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Severo-Osetinsky Zapovednik
Facts:
Animals •
Vegetation • Geographical
Features • Conservation Status •
References
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Animals
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There are 42 species of mammals in the zapovednik, including
seven rare species, 11 endemic species, 13 subspecies, and one
endemic genus – the very unusual long-clawed mole-vole
(Prometheomys schaposchnikovi). East Caucasian or
Daghestan tur (Capra cylindricornis) and Caucasian
chamois (Rupicapra rupicapra caucasica), respectively
endemic species and subspecies, easily maneuver the rocky terrain. Stoat
(Mustela nivalis) and weasel (Mustela nivalis)
scurry over the rocky ground in the high mountains. Predators
such as brown bear (Ursus arctos) and lynx (Lynx lynx)
roam up and down the mountainsides, frequenting forests and alpine
ecosystems alike, while stone marten (Martes foina), red
fox (Vulpes vulpes), and grey wolf (Canis lupus)
seldom rise above timberline. Wild boar (Sus scrofa),
roe deer (Capreolus capreolus), red deer (Cervus elaphus),
European bison (Bison bonasus), forest marten (Martes
martes), and European wild cat (Felis sylvestris)
prefer broadleaf forests.
The European bison, successfully reintroduced to the area in
the 1960s, has since had a less than optimal fate. From
1964-67, a total of 47 European bison were reintroduced to the
Tseisky Sanctuary, now under the jurisdiction of Severo-Osetinsky
Zapovednik. By 1978, the herd had increased to 115 animals. While
some of the bison dispersed into the reserve and onto adjacent
hunting lands, the population in the sanctuary continued to rise
and reached 220 animals by 1990. The bison’s large
numbers had detrimental impacts on forest and shrub vegetation
and brought about an epidemic of Dutch elm disease. The
animals also had a negative effect on the rare yew tree and,
in areas, devastated blackberry thickets, an important component
of the winter diet for both bison and roe deer. In the
mid 1980s, fearing that the high density of bison would lead
to catastrophic disease or starvation, the zapovednik administration
requested that some of the animals be captured and transported
to another reserve. However, their requests went unheard
and the animals were not relocated. The winters of 1991
and 1992 brought large amounts of snowfall. Simultaneously,
illegal poaching of the animals rose due to the increased access
to rifles as a result of ethnic conflicts and warfare in the
region in the early 1990s. Bison numbers sharply declined: by
1998 there were only 54 animals left; today there are about 50,
and their numbers appear to have stabilized. While the
decreased density of bison is optimal for plant communities (yew
groves and blackberry thickets have since regenerated), their
low numbers make this population vulnerable to extinction.
Seven
species of bats inhabit the reserve. Of these, only common
and Kuhl’s pipistrelles (Pipistrellus pipistrellus,
P. kuhlii) and grey long-eared bat (Plecotus austriacus)
can be found in summer. Lesser mouse-eared bat (Myotis
blythi) and greater and lesser horseshoe-nosed bats (Rhinolophus
ferrumequinum, R. hipposideros) form large wintering colonies
in the Shubi-Nykhasskaya Cave in the Skalisty (Rocky) Range. Eurasian
hedgehogs (Erinaceus concolor) are found in thickets and
groves in the broadleaf forest belt. The Caucasian lesser
shrew, Caucasian shrew, and Radde’s shrew (Sorex volnuchini,
S. caucasicus satunini, S. raddei) are found in habitats
from broadleaf forests to alpine zone. The forest dormouse
(Dryomys nitedula) and fat dormouse (Glis glis)
are perhaps the most interesting rodents in the zapovednik, resembling
small squirrels with long, furry tails, while lesser mouse (Apodemus
uralensis) and Daghestan vole (Microtus daghestanicus)
are the most common ones.
Of the 207 birds identified in the zapovednik, 18 species are
rare. Three of the species and 54 subspecies are endemic
to the Caucasus Mountains. Five rare species nest in the
reserve – bearded vulture (Gypaëtus barbatus),
Egyptian vulture (Neophron percnopterus), golden eagle
(Aquila chrysaetos), peregrine falcon (Falco peregrinus),
and the endemic Caucasian blackgrouse (Lyrurus mlokosiewiczi). The
endemic Caucasian snowcock (Tetraogallus caucasicus) is a
notable resident of high mountain ecosystems, as are the great
rosefinch (Carpodacus rubicilla) and Güldenstedt’s
redstart (Phoenicurus erythrogaster), which nest in cliff
crevices and between rocks. The Caucasian warbler (Phylloscopus
lorenzii) is as typical to rhododendron thickets as water-pipit
(Anthus spinoletta) to subalpine and alpine meadows. The
curious Eurasian dipper (Cinclus cinclus) runs along the
bottom of fast-running alpine streams feeding on aquatic insects. As
its name suggests, the wallcreeper (Tichodroma muraria)
has no difficulty climbing cliff walls and rocks in the high
mountains. About 160 bird species migrate through the reserve,
including the most numerous common crane (Grus grus),
bee-eater (Merops apiaster), quail (Coturnix coturnix)
and black kite (Milvus migrans), and rare imperial and
steppe eagles (Aquila heliaca, A. nipalensis), osprey
(Pandion haliaetus) and short-toed eagle (Circaetus
gallicus).
Five
species of reptiles are found in the reserve, namely Orsini’s
viper (Vipera ursini), listed as endangered by IUCN, grass
snake (Natrix natrix), smooth snake (Coronella austriaca),
Caucasian lizard (Lacerta caucasica), and slow worm (Anguis
fragilis). The Iranian long-legged wood frog (Rana
macrocnemis) is the most widespread of the three amphibians
found in the zapovednik, living as high as 2,500 m above sea
level. The green toad (Bufo viridis) is found even
higher – up to elevations of 3,000 m. European tree
frog (Hyla arborea) resides in the moist understory of
forested foothills. The only fish in the zapovednik is
the brook trout (Salmo trutta fario).
More than 2,000 insects have been identified in the zapovednik,
although surveys continue to find new species each year. Several
species of butterflies have been listed as endangered, including
the European and scarce swallowtails (Papilio machaon, P.
podalirius), apollo and clouded apollo (Parnassius apollo,
P. mnemosyne), and death’s head moth (Acherontia
atropos). Rare beetles include the Caucasian ground
beetle (Carabus caucasicus) and the European calosoma
beetle (Calosoma sycophanta).
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Vegetation
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Plant life in the Severo-Osetinsky Zapovednik is extremely diverse,
with a number of relic and endemic species found nowhere outside
the Greater Caucasus Range. Approximately a fifth of the
reserve is forested with more than 100 species of trees and shrubs. Vegetation
is characterized by distinct vertical zonation according to elevation,
ranging from broadleaf forests on the Pastbischny (Pasture) and
Skalisty (Rocky) ranges to rock and scree vegetation and glaciers
on the Bokovy (Side) and Greater Caucasus ranges. Mountain
steppe fragments and arid mountain plant communities are found
in the so-called Sunny Valley between the Skalisty (Rocky) and
Bokovy (Side) ranges. The forest belt from 650-2,400 m
primarily consists of mixed Caucasian hornbeam (Carpinus caucasica)
and Oriental beech (Fagus orientalis) forests, mixed hornbeam-oak
(Quercus petraea) forests – on Pastbischny (Pasture)
and Skalisty (Rocky) ranges, Caucasian pine (Pinus kochiana)
stands, birch groves (Betula pendula, B. raddeana, B. B. litwinowii),
and mixed pine-birch forests – mainly on the Bokovy (Side)
and Greater Caucasus ranges. Trautvetter’s maple
(Acer trautvetteri) and mountain ash (Sorbus caucasigena)
are found in pine-birch forests. However, Trautvetter’s
maple may form separate stands in broadleaf forests on Pastbischny
and Skalisty ranges. Speckled alder (Alnus incana),
a common deciduous shrub, flanks waterways alongside sea-buckthorn
(Hippophae rhamnoides). Caucasian honeysuckle (Lonicera
caucasica), European privet (Ligustrum vulgare), wahoo
(mainly Euonymus europaea and E. verrucosa), and
other plants are found in the forest understory. Sparse
forests of gnarled dwarf birch (Betula raddeana, B. litwinowii)
are found at the upper limits of timberline. The subalpine
belt is made up of gramineous-herb communities. Low-lying
carpets of alpine vegetation and heathlands are widespread in
the alpine belt. Rock and scree communities found on cliffs,
near glaciers, and on rockslides are particularly remarkable,
with relic species such as Hoefft’s petrocoma (Petrocoma
hoefftiana).
