"Kuznetsk Alatau" is a reserve where representatives of the flora and fauna of the Kemerovo region are preserved and studied. The nature of these places is unique. Information on the location of the reserve and its inhabitants can be found in this article.
Location
The state reserve is located in the southern part of Central Siberia, on the western slope of the Kuznetsk Alatau ridge, in its central part. The ridge itself occupies about a third of the Kemerovo region. It is a mid-mountain range, dissected by deep river valleys.
The Kuznetsk Alatau Nature Reserve is located on the territory of the Mezhdurechensk, Novokuznetsk and Tisul districts of the Kemerovo Region. In the north, its border runs along the southern territory of the Tisulsky district, slightly south of the village of Belogorsk. The western border passes through the basins of the upper and middle currents of the Upper, Lower and Middle Tersi. In the south, the reserve is bounded by the headwaters of the Usa River. In the east, the border coincides with the administrative border of the Kemerovo region and the Republic of Khakassia.
The reserve has a security zone - a "transitional" territory, not part of the reserve itself, but managed by its administration and having its own regime and position. Located on the territory of the Tisulsky, Krapivinsky, Novokuznetsk and Mezhdurechensky districts of the Kemerovo region and the Ordzhonikidze district of Khakassia, it encircles the territory of the reserve around the perimeter.
The Celestial Teeth, Golden Valley, and territories located on the right bank of the Usa River and to the south, contrary to popular belief, are not and never were in the Kuznetsk Alatau Nature Reserve.
History of creation
The process of building and creating the Kuznetsk Alatau lasted about ten years. The main argument for opening the reserve was the problem of preserving biodiversity and water resources of the Kemerovo region. In 1989, December 27, a decree of the Government of the RSFSR No. 385 on the creation of a reserve was issued. Four years later, in 1993, on September 28, the Small Council of the Kemerovo Regional Council of People’s Deputies issued decision No. 21 on the approval of the boundaries of the reserve and the protected zone in the territory adjacent to it. In 1995, on August 22, the Council of Ministers of the Republic of Khakassia approved the size of the protected area of the nature reserve in the amount of 8, 000 hectares. In October 4, 1996, Alexey Andreevich Vasilchenko was appointed director of Kuznetsk Alatau.
After the official creation of the reserve, its area was reduced from 455 thousand hectares to 401.8 thousand hectares in connection with forest management work by the Siberian expedition of the Glavokhot of the RSFSR. The area of the security zone is 223.5 thousand ha.
Climatic conditions
The climate of the Kuznetsk Alatau reserve, the photo of which can be seen in this article, was studied very unevenly. At low air temperatures in the cold season, the highest monthly average wind speed is observed. This is especially noticeable in transitional seasons. In autumn and spring, winds occur much more often, blowing at a speed of 10-15 meters per second. On the tops of the mountains, the air velocity exceeds 25-30 meters per second, in some cases reaches 60-70 meters per second. Hurricane winds occur in the warm season, in summer their speed reaches 30-34 meters per second. In most cases, the warmest month is July. In August and June, the air temperature is approximately the same.
Mammals
In Kuznetsk Alatau, 58 species of mammals live, including five species of ungulates, thirteen - predators, two - hare-like, eighteen - rodents, nine - bats and eleven - insectivores. Basically, the fauna of the reserve is represented by taiga forms: a red-gray vole, a chipmunk, an Altai mole, a tiny shrew and so on. There are also elk, fox, brown bear, otter, badger, red and common vole.
The living symbol of the Kuznetsk Alatau is the Siberian forest reindeer - the rarest animal preserved in the local mountains since ancient times. At least 50% of the population lives in the reserve - about 200 individuals for 2018. The animal is listed in the Red Book of Russia and the Kemerovo Region.
Natural features
The main characteristic feature of the Kuznetsk Alatau nature reserve is the height of the snow cover, exceptional for this region of Siberia. On average, in the nature protection zone it reaches three to five meters, and in intermountain inflations and depressions it reaches ten to fifteen meters. Therefore, wonderful forage conditions are formed in the reserve for artiodactyls, especially for reindeer and a brown bear. High snow cover also prevents the freezing of soils in the landscapes of the Kuznetsk Alatau, which ensures the successful wintering of otters, minks, muskrats, beavers and moles.
However, the fauna of mammals is constantly at risk of destruction, as illegal hunting flourishes in the most densely populated region of Siberia - Kuzbass. Nomadic species of animals are particularly affected: deer, elk, and roe deer. Their number in the reserve depends on the seasons - in winter it decreases, and in summer it increases.
