Visit to Chokpak Ornithology Station Kazakhstan.

“All art is but imitation of nature”

Lucius Annaeus Seneca.

Nature tour in Kazakhstan.

Aksu-Zhabagly is the oldest nature preserve in Kazakhstan. It was founded in 1926 and now has a status of a UNESCO biosphere preserve. The preserve is situated in the northwest spurs of the Talas Alatau (the most westerly branch of the West Tien Shan).
It represents the main high-altitude flora zones, from semi-deserts to the snowy ice zone. Aksu-Zhabagly is a rich depository of rare, endangered and endemic species of animals and plants.
The origin of the preserve's name is connected with the names of two mountain rivers  the Aksu and the Zhabagly. They are the tributaries of the Arys River. The fauna of the preserve is rich and diverse.
There are 238 species of birds, 42 species of mammals and other animals. Many of them are registered in the Kazakhstan Red Book of rare and endangered animals. Among such animals are the Tien-Shan brown bear (Ursus arctos isabellinus), the Turkestani lynx (Felis linx isabellinus), the argali (Ovis ammon), several species of the falcon and the eagle: the lammergeier (Gypaetus barbatus), the golden eagle (Aquila chrysaetos), the short-toed eagle (Circaetus gallicus), the saker falcon (Falco cherrug), the peregrine falcon (Falco peregrinus) and the booted eagle (Hieraaetus pennatus).
The Alpine ibex (Capra ibex), the maral (Cervus elaphus), the roe deer (Capreolus capreolus), the wolf (Canis lupus), the fox (Vulpes), the brown bear (Ursus arctos), the porcupine (Erethizon dorsatum), the stone marten (Martes foina) and the ermine (Mustela erminea) are also found there.
The preserve is the habitat of the extinct wildlife species  the snow leopard (Uncia uncia). The Chokpak Ornithology Station is about 20 km from the village of Zhabagly. Over 2 million birds of 150 species have been ringed at the station during the last 35 years.
There is an opportunity to take part in the process of catching, studying and ringing.

Authority:
Reserves of Central Asia and Kazakhstan. Almaty, Kazakhstan, 2006. Under the general edition of R. Yachenko. The international union of wildlife management IUCN - The World Conservation Union. Geographical features (on Kerteshev, Vagapov 2001). Reserves USSR. Reserves of Central Asia and Kazakhstan. Moscow "Idea", 1990.

Photos
Alexander Petrov.