There are around 2,000 species of higher plants in the Severo-Osetinsky
Zapovednik and its buffer zone. This comprises a third
of all the plants found in the Caucasus Region. Thirty-four
species in the reserve are listed in the Russian Red Book of
rare and endangered plants. The rare Radde’s birch
(Betula raddeana) is a relict from the Tertiary Period,
easily identified by its pale pink bark. The European yew
(Taxus baccata), also from the Tertiary Period, is a particularly
valuable and rare species. Ardon bellflower (Campanula
ardonensis) is a narrow endemic to the region, as is Ossetian
bellflower (C. ossetica). Lagodekhi snowdrop (Galanthus
lagodechianus), Dinnik’s and column saxifrages (Saxifraga
dinniki, S. columnaris), and eremurus (Eremurus spectabilis)
are some of the other plants listed in the Russian Red Book. Over
50 species are listed in the second edition of the Red Book for
North Ossetia, including Colchic holly (Ilex colchica),
Colchic ivy (Hedera colchica), Oriental spruce (Picea
orientalis), Caucasian fir (Abies nordmanniana), and
others. The zapovednik hosts a number of decorative, edible,
medicinal, and melliferous plants. Five hundred species
of mushrooms have been identified in the reserve.
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Geographical Features
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Severo-Osetinsky Zapovednik is situated in the eastern part
of the central Greater Caucasus Range in the Alagir District
of North Ossetia-Alania. The zapovednik includes slopes
of the Pastbischny (Pasture), Skalisty (Rocky), and Bokovy (Side)
ranges, and part of the Great Divide (or watershed) of the Greater
Caucasus Range. The zapovednik falls entirely within the
watershed of the Ardon River. Elevations range from 650
m to over 4,600 m above sea level. Wilpata Peak is the
highest point in the reserve (4,646 m). The relief in the
zapovednik is exclusively mountainous. Glaciers cover approximately
37 km2 of the reserve, primarily in the Tepli-Arkhonsky and Wilpata-Adaikhokhsky
mountains. Tseisky Glacier, extending eight kilometers,
is the largest in the reserve. Avalanches and rockslides
occur frequently.
The Ardon River, the largest river in the reserve, is the eastern
tributary of the Terek River and begins in the Zaramag Hollow
where several smaller rivers come together. The largest
tributary of the Ardon is the Fiagdon, joining the river outside
the zapovednik. Most of the waterways in the reserve are
fast-flowing mountain streams and rivers.
The climate in Severo-Osetinsky Zapovednik is impacted by its
location on the border between temperate and subtropical climate
zones. Subsequently, winters are characterized by large
temperature variations. Summers are warm and humid. Average
annual temperatures range from 9oC in low-lying regions to -2oC
in the high mountains. The warmest months of the
year are July and August with average temperatures reaching 8o to 20oC from high elevations down to the foothills and valleys. The
coldest month is February with temperatures from -2o to -12oC. Rain
falls mostly from May to July, with average annual precipitation
two times higher (1,000 mm) on the northern slopes of the Skalisty
(Rocky) Range than in the basins between ridges (400 mm) due
to the “rain shadow” effect. Autumn is the
nicest time of the year in the zapovednik, when the weather is
warm and dry and the leaves on the trees turn yellow and orange
on a backdrop of snow-capped mountain tops and clear blue skies.
