Wildlife Travels Mangyshlak.

“Having climbed to the shore, we are on a smooth, flat, flat hill in Kyrgyz called Ustyurt. The name denoting a height is quite familiar from the word "ast" (lowland), by which they usually mean the southern, low land, for the most part, inhabited by the Karakalpaks"

Eversman. Diary. January 13, 1825.

Mountains of Mangyshlak.

The Karamaya ridge (Black Oil) is located in the northern part of the Kendirlisor salt marsh. In the east it borders on the Western cliff of Ustyurt, in the southwestern part it borders on the bitter-salty Lake Karamaya. The ridge is located 52.1 kilometers from the Sor Karashek in the southeast, in the Karakiya region in the southeastern part of the Mangistau region.
Around the ridge, on the flat surface of the Karynzharyk depression, crumpled Cretaceous and Jurassic layers are exposed, which indicates the existence of small mountains here previously washed away by the Caspian transgressions.
The Karamayaya ridge is represented by canyons and gorges with steep slopes in the south, bordered by an absolutely flat surface of the Kenderlisor salt marsh. The ridge stretches in a latitudinal direction for 17 kilometers, in the vicinity of the lake the ridge has a maximum width of 1.7 kilometers, in the eastern part of the ridge it reaches a width of 1.4 kilometers.
The dominant elevation in the eastern part of the ridge reaches a height of 209.8 meters above sea level, in the western part of the ridge there is an unnamed elevation of 145.5 meters above sea level. The southern and central parts of the foot of the ridge bordering the Kendirlisor salt marsh reach a mark from minus 25.4 to 40.8 meters below sea level.
The rocks of the ridge are about 70 million years old, they are mainly composed of Permian sandstones, siltstones and mudstones, there is a small coal deposit. Vegetation in the Karamay Mountains is sparse. In the spring after rains, the soil is covered with many ephemerals, which burn out before the beginning of summer. In the eastern part of the ridge, there are about 6 salt springs; in humid years they have a stable watercourse.
The Karamaya mountains are a favorite habitat of the Ustyurt argali; at the foot of the mountains you can find small groups of gazelles. Of the birds of prey, the golden eagle, vulture, black vulture, kestrel, etc. nest here.
Geographic coordinates of Karamaya ridge: N43 ° 10'29.82 "E54 ° 42'08.65"
Geographic coordinates of Mount Karamaya: N43 ° 10'19.36 "E54 ° 44'48.53"

Authority:
Alexander Petrov.
https://ustirt.kz

Photos by:
Alexander Petrov.