due to the diversity of reliefs and climatic conditions, animals whose habitats are mountains, tundra and steppes are also found here. According to research in 2010, the reserve has:

• 73 species of mammals;
• 15 thousand species of invertebrates;
• 10 species of amphibians and reptiles;
• 334 species of birds;
• 18 species of fish.

Mammals

Among the animals of the Altai Nature Reserve, representatives of three families of insectivores and eight species of bats are of interest. The rarest are the Siberian shrew, discovered in the protected area only in 2003, the brown long-eared bat, the long-whiskered bat, the great tubebill and the northern leatherback.

The mustelid family is represented by the badger, weasel, ermine and mink, and to a lesser extent by the otter and wolverine. The sable, which was practically exterminated in the 30s of the 20th century, now lives everywhere in the taiga. Among the ungulates, musk deer, deer, elk, and roe deer are widespread. Forest reindeer are extremely rare. The southern regions are inhabited by argali and Siberian mountain goats. Everywhere you can see the mountain hare, Altai pika, Asian chipmunk and common squirrel. The theriofauna includes 16 predators, the typical representatives of which are Brown bear, wolf and fox.

There are 59 endangered fauna representatives on the territory of the Altai Nature Reserve. This represents 52% of the total number of animals protected in the region. Here you can still see the snow leopard, which is on the verge of extinction and is listed in the Red Book of the world and the Russian Federation.

Invertebrates, amphibians and reptiles

The invertebrate world of the Altai Nature Reserve is extremely rich, but due to the diversity of species it has been little studied. The most interesting are the diurnal and nocturnal butterflies: Erebia Kindermann, Apollo Phoebus, swallowtail, peacock's eye and Hebe the bear.

The reptile fauna includes six species. Sanding and viviparous lizards, cottonmouth, common viper and patterned snake are ubiquitous. The gray viper is occasionally seen. The gray toad lives in the interfluves and floodplains. At an altitude of 2,140 m, the sharp-faced frog lives in moist places.

Birds

Frequently encountered representatives of the avifauna of the Altai Nature Reserve in Russia include the tit, corncrake, crane, jock, hoopoe, field pipist and rock pigeon. The employees are especially proud of the appearance in the steppes of the sandpiper, which until 2013 was not included in the list of birds in the region, and the growing population of the pink starling, listed in the Red Book.

Gulls, bitterns, black storks, whooper swans, goldeneyes, mallards and herons nest on the banks of lakes and rivers. In the forests you can observe the life of hazel grouse, cuckoos, woodpeckers, wood grouse, partridges and nutcrackers. The tundra zone is favored by the Altai snowcock, horned lark, tundra partridge and red-bellied redstart. As for feathered predators, the Altai Nature Reserve is home to the eagle owl, osprey, kite, falcon, white-tailed eagle, peregrine falcon and golden eagle.

Ichthyofauna

Fish in the Altai Nature Reserve are represented by 18 species. The most valuable are taimen, Siberian char, osman and grayling, which are found in the Chulyshman River. They come to spawn in the high-mountain lake Dzhulukul - the most “fishy” reservoir in Russia. Lake Teletskoye, which is not distinguished by a variety of food, is inhabited by burbot, sculpin, pike, dace, lenok, whitefish Pravdina, perch and rare Teletskoe sprat.

Ecotourism

The Altai Nature Reserve protects the integrity of the landscape and all species of plants and animals found on its territory. Monitoring observations of the dynamics of natural natural processes, and Scientific research. Their goal is to study the ecosystems of Altai, assess changes in the fauna, flora and seismic state of the region.

Staying in protected areas of the reserve without a special pass is prohibited. An exception is granted only to tourist groups making excursions designed to familiarize themselves with the nature, environmental features and historical monuments of the region, such as burial mounds, stone tombs and ancient sculptures of the Turkic peoples. Popular routes are:

• Belinskaya terrace and orchard;
• Inaccessible waterfall;
• Bascon waterfall;
• Chichelgan zigzag;
• Uchar waterfall and Chulcha river;
• Kokshi cordon;
• Yailyu village and Minor pass.

Also available for visiting tourist groups are observation platforms located at the foot of the Korbu and Kishte waterfalls.

Animals and plants listed in the Red Book of Russia

Plants:

• Lake lancet - Isoetes lacustris L.
• Feather grass - Stipa pennata L.
• Zalesskii feather grass - Stipa zalesskii Wilensky
• Siberian Kandyk - Erythronium sibiricum
• Swollen lady's slipper - Cypripedium ventricosum Sw.
• Lady's slipper - Cypripedium calceolus L.
• Large-flowered lady's slipper - Cypripedium macranthon Sw.
• Epipogium aphyllum
• Neottianthe cucullata
• Liparis loeselii (L.)
• Baltic fingerweed - Dactylorhiza baltica
• Orchis militaris L.
• Altai rhubarb - Rheum altaicum Losinsk.
• Unfound fighter - Aconitum decipiens
• Pascoe's wrestler - Aconitum paskoi
• Chuy's oysterwort - Oxytropis tschujae
• Siberian toothed tooth - Dentaria sibirica
• Dendranthema sinuatum
• Volodushka Martyanov - Bupleurum martjanovii
• Rhodiola rosea - Rhodiola rosea L.
• Altai Kostenets - Asplenium altajense

Insects:

• Rhymn's blueberry - Neolycaena rhymnus
• Common Apollo – Parnassius apollo
• Erebia Kindermanni

The coordination and management center of the Altai Nature Reserve is located at the address: 649000, Russia, Gorno-Altaisk, Naberezhny Lane, 1.

Photo: Altai State Nature Reserve

Photo and description

The Altai State Nature Reserve is a unique specially protected area of ​​Russia, which is a UNESCO World Natural and Cultural Heritage Site. The history of the reserve began on April 16, 1932.

In terms of biological diversity, the Altai Nature Reserve occupies one of the leading places among the country's protected areas. 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 lowlands and midlands, alpine and subalpine highlands and midlands, glacial-nival highlands, tundra-steppe highlands, tundra highlands and midlands.

The purest springs, streams with cold water. The largest alpine lake is Dzhulukol, located at the source of Chulyshman. Its length is about 10 km. Among the most common tree species- pine, cedar, spruce, fir, 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. Among the ungulates that live here are reindeer, red deer, 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.