Severo-Osetinsky
Zapovednik has a number of spectacular natural features, such
as caves, unique geological formations, and waterfalls. The
second largest karst cave in North Ossetia is located in the
zapovednik. Called Shubi-Nykhasskaya, the cave extends
for more than a kilometer and is home to three rare species of
bats. The cave’s corridors and halls are covered
with fantastic stalactites and stalagmites. The zapovednik
also protects a number of archeological sites, including cave
dwellings, reinforced by rock walls in places, near the Ursdon,
Dzivgis, and Nuzal settlements. Towers and stone crypts
from the Middle Ages are also protected in the reserve.
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Conservation Status
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Humans have inhabited the mountainous region
of Ossetia since ancient times, inevitably altering the landscape. In 1768,
geological explorer S. Vonyavin noted that the Alagir and Kurtatin
gorges had been largely deforested and pointed out the need to
conserve forests in this area. Mountain lands have historically
been used for sheep and cattle grazing and agriculture. Today,
the Transcaucasus Highway runs through the Alagir Gorge, a hydroelectric
dam is under construction, and lead and zinc is mined in the
nearby mountains.
In 1958, the Tseisky Regional Zakaznik (sanctuary) was created
over an area of 14,500 ha to protect wildlife and plant ecosystems
in the Ardon River basin from growing human pressure. Later,
its territory was enlarged to 73,000 ha. Part of the sanctuary
was included in the Severo-Osetinsky Zapovednik when the strict
nature reserve was established in 1967, and Tseisky Zakaznik
remained on a territory between the Ardon and Fiagdon rivers
on Lesisty (Forested), Pastbishchny (Pasture) and Skalisty (Rocky)
ranges. In 1981, jurisdiction of the sanctuary was given
over to Severo-Osetinsky Zapovednik. Today, the zapovednik
and sanctuary combined cover 10 percent of North Ossetia-Alania. The
two protected areas play a vital role in conserving vulnerable
alpine and forest ecosystems of the central Caucasus Mountains.
One of the important tasks of the zapovednik’s ranger
service is to prevent forest fires, particularly in old growth
forests. Poaching is a serious problem in the region, and
the rangers must patrol the territory regularly to ensure that
the protected regime is observed. The ranger service also
works with local people to build awareness and ensure their support
for the zapovednik. The scientific staff actively carries
out research projects, publishing more than 500 scientific works
and 10 scientific books. Scientists have compiled inventories
of plants and animals in the North Ossetia-Alania Republic. An
ecological visitor’s center and museum host hundreds of
visitors per year, and as many as 5,000 tourists and alpinists
visit the zapovednik annually.
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References
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Amirkhanov, A.M., P.I. Veinberg, L.A. Guseva, A.L. Komzha, Yu.
E. Komarov, N.A. Komarova, I.T. Kuchiyev, A.D. Lipkovich A.D.
(ed.), K.P. Popov, and N.D. Filonov. Severo-Osetinsky State
Zapovednik. Ir Publishers, Ordzhonikidze, 1989 (Russian).
Amirkhanov, A.M. (ed.), I.T. Kuchiyev, P.I. Veinberg, and Yu.
E. Komarov. Severo-Osetinsky Zapovednik. Agropromizdat
Publishers, Moscow, 1988 (Russian).
Amirkhanov, A.M., A.D. Lipkovich, P.I. Veinberg, K.P. Popov,
and S.K. Alekseyev. “Severo-Osetinsky Zapovednik.” Zapovedniks of the USSR: Zapovedniks
of the Caucasus. Mysl Publishers, Moscow, 1990 (Russian).
Popov, K.P. “Severo-Osetinsky State Zapovednik.” Zapovedniks
and National Parks of the Northern Caucasus. Kavkazsky
Krai Publishing Agency, Stavropol, 2000 (Russian).
Zabelina, N.M, L.S. Isaeva-Petrova, and L.V. Kuleshova. Zapovedniks
and National Parks of Russia. Logata, Moscow, 1998 (Russian
and English).
Text by Laura Williams.
Special thanks to Pavel Veinberg, Konstantin Popov, and Yuri
Komarov of Severo-Osetinsky Zapovednik for their assistance in
preparing this text.
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