Bird fauna
"Kuznetsk Alatau" - a reserve in which 281 species of birds live. A rare bird species such as the black stork is widespread throughout the conservation area. Osprey nesting sites found in Lower Tersi. In the reserve there are golden eagles and peregrine falcons. In the subalpine zone, you can find a saker, and in sparse forests - derbnik and crested beetle.
In the lower and middle parts of the rivers dwarf eagle lives. Recently, a hawk owl, a long-tailed owl, a long-eared owl, a long-eared owl, a spyushka, a sparrow owl and an eagle owl are becoming less common. Settled typical taiga inhabitants are various species of woodpeckers, yellow, long-tailed tit, black-headed and brown-headed gait, nuthatch, kuksha, jay, pine nut, capercaillie.
In the vicinity of mountain rivers, large merganser lives, and along quiet channels and old ladies nesting teals, pintails, mallards and killer whales nest. On the forest and mountain lakes there are crested black, humpback turpan and gogol. The most numerous representative of the predatory species of birds here is the black kite. In fir and cedar woodlands, thrushes are found: songbird, rubella, pale, Siberian and fieldfare. In these places also live field harrier, brown wand and bluethroat.
Fauna of fish and amphibians
The Kuznetsk Alatau Nature Reserve, on the map of which there are many rivers and lakes, is a habitat for 14 species of fish and one representative of cyclostomes. Siberian grayling is found in mountain rivers, as well as taimen and lenok. The number of fish found in lakes in the reserve is relatively small. Only in the headwaters of the Kiya River you can catch burbot, perch, ordinary spike and pike. Here there is an abundance of common carpets, Siberian char, minnow, dace and minnow river. In the tributary of the Srednyaya Tes river, a poorly studied and extremely rare species of amphibians, the Siberian lamprey, was found.
Kuznetsk Alatau is home to five species of amphibians, however, only two live in the reserve itself: the sharp-faced frog and the gray toad. Two species of reptiles were found here: the viper and the viviparous lizard.
Flora
618 vascular higher plants were found on the territory of the Kuznetsk Alatau Nature Reserve; it is estimated that another 943 species of grass, shrubs and trees grow in these parts. A significant part of the reserve is covered with taiga mountain forests of spruce, fir and Siberian pine, on the eastern slopes alternating with larch and pine thickets. The vegetation cover is represented by species of all altitudinal zones: alpine tundra, alpine meadows, black taiga, steppe and forest-steppe zones. Many rare plants grow in the reserve: venus slipper, pink rhodiola, safflower levzea and others.
Tourism in the Kuznetsk Alatau
There are several tourist routes in the reserve, passing mainly through the protected area. There are 3 types of routes in total:
- Pedestrian ("Mysteries of the Nightingale Mountain", "To the Black Raven").
- Rafting (excursions along the rivers Kiya, Usa, Taydon, Upper Ters).
- Snowmobile ("Taskyl-Tour", "Reserved Dali", "Winter Safari").
All routes serve recreational, environmental, educational and cognitive purposes. Snowmobiles also have a sporting purpose.
Ecological Center
The Kuznetsk Alatau has an environmental center located between Myski and Mezhdurechensk. On its territory there is an aviary complex, the Museum of Nature, and horse rental is also available. In addition, since 2015, the Wings Center has been operating here, which is engaged in the rehabilitation of wild birds.
The aviary complex has several spacious open-air cages, which since December 2017 contain:
- 2 Siberian red deer (deer).
- 2 Siberian roe deer.
- A herd of wild boars.
- Rabbits.
- Ordinary fox.
- Moose.
- Squirrel Teleutka.
- American mink.
- Badger.
Most of the animals got into the ecocenter wounded and exhausted.
Center "Wings" was created to help the affected birds, the number of which is huge. Previously, they were brought to the eco-center by local residents. Many birds had wing fractures and leg injuries. After rehabilitation, employees of the center release the birds to freedom.
On the territory of the center there is a pond for waterfowl, as well as winter and summer aviaries. Currently it contains:
- Whooper Swan.
- A flock of ducks.
- 5 black kites.
- Buzzard.
- Peregrine Falcons.
- 2 common kestrels.
- Indochka.
During the center’s operation, several dozen birds were returned to nature.
As for the Museum of Nature, it presents expositions and materials relating to the conservation system of Russia, in particular, the Kuznetsk Alatau. Visitors can take a look at the photo exhibition “The Kuznetsk Alatau Trail”.
In addition, the environmental center hosts numerous educational excursions, events and holidays. This is a popular holiday destination among residents of the Kemerovo region, which makes a huge contribution to the development of environmental, educational and recreational activities.
