View source for Aksu-Zhabagly Nature Reserve

{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2015}}
{{Infobox protected area
| name = Aksu-Zhabagly Nature Reserve
| photo = 
| photo_caption = 
| map = Kazakhstan 
| map_caption = 
| location = [[South Kazakhstan Region|South Kazakhstan]], [[Kazakhstan]]
| nearest_city = [[Tulkubas]]
| coordinates = {{coords|42|22|44.2|N|70|36|35.0|E|region:KZ|display=inline, title}}
| area = {{convert|1319.339|km2|acre|abbr=on}}
| established = 1926
| visitation_num = 
| visitation_year = 
| visitation_ref = 
| governing_body = 
| world_heritage_site =
}}
[[File:Aksu Jabagly 2.JPG|thumb|Plateau between the rivers Kshi- and Ulken Kaindy, Zhabagly mountains, Aksu-Zhabagly Nature Reserve]]
[[File:Aksu Jabgly 3.JPG|thumb|[[Aksu Canyon]], Aksu-Zhabagly Nature Reserve]]

The '''Aksu-Zhabagly Nature Reserve''' ({{lang-ru|Aксу-Жабаглинский заповедник / ''Aksu-Zhabaglinskiy zapovednik''}}, {{lang-kz|Ақсу-Жабағылы қорығы / ''Aqsu-Zhabaghyly Qoryghy''}}) is the oldest nature reserve in [[Central Asia]]. It is located in the southern province of the [[Republic of Kazakhstan]]. It covers the north-western mountain chains of the [[Tian Shan]]. Its name is derived from the biggest river in the area, the Aksu, and the mountain chain Zhabagly which is located in the northern part of the area.

== Geography ==
The Aksu-Zhabagly Nature Reserve is located in the western mountains of the Talasskiy Alatau, in the western [[Tien Shan]] mountains. Its eastern border is delimited by the [[Kyrgyz Republic]], the southern border by the valley of the Maidantal river and the [[Uzbekistan]]. In the West, the area is surrounded by the [[Kyzyl Kum]], and in the North, by the [[Karatau Mountains]]. The [[Tien Shan]] mountains extend further to the East and South. The territory lies within the administrative region of the Tyul’kubaskiy- and Lengerskiy-Rayon, in the [[South Kazakhstan Province]]. The Nature Reserve stretches over an area of 131.934 &nbsp;ha.,<ref>[http://www.oopt.kz/forest/natural_zapovednik/aksu-zhabagly/ "Aksu-Zhabaglinskiy Zapovednik"]. Homepage of the Ministry of Agriculture [[Republic of Kazakhstan]]. Accessed on November 18, 2010</ref> occupying elevations of 1100 – 4236 m a.s.l. Major mountain ranges are the Zhabagly in the North, the Talasskiy Alatau in the central part, the Baldybrektau and the Ugamskiy Alatau in the South. They form steep slopes as well as gentle plateaus. Peak Sayram, in the southern region, is the highest peak in the Reserve. The mountainous area is divided by the Jabagly, Aksu and Baldyrbek rivers, that all drain in a western direction into the [[Syrdarya]] that in turn flows into the [[Aral Sea]]. The Aksu river formed [[Aksu Canyon]] which is 500m deep, and can only be crossed in the southern part of the reserve by walking over a narrow pedestrian bridge.

== Geology ==
Paleozoic limestone, dolomite and carbonaceous tuff are the most dominant bedrock in the nature reserve <ref>Gosudarstvennaya Geologicheskaya Karta SSSR: K-42-XVII (Vannovka), Severo-Tyan’shanskaya seriya. Masshtab 1:200 000. (K-42-XVII [Vanovka], 1989.</ref> Thick [[loess]] has accumulated on plateaus and in the foothills. Much less frequent is the siliceous magmatic bedrock of the Perm era.

== Flora and vegetation ==
The Aksu-Zhabagly Nature Reserve harbors 1312 vascular plants .<ref>A.F. Kovