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Zapovednik
Facts:
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Animals
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The marked vertical shift from grassy steppes at
lower elevations to alpine tundra in the high
mountains of Altaisky Zapovednik creates a variety
of ecological niches for animal life. Wildlife
abounds even above the treeline, where Daurian and
Altai pikas (Ochotona spp.) scramble about
the rocky terrain. The small hare-like critters
prepare hay for the winter, stacking their food
under trees or boulders. Siberian wapiti (Cervus
elaphus sibirica), wild reindeer (Rangiferus
tarandus), and roe deer (Capreolus
capreolus), in search of scarce winter food,
sometimes raid the pika's hard-earned stores.
Wolverine (Gulo gulo), wolf (Canus
lupis), and lynx (Felix lynx) scavenge
for food in the mountainous terrain. Tiny musk deer
(Mochus moschiferus) seek shelter from these
predators in coniferous forests, while Siberian
ibex (Capra sibirica) and rare argali sheep
(Ovis ammon) scale steep cliff faces of the
Chulyshman Valley and Shapshalsky mountain range.
Each year scientists in the zapovednik find tracks
of the extremely rare and endangered snow leopard
(Uncia uncia). Brown bears (Ursus
arctos) roam the shores of Teletskoye Lake
looking for insects and other food in the spring,
gradually moving up to the high mountains by late
summer, where they feed on fresh grasses just
appearing from under retreating snowfields. In all,
70 species of mammals are found in the
zapovednik.
More than 300 species of birds have been observed
in the reserve, while 180 species nest here
annually. Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos),
green-winged teal (Anas crecca), common
goldeneye (Bucephala clangula) paddle around
lakes throughout the zapovednik, and horned grebe
(Podiceps auritus) inhabits ponds in the
south. Seven species of woodpeckers rattle the
trees overhead, the most common of which is the
great spotted woodpecker (Dendrocopos
major). The sad cry of the rare black-throated
loon (Gavia arctica) can be heard on most of
the large lakes in the reserve. Three of the birds
rare to the Altai region nest only in the
zapovednik - great cormorant (Phalacrocorax
carbo), whooper swan (Cygnus cygnus),
and white-tailed eagle (Haliaeetus
albicilla). Other rare birds like golden eagle
(Aquila chrysaetos), Altai snowcock
(Tetraogallus altaicus), black stork
(Ciconia nigra), Northern eagle owl (Bubo
bubo), and boreal owl (Aegolius
funereus) also find refuge in the
zapovednik.
Eight species of amphibians inhabit Altaisky
Zapovednik, including the ubiquitous moor frog
(Rana terrestris). Although the species has
an enormous range - from France to beyond Lake
Baikal - nowhere is the frog found at elevations
above 800 meters. In the Altai Mountains, however,
the moor frog thrives from 400-1800 m above sea
level. Hoards of blue moor frog males gather in
shallow oxbow lakes in the reserve in the spring to
mate.
The many lakes and rivers in Altaisky Zapovednik
are home to 15 native species of fish, the most
common of which is grayling (Thymallus
spp.). The largest fish in the salmon family
found in the reserve is the taimen (Hucho).
Small goby fish (Neogobius spp.) feed
on invertebrates, and in turn become prey to burbot
(Lota lota), a bottom-dweller found as deep
as 100 meters in Teletskoye Lake.
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Vegetation
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The range of climatic conditions and soil types
found at different altitudes in the Altaisky
Zapovednik means that an entire spectrum of
vegetation types - steppe, wetlands, coniferous
forests, and alpine meadows - is represented in the
reserve. Colorful flowers bloom during the entire
warm season: the yellow and purple stars of gagea
(Gagea) and gosling (Pulsatilla
patens) dazzle meadows in March, gradually
changing to a yellow, pink, purple, and white
rainbow of flowers from the Asteraceae, Fabaceae,
and Caryophyllaceae families in August and
September.
Dry and grassy steppes, found primarily on the
shores of Teletskoye Lake and in the Chulyshman
River Valley, sprout feather grass (Stipa
spp.), sheep's fescue (Festuca
valesiaca), and xerophilious forbs. Woodlands,
covering 45% of the reserve's territory, consist
mainly of Siberian fir (Abies sibirica) in the
north and Siberian pine (Pinus sibirica) and
Siberian larch (Larix sibirica) in the
central and southern parts of the reserve. Siberian
pine, which can tolerate cool temperatures and
various soil conditions, is the dominant tree
species in the reserve, growing even at high
altitudes. Under the forest canopy, bilberry
(Vaccinium myrtillus), cowberry (V.
vitus-idaea), red currant (Ribes spp.),
oriental spiraea (Spiraea media), and bird
cherry (Padus avium) offer fragrant flowers
and sweet fruits.
Subalpine vegetation, characterized by tall grass
meadows dotted with dwarf aspen (Populus
tremula) and birch (Betula
rotundifolia), covers 14% of the zapovednik.
Geraniums (Geranium albiflorum), Siberian
columbine (Aquilegia sibirica), and
hellebore (Veratrum lobelianum) are just a
few of the plant species that thrive in mountain
meadows. Alpine forb and tundra vegetation begins
to dominate the terrain above 1800-1900 m.
