Köýtendag Nature Reserve

Köýtendag Nature Reserve
Map showing the location of Köýtendag Nature Reserve
Map showing the location of Köýtendag Nature Reserve
LocationKöýtendag District Lebap Province,  Turkmenistan
Coordinates37°48′N 66°30′E / 37.800°N 66.500°E / 37.800; 66.500
Area271.4 km2
Established1986

Köýtendag Nature Reserve (Turkmen: Köýtendag goraghanasy), formerly Kugitang Nature Reserve, is a nature reserve (zapovednik) in the extreme east of Turkmenistan.

Geography

Established in 1986, it is located in the Köýtendag Range of Lebap Province and covers an area of 271.4 km2.[1] It spreads in the middle and upper mountain belt at an altitude of 900–3139 meters above sea level. The main feature of Koytendag are cave complexes ( more than 300 caves )[2] that are unique in Eurasia and the diversity of geological processes that formed them and the beauty of geological phenomena.[3]

The highest peak of Turkmenistan—Aýrybaba—falls in this nature reserve.[1]

Sanctuaries

It also incorporates four sanctuaries:

Flora and Fauna

This place is one of the 50 important areas for birds and biodiversity in Turkmenistan.[2] The reserve is home for the rare Heptner's markhor (Capra falconeri heptneri).[4]

References

  • National Program for the Protection of the Environment, Ashgabat, 2002, pp. 149–151 (in Russian)
  1. ^ a b Brummell, Paul (2005). Turkmenistan. Bradt Travel Guides. p. 197. ISBN 978-1-84162-144-9.
  2. ^ a b Welch, Geoff; Stoev, Pavel (2019-03-07). A report of RSPB-supported scientific research at Koytendag State Nature Reserve, East Turkmenistan. pp. e37858. doi:10.3897/ab.e37858. ISBN 978-954-642-967-4. S2CID 198809012.
  3. ^ "Dinosaurs and Caves of Koytendag". UNESCO World Heritage Centre. Retrieved 2021-04-08.
  4. ^ Paul I. Weinberg, Raul Valdez, Alexander K. Fedosenko: Status of the Heptner's markhor (Capra falconeri heptneri) in Turkmenistan Journal of Mammalogy, Vol. 78, No. 3, Aug., 1997


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