Issyk-Kul Nature Reserve

The Issyk-Kul Nature Reserve is one of the 338 reserves in the world recognized by the UNESCO "Man and Biosphere" program.

The Issyk-Kul State Nature Reserve is located in the territory of the Republic of Kyrgyzstan. The reserve was established by a decree of the Council of Ministers of the Kyrgyz SSR on December 10, 1948, No. 1205, and remains a specially protected natural area of Kyrgyzstan to this day. According to the classification of the International Union for Conservation of Nature, it has been assigned category Ia - strict nature reserve. It has existed in its current boundaries since 1976. It is located in the eastern part of the Tien Shan mountains, in the territory of the Issyk-Kul, Tyup, Jeti-Oguz, and Ton districts of the Issyk-Kul region. The area is 17,310 hectares, including 687 hectares of forested land and 1,329 hectares of meadows.

In 1975, with the signing of the Ramsar Convention by the former USSR (which provides for the protection and conservation of wetlands), the Issyk-Kul Nature Reserve was designated as a wetland of international importance. Since gaining independence, in 2002, the Republic joined this Convention. The main task of the Issyk-Kul Nature Reserve is to protect and monitor the wintering of waterfowl and wetland birds.

The reserve consists of nine separate sections (with sizes ranging from 5 to 11,584 hectares), and the coastal and water areas do not always form a single complex. The sections are located along the northern and southern shores of the western and eastern parts of Lake Issyk-Kul, with only one section (5 hectares) situated on the northern shore.

Lake Issyk-Kul is a high-altitude lake, with its water level at an absolute height of 1,607 meters. About 80 rivers flow into the lake, all of which are of the snow and glacier-fed type. These already fast and swift mountain streams become particularly turbulent in summer during the flood season. The terrain is complex, with two main forms: the coastal plain and the foothill landscape. The protective zone of the reserve can be considered to include the entire water area of Lake Issyk-Kul, as well as a two-kilometer coastal zone.

The soils in different parts of the Issyk-Kul Nature Reserve vary. In the west, gray-brown soils with small patches of chernozem are distributed across the plain, while light chestnut soils dominate in the central part, transitioning to dark chestnut soils in the east. The soils in the western part are low in fertility, while those in the eastern part are fertile and suitable for rain-fed agriculture.

The climate changes significantly from west to east and varies between the northern and southern shores. On the southern shore, the average temperature in July is 18°C, while on the northern shore it is 17°C; in January, the temperatures are -3°C and -2°C, respectively. In the western part, the average temperature in January is -4°C, while in the eastern part it is 8-11°C.

Strong winds are characteristic (for example, the western "ulan" or "boom," reaching speeds of 28-34 m/s). Foehn winds (dry descending winds) are also quite common, sometimes causing complete snow cover melt in winter.

These conditions, with all their local specifics and diversity, have shaped equally varied and changeable vegetation in the reserve. Here, one can find everything from deserts to glacial formations. This is the uniqueness of this national park. On one hand, its vastness can satisfy almost any requirement and request of the most discerning traveler, and on the other hand, these places also provide an excellent opportunity for those wishing to feel like residents of the most diverse regions of the Earth, almost instantaneously.

In the western sections of the coastal plain, gravelly-desert landscapes with sparse wormwood-saltwort vegetation are developed. Near the lake and along the rivers, there are narrow strips of meadows on meadow-solonchak soils. To the east, the vegetation becomes richer, taking on the character of dry steppes (with feather grass, fescue, and meadows), and in the eastern part of the basin, there are meadow steppes. In the moist coastal areas, there are thickets of woody-shrub vegetation consisting of poplar, saxaul, sea buckthorn, tal, barberry, tamarisk, and rosehip; in shallow waters, there are reed thickets. The flora of the reserve includes 250 species, of which 12 are rare.

The fauna of the Issyk-Kul Nature Reserve includes 23 species of mammals and 140 species of birds. Common mammals include wild boar, tolai hare, steppe ferret, weasel, badger, and others; among the birds are pheasant, red-headed diving duck, and coot; rare species include the white-tailed eagle, mute swan, and great white heron.

Due to ruthless poachers operating between 1940 and 1945, the populations of snow leopards, brown bears, ulars, Siberian ibex, and Marco Polo sheep have dwindled to such an extent that they have not been seen by rangers and scientists for a long time.

The main task of the Issyk-Kul Nature Reserve is to protect and monitor the wintering of waterfowl and wetland birds. Annually, between 30,000 to 50,000 various species of birds, belonging to 98 species, winter on the lake. Additionally, in spring and autumn, the lake serves as a resting and feeding place for migrating flocks of waterfowl. The reserve protects 11 species of birds and 13 species of insects listed in the Red Book of Kyrgyzstan.

The direction of scientific research in the reserve focuses on studying and developing methods for the protection of wintering waterfowl and wetland birds, pheasants, and other animals and plants of the lowland part of the Issyk-Kul basin.