FLORA AND FAUNA

Kyrgyzstan is rich in both flora and fauna. You may not come any closer to a Snow Leopard than the statues that line the road between Bishkek and Lake Issyk Kul — but there is a wide range and variety of plant an animal life that you can encounter.

The wide variety of flora which can be found in the country is due to the different landscapes, the various altitudes, the mountain ridges and the hollows formed between them which in many cases form isolated micro-environments.

In the low-lying valleys and in the low foothills, steppes prevail. In the middle mountainous zone are widely spread meadows, forests, and shrubs, whilst in the high mountainous zones alpine meadows, «kriofill»-cushion areas and mountain tundra can be found. «Thorny-cushion» vegetation covers the stone-detritus mountain areas.

About 4000 species of plants have been catalogued in Kyrgyzstan.

The most widely spread trees are spruce, juniper (archa), and nut- and fruit-tree forests. There are also spruce, maple, poplar-willow, and birch forests and Tien-Shan rowan-trees grow everywhere. There are walnut forests occupying an area of over 600,000 hectares, (the largest walnut forests in the world — featuring walnut-trees, apple-trees, pear-trees, and cherry-plum, cherry, currant, and rasp-berries canes), in the South-East of Kyrgyzstan in the Fergana and Chatkal ranges at altitudes between 1000 and 2200 meters a. s. l. Shrub thickets such as «karaghun», cherry, rosary, pistachio, almond, cherry-plum, sea-buckthorn, barberry, mellow are widely spread throughout the countryside. Sea-buckthorn, dog-rose, and willow grow in the flood-lands of several rivers.

In alpine meadows (at an altitude of 3000 meters a. s. l.) edelweiss, dandelion, Alpine Aster, Semenov onion and primroses grow. Edelweiss is not as rare as it is in Europe — and dandelions are not thought of as weeds in the same way as they are in the West. At certain times of the year the mountain sides may be covered with poppies or tulips. About 5 km south of the Jety Orguz sanatoria, is Dolina Svetov (Valley of the flowers) a valley opens out which is ablaze with colour from May — when there are multitudes of poppies — throughout early summer. Apparently there are repted to be petroglyphs here — but no-one seems to know exactly where. There are often yurts here which can offer accommodation.

In the forests, steppes, and meadows it is possible to find many different species of funguses. «Mushroom gathering» used to be a very common activity.

The flora of Kyrgyzstan includes many different types of medicinal herbs, such as: ephedra, plantain, milfoil, sage, dog-rose, dushitsa, wormwort — and many others.

The wildlife found in Kyrgyzstan is also rich and diverse. Over the territory of Kyrgyzstan one can find animal life typical of deserts and forests, valleys and mountains, steppes and meadows.

There are about 500 different species of vertebrates and over 3000 species of insects which have been catalogued, including 60 species of dragon-fly, 86 species of butterfly, 86 species of ants, 33 species of bees, and 250 species of cicadas.

Stocks of 49 different species of fish can be found in the waters of Kyrgyzstan? s, lakes and reserviors. In Lake Issyk-Kul there are chebachok, chebak, sazan, carp, trout, marinka, osman, bream, line, pike-perch, sig, and crucian. In the various reservoirs and rivers: sazan, crucian, barbel, pike, marinka and other species of fish. Trout can be found in mountain rivers.

There are 25 species of reptiles including tortoises, lizards, and snakes.

Ornithologists can spot a wide variety of bird-life — which includes some 335 species. In different areas of the country one can encounter pheasant, grey herons, the «cherry bird», woodpecker, eagle-owl, silvered sea-gull, red-wing flamingo amongst others. On Lake Issyk-Kul you can meet «hissing» swans, «crying» swans, grey geese, and pelicans. Amongst the rare species of birds it is possible to see in Kyrgyzstan there are «balaban», white stork, golden eagle, bearded vulture, bustard, demoiselle crane, «snake eater», white-tail sea eagle, steppe eagle, black stork. Cranes congregate at Son Kul and Chartyr Kul on the migratory journeys.

Mammals are represented by 83 different species, including Mountain Sheep (arkhar), bears, and «maral» in the spruce forests of the Tien-Shan and in the Ak-Sai, Arpa, and Suusamyr highly mountain valleys. The mountain ridges and valleys provide homes for foxes, wolves, badger, weasel, ermine, and stone martens. In some regions it is also possible to find snow leopard (Bars), wild boar, roe deer, Siberian goat, porcupine, hedgehog, hare, marmot, «andatrum».

Kyrgyzstan protects such rare animals as «dzheiran», red wolf, «maral», snow leopard (Bars), the Middle-Asian otter, the Mensbir marmot, Tien-Shan brown bear, Tien-Shan mountain sheep (arkhar) and «Marco Polo»sheep — amongst others. Some of the animals found in Kyrgyzstan are recorded in «Red Book» of International Nature Preserve Union:- The snow leopard, the «Mensbir» marmot, the «dzheiran», red wolf, and grey monitor lizard.

The Red Book of Kyrgyzstan — There are recognised to be some 92 endangered species of animals and 65 types of plants in Kyrgyzstan. Legal protection for them began with the first law on hunting which was enacted in 1930, and in 1979 a decree was issued providing a list of protected species. To protect the wide variety of both flora and fauna, Kyrgyzstan has created a number of special preserves, parks and natural reserves.

Kyrgyzstan protects such rare animals as «dzheiran», red wolf, «maral», snow leopard (Bars), the Middle-Asian otter, the Mensbir marmot, Tien-Shan brown bear, Tien-Shan mountain sheep (arkhar) and «Marco Polo» sheep — amongst others. Some of the animals found in Kyrgyzstan are recorded in «Red Book» of International Nature Preserve Union, such as the snow leopard, the «Mensbir» marmot, the «dzheiran», red wolf, and grey monitor lizard.

NATIONAL PARKS etc.

To help preserve the priceless, pristine, virgin, natural resources that it possesses, Kyrgyzstan has a total of 83 specially protected natural territories, with a total area of 761300 hectares, which is almost 4% of Kyrgyzstan’s total land area. Perhaps, the most famous of these specially protected regions is Ala Archa — just outside Bishkek.

NATIONAL PARKS — One of the main tasks of the National Parks is to organize tourism that is not harmful to the nature.

Ala-Archa — founded in 1974 to protect the old Ala-Archa River and its environs for the sake of society and future generations. The National Park extends 15 km along the canyon with altitudes ranging from 1500m to 2240m.

Chong-Kemin — founded in 1997 in the Chong-Kemin river valley and included almost all the forest farms of the Kemin district. The park’s main task is to preserve the unique landscapes with their diversity of fauna and flora.

Natural Parks — formed to preserve the natural environment of the area whilst making it available for recreational activities.

Karakol — founded in 1997, with a total area of 38,256 hectares including 4767 hectares of forests.

Kyrgyz Ata — founded in 1992, with 1,172 hectares to preserve the local, natural archa forest

Besh Tash — established in 1996 with 32411 hectares

Kara-Shoro — established in 1996 with 8,450 hectares

FOREST RESERVES — These regions are completely exempted from economic activity, including fishing, hunting, picking wild plants. One of the essential tasks of the reserves is to educate and enlighten the population about the ecological care within this territory.

The Issyk-Kul state preserve was founded in 1948 with the aim of preserving the habitat of waterfowl which winter in the region around lake Issyk-Kul. It has an international importance, and occupies some 19,000 hectares.

The Naryn state reserve was founded in 1983 and coniferous forests, alpine meadows, and other ecosystems are protected by it.

The Besh-Aral state reserve was founded in 1979 with the purpose of preserving the unique natural complex and forests of the Chatkal valley, as well as to partially protect the habitat of the Menzbir marmot and to protect the natural habitat of vegetation of Greig and Cauffman tulips.

The Sary-Chelek biospherical reserve occupying some 23868 hectares, was founded in 1959 with the purpose of preserving the forests and mountain landscapes that surround lake Sary-Chelek.

The Karatal-Japaryk reserve was founded in 1995 in the forest regions of the northern hills of the Kargo mountains . It consists of two small areas — the northern part and the southern part — and occupies some 72,000 hectares.

Sarychat-Ertash reserve.

RESERVES — These are the most numerous of the Specially Protected Natural Territories. There are 83 of them and they occupy 289,200 hectares — more than a half of the total area of the all the territories. In the reserves only certain, definite types of economic activities are prohibited, or limited. The reserves function is to preserve, or to restore, some components of the natural environment and they are subdivided into 4 groups: forest, botanical, zoological, and complex.

THE ISSYK KUL BIOSPHERE RESERVE — is one of some 338 such reserves around the world, acknowledged by the UNESCO «Man and the Biosphere» programme. The concept of a Biosphere Reserve is of a model region of sustainable land use. To ensure simultaneous conservation of natural resources, environmentally sound and sustainable land use and the improvement of standards of living — the territory of the reserve is divided into four zones : core, buffer, transitional, and ? rehabilitation? — each governed by rules about what sort of activities are permitted, (or prohibited). The territory of Issyk-Kul biosphere reserve occupies 43,100 square km or 22% of the total area of the republic, and it is home to several species of flora and fauna that are included in the list of endangered species.