Landscapes unsuitable for vegetation, such as
boulder fields, rocky cliffs, and snowfields
account for more than 20% of the reserve's
territory.
Zapovednik scientists have identified 200 species
of aquatic plants, 500 species of lichens, 250
species of mosses, 1460 vascular plants from 102
families, as well as 73 species introduced by
humans. Lobaria pulmonaria, a species of
lichen listed in the Russian Red Book, is commonly
found growing on tree trunks in the reserve. The
largest plant families represented in the
zapovednik are asters (Asteraceae), grasses
(Gramineae), sedges and reeds
(Carex), rose (Rosidaceae), and bean
(Fabaceae). Almost all of the species of
orchids (Orchidaceae - 26) and ferns
(Polypodiophyta - 35) found in the Altai
region are represented in the reserve. Rare and
endemic plants protected in the zapovednik include
Isoetes lacustris, Brunnera sibirica,
Erythronium sibiricum, and two rare species of
monkshod (Aconitum spp.).
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Geographical
Features
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Altaisky Zapovednik protects the Chulymash River
basin and uplands, the south-facing slope of the
Korbu Mountain range, and the southwest slope of
the Shapshalsky Mountain range - all part of the
southern Siberia mountain system. The zapovednik
stretches 250 km in an elongated shape with an
average width of 35 km. The territory is surrounded
by high mountain ranges in the North, South, and
East; the Chulyshan and Karakem Rivers and
Teletskoye Lake form the border to the West.
Elevations in the reserve range from 429 m to 3399
m above sea level. The highest point in the reserve
is the Toshkalykaya Peak (3507 m) in the
Shapshalsky range. Sharp-toothed peaks, narrow
ranges, and steep rock faces with boulder fields at
their feet are typical features of the Altai
mountains. The major rock types in the reserve are
granite, gneiss, diorite, and quartz, with some
crystal limestone and marble on the northern shore
of Teletskoye Lake.
Rivers and lakes are an integral part of the
mountain landscape in Altaisky Zapovednik. Mountain
rivers have spectacular cascades and large terraces
- more than 10 rivers in the zapovednik have
waterfalls from six to 60 meters high. The highest
waterfall in the Altai Region - Nepristupny
("Unapproachable") Waterfall - on the Chulche
River, sends torrents of water down a breath-taking
150 m drop among huge slabs of gneiss. The emerald
green and sparkling blue waters of more than 1190
lakes (>1 ha) are scattered throughout the
alpine landscape. Teletskoye Lake, one of the
largest and most beautiful lakes in southern
Siberia, stretches 78 km in a narrow blue ribbon
pressed between the Korbu and Altyntu mountain
ranges. Although the area of the lake is not great
(223 km2 ), the
deep reservoir holds 40 billion cubic meters of
crystal clear water, making it one of the largest
fresh water lakes in the world and an important
water supply for much of Western Siberia.
Continental climate conditions in the Altaisky
Zapovednik mean that the summers are warm and the
winters are cold. In the northern part of the
zapovednik, the summers are warm and humid, but
large amounts of snow accumulate during the mild
winters. In the southern portion of the zapovednik,
winters are exceptionally harsh, with temperatures
dropping to -50°C , while hot summer
temperatures can reach +30°C . The southern
part of the reserve gets three to four times more
precipitation than in the north.
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Conservation
Status
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While many of the great Siberian Rivers have
been polluted by mining, oil exploration, and
industrial production, the inaccessibility of the
Altai mountains has meant that much of the forests
and rivers in the region have remained pristine.
However, some adjoining lands to the reserve suffer
from overgrazing, logging, and farming
activities.
Until 1976, Altaisky Zapovednik was the only
strictly protected nature reserve in the whole of
Western Siberia. Even so, Altaisky Zapovednik
endured substantial territorial losses when the
reserve was closed twice as a result of political
whims - first from 1951-1957 and again from
1962-1967. The original zapovednik protected an
enormous 13,000
km2 expanse of
land, but by the second time the reserve was
reopened, the territory had been reduced to 8,638
km2. During the
closures, populations of sable, reindeer, and other
game were damaged by hunting, and forests near
Teletskoye Lake were logged. Today, to ensure
protection of the argali sheep, the Altai snowcock,
and certain endemic species of plants, the western
border of the zapovednik should be expanded to
include the upper reaches of the Bashkaus River
(600 km2 ), as
well as certain steppe lands on the right bank of
the Chulyshman River.
An odd source of pollution in the zapovednik comes
from the Baikonur rocket launch site in neighboring
Kazakhstan. When rockets are launched into space,
empty fuel containers and other parts drop from the
sky. As a result, some of the most beautiful and
remote landscapes on Earth are littered with space
trash.
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References
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Katunsky Zapovednik is another zapovednik in the
Altai-Sayansky Bioreigon. For information and
photographs from this reserve, CLICK
HERE.
Text compiled and translated by Laura
Williams, based on materials provided by the
zapovednik staff.
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