For most people, Yakutia is a place where it's hard to get to. Very few travelers think about visiting it. However, remoteness and inaccessibility is not a reason to refuse a wonderful trip to the Republic of Sakha.
Description
Those who decide to go to Yakutia should definitely visit the Olekminsky State Nature Reserve, founded in 1984. It is located in the foothills of the Stanovoi Range at the junction of the Aldan Plateau, which passes into the Prilensky Plateau. The area of the reserve is 847108 ha. The nearest settlement is 80 km away; therefore, the flora and fauna of the reserve practically did not suffer from direct human exposure.
The name of the reserve comes from the name of the Olekma River, which flows through the oldest and harshest northern landscapes. Olekminsky Reserve (Yakutia, Republic of Sakha) is included in the list of protected natural sites.
In this area there is a huge number of moose, deer and other representatives of the fauna. In the reserve, there are 654 species of plants. And the landscapes fascinate even the most sophisticated travelers.
Landscape and Minerals
The relief of the reserve is formed from mountains, hills, and tundra-char peaks, which can reach a height of 1 thousand m. Currently, the processes of transformation of the relief are taking place, primarily the deepening of river channels. The reserve has long snowy winters and hot summers. Olekminsky Reserve is located on the territory of permafrost, the layer thickness of which reaches 100-200 cm, at a temperature of 4 ° С. In summer, the temperature ranges from +37 ° C to + 40 ° C.
85 rivers flow through the Olekminsky Reserve. Olekma is one of the main rivers of the state reserve, a large tributary of the Lena. It has a unique vendace and nelma, moose graze on the shore, and brown bears come to quench their thirst. The cave paintings that were found near the Olekma River are considered natural monuments. Scientists and travelers who have visited the Olekme River noted that the water is clear, but very dark.
The Amga River originates in the expanses of the Aldan Plateau and flows 150 km along the Olekminsky Nature Reserve to the north. The upper reaches of the Amga is a hard-to-reach and untouched by man nature site of the reserve.
Tuolba is a leisurely river in which the remains of prehistoric animals were discovered.
There are few lakes in the nature reserve. The largest of them are located in the area of the Jikimda weather station. Some have fish.
Olekminsky Reserve has two iron ore deposits. Also, gold-bearing sites, deposits of rock crystal, quartz and polychrome tourmaline were discovered.
Vegetation of Olekminsky Reserve
Most of the nature reserve is forested areas. Forest-forming species occupy approximately 88% of the territory. Olekminsky Reserve is considered the standard of boreal forests in South Yakutia. In addition, the main representative of the flora is the flower of Sardaan and Golden Rhododendron. In the reserve there are 34 species of rare plants (venus slipper, calypso bulbous, etc.) that are listed in the Red Book. And 65 species from the Yakut Red Book, for example, bell Addan.
Marshes occupy a little more than one percent of the area of the state nature reserve. Swamp vegetation: cedar-elfin peatlands, sphagnum, hypnum mosses, calyx cassander, blueberries, cranberries.
Olekminsky Reserve (animals)
The fauna is very typical of North Asia and is represented by more than 40 species of mammals, for example, brown bear, chipmunk, and 180 species of birds.
Taiga bird species are common in the reserve, for example, black woodpecker, hazel grouse, East Siberian species, for example, flycatcher, red-necked nightingale, southern species (finch, black swift, quail). The water world has 18 species of fish (grayling, lenok, etc.). Frogs, ordinary vipers and live-bearing lizards also live there.
Moose in the nature reserve is found everywhere, with the exception of treeless highlands. Upper Tuolba and areas of old ashes are most attractive for moose. There are approximately 500 individuals.
The largest number of musk deer is recorded in the southwestern part of the state reserve, in rocky outcrops, shrubs and lichens.
Manchurian deer is extremely unevenly distributed. In summer, these animals prefer river floodplains. During the rut, they are found on floodplain terraces. Animals that do not participate in the drive will not leave the floodplains. The number of red deer is 200 individuals.
Starting in March, minks are activated, this is due to the search for food and to the rut. When hunting small rodents, these animals are removed from the riverbank for a long distance, where sables are already waiting for them. In fights, sable almost always wins.
Scientific and tourist activities
In Olekminsky Reserve, scientific and experimental activity has been formed. It is carried out by employees of the scientific department of the reserve. In addition, employees from other research institutions are also involved. Tourism activity is being formed, several tourist routes have been created.
