Chatkal Biosphere Reserve

History and layout

Chatkal State Biosphere Reserve was created in 1947 and is among the oldest reserves in Uzbekistan. It lies in the western spurs of the Chatkal Range and consists of two separate sections: Bashkyzylsay in the west, on the south-western slopes of Mount Kyzylnura (3,267 m), and Maidantal further east in the heart of the mountains. Together they cover more than 35,000 hectares and now form the strictly protected core of Ugam-Chatkal National Park.

In 1978 the reserve joined UNESCO’s network of biosphere reserves, and in 2016 it became part of the transboundary Western Tian Shan World Heritage Site, which unites protected areas in Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan.

Nature

Mountain steppe, juniper and broadleaf forest, alpine meadows and riverside woodland are all found here. Brown bears, Menzbier’s marmot and eagle-owls live in the reserve, and rare plants include Tubergen’s iris. The British naturalist Gerald Durrell visited in 1985.

Visiting

As a scientific reserve it is not open to casual visitors: access is only with permission from the administration and along set routes. The reserve’s museum in Parkent gives an introduction to its wildlife, and the surrounding national park has plenty of open trails.