Natural sights of Kokshetau park.

“At the beginning of theXXI1st century, belief in progress seems utopian. We know that the resources of our planet are partially depleted, we know that we are upsetting the balance of climate and bowels, now we ourselves, in comparison with those who lived before us, are also depleted in our own way - we do not know how to endure pain and endure hardship, work tirelessly”

Leonid Kruglov.

Excursions to Kokshetau park.

Lake Shalkar is located at an altitude of 309 meters above sea level in the mountains and forests in the northern part of the Ayrtau mountains in Ayrtau district of the North Kazakhstan region in the territory of Kokshetau National Park.
The coastline of Lake Shalkar is 39.6 kilometers long. The water surface of the lake without vegetation, the bottom is flat, sandy and rocky, with a slope in the middle of the lake, is slightly silted off the coast. The basin of Lake Shalkar stretches from west to east.
The southern coast is steep and steep, up to 8 meters with the release of rock sediments. The remaining banks are gentle, their height does not exceed 4 meters. Lake Shalkar is closed, the length of the lake is 12.5 kilometers, the greatest width is 3 kilometers.
The eastern part of the lake in the vicinity of the village of Shalkar is more like a bay, the distance from the eastern shore to the narrowest coastal part is 2.3 kilometers. The width of the strait is 164 meters. There are three small islands in the northeastern part of the lake, the largest of which has 241 meters in length and 152 meters in width.
On the islands live seagulls and cormorants nesting crane belladonna and storks. In the southern part of the lake is a small peninsula with a length of 412 meters, in the middle of which is a pond. The flora in the vicinity of the lake is represented by deciduous forests - birch, aspen, sea buckthorn, wild cherry, currant.
The vegetation of Lake Shalkar is associated with the landscape features of the entire region, flora of different eras, ancient lichens and ferns, and shrub plants grow here. Vegetation is represented by species characteristic of the forest and steppes and the steppe zone.
From medicinal plants here you can meet licorice, juniper, dog rose and others. From the fauna squirrels, hedgehogs, large multi-colored butterflies, small lizards, gulls, cormorants, blackbirds and woodpeckers are often found.
The lake of the same name is located in the Terektinsky district of the West Kazakhstan region.

Authority:
Alexander Petrov.