State reserve "Dagestan": where is, interesting facts

In this article we want to talk about the Dagestan Reserve. This is a unique and beautiful place.

History of creation

Talks about the creation of a reserve in Dagestan were conducted in the early twenties. However, everything remained at the level of controversy regarding the location of its location. During this period, several reserves were created. In the second half of the twentieth century, once again returned to this topic, choosing the right place. The Dagestan Reserve was established in 1986. Its area was more than nineteen hectares. And it was organized to study and preserve unique nature complexes in the water area of the Kizlyar Bay (the Caspian Sea). It should be noted that the reserve is one of the first places in terms of the number of animals (more than 60 varieties), which are listed in the Red Book of the Russian Federation.

The state reserve "Dagestan" on its territory has a number of very interesting objects. So, for example, here there is a natural monument of the barhan Sarykum, which is considered the largest in Eurasia. The reserve is also part of the ornithological territory, which has international significance as a habitat for many rare and endangered species (the Kizlyar Bay). Through its lands passes one of the main flyways of waterfowl birds.

Where is the state reserve "Dagestan"?

Where is the protected area? The Dagestan Reserve is located in the Tarumovsky and Kumtorkalinsky districts of the Dagestan Republic. It consists of two sections: the Kizlyar Bay with an area of more than 18 thousand hectares and the Sarikum barkhans with a total area of 0.6 thousand hectares. As a result, the entire protected area occupies 19.1 thousand hectares. In addition, the state reserve "Dagestan" is surrounded by a security area with a total area of 18.5 thousand hectares.

How can I get to the reserve?

If you want, you can visit the reserve "Dagestan". How to get there, we will tell you in detail. The reserve's office is located in the capital of Dagestan. You can get to Makhachkala by train from Moscow, Rostov-on-Don, Volgograd, Astrakhan, Baku, etc. There is an international airport and two bus stations, from where flights are sent to all regions of Russia.

If you are planning to visit the Kizlyar Bay, the closest settlement to it is Kochubei (Tarumovsky district of Dagestan). You can get here by any passing transport from Kizlyar or Makhachkala. There is also a railway station. From Kochubei to the Kizlyar Gulf you can get to the car by the 14th and 12th traveling, and then by country roads.

To get to the Sarikum barkhans, you must first get to the village of Korkmaskala. It's about eighteen kilometers from Makhachkala. In Kormakmaskala can be reached by any passing transport. And then on the dirt road by car to the cordon.

To get to Agrakhan zakaznik, first you need to get to the village of Staroterechnoe by bus. Approximate distance is 120 kilometers. Further, the staff of the reserve will take you to the cordon Chakan, where there are all conditions for visitors.

To get to the Samursky wildlife sanctuary, it is necessary to overcome about 250 kilometers from Makhachkala to one of the villages: Samur, Khtun, Tagirkent, and Biel-Bil.

In the Tlaratinsky Wildlife Refuge you can get by taxi from Makhachkala to Tlarata, then you will be transported by employees. You need to have a passport with you, since the border area.

Sarykum

The Dagestan Reserve in Russia is the only one that boasts such a large barkhan that is the largest in all Eurasia. Its height reaches 262 meters. It is interesting that Sarykum is the only place in Dagestan where, for five months, the average temperature is above twenty degrees.

And at its foot fixed the maximum temperature for Dagestan (42.5 °). This unusual phenomenon is explained by the strongest heating of sand. In the summer, the southern slopes warm up to sixty degrees. Even in April the temperature already exceeds thirty degrees.

Animal world

The reserve "Dagestan" boasts a variety of wildlife. However, it should be noted that at the present time the full inventory of all species composition of the local flora and fauna has not even been completed yet. Forty species of mammals, 250 bird species, 70 subspecies and fish species, and 21 reptile species have been registered in the reserve territory. Invertebrates are very poorly understood.

Sarykum Fauna

The reserve "Dagestan" is known to the whole world by the famous barchan Sarykum, but its fauna, unfortunately, is poorly understood. It is only known that 148 species of weevil beetles and 141 species of ground beetles were recorded at the foot of the barkhana. In the plans of the scientific staff of the reserve to do more densely study of new subspecies and species, which means that we can expect replenishment of the species composition in the coming years.

Very interesting is the world of Lepidoptera barkhan. Preliminary calculations indicate the presence of more than a thousand species of night and day butterflies.

Small reptiles are very numerous here. It's a fast lizard and a round-headed one. They are found at the foot of the barkhana, and on its slopes. Still here you can find a striped lizard, slides, a western boa constrictor, snakes. The Dagestan Reserve has collected a large number of birds on its territory, listed in the Red Data Book of the Russian Federation (kurgans, black stork, white-headed fowl, steppe kestrel, eagle owl, black griffon).

Sarykum, in fact, is the only place in Russia, where rare rare species are protected: red-headed shrike, Spanish stove, short-sparrow sparrow, stone bluebird.

Of rare species, there is also a Mediterranean tortoise, collar eyrenis, gyurza. Also in the reserve there live the white-chested and eared hedgehogs, sandstones, the capercaillie jerboa, the voles, the wolf, the hare-hare, the fox.

Vegetable world

The bay of the reserve is rich in aquatic plants. The coast has both meadow-marsh, seaside, so desert and semi-desert species.

The Kizlyar Bay itself is very shallow, and the water in it is sufficiently desalinated. Its bottom is covered with a considerable layer of silt. Such conditions contribute to the development of above-water and shallow vegetation: narrow-leaved cattle, reed lake, reed ordinary. The surface of the reach is covered with carpets made of marshwort of the sclerophyllous, small naiads, duckweed of three-lobed, salvinia floating. There are also underwater meadows that surprise with the richness of underwater plants.

Meadow vegetation is represented by thickets of reed and cattail. The height of reeds in the floods reaches five meters. Each year these areas are flooded with water for a period of two to four months, and low-lying places can be submerged all the year round.

On sandy sea shores grow plants such as wheatgrass, cornflower corn, swing panicle, Persian convolvia, alfalfa blue. The steppes are covered with a grunt, comber, wormwood.

River and sea terraces are sown entirely with saltwort-wormwood plants. Also in the reserve there is semi-desert and desert vegetation. Only one Sarykumsky barkhan contains more than three hundred varieties, among which are not only rare specimens, but also endangered species: sand vaida, astragalus, leaved dzhuzgun, Eremosparton bezlisty. Most of the barkhana is dry sand. Covered with vegetation are the lower parts of the slopes. On the southern side are the slopes of the Narat-Tyube ridge, which are dotted with unique plants.

Reserve "Dagestan": reviews

Volunteers who cooperate with the reserve express their gratitude to its employees, because they see how they treat their work and how much they do for the reserve itself. All lovers of flora and fauna can visit here, experts will certainly share knowledge of the natural world of these places. And here really there is something to see, because the reserve "Dagestan" (photo is shown in the article) has a very beautiful territory with a unique and unusual Dagestan nature.

Not so long ago the reserve began to practice excursions on its territory. Those who managed to visit the Sarykum barkhan leave the most enthusiastic testimonials for what they saw, saying that this is the most fascinating and vivid journey. And this is true, because there is something to see, especially for those who really appreciate and love nature. Hospitality and hospitality of the staff can not but rejoice, it is clear how anxiously they are passionate about their business and wish to share their successes, knowledge and achievements with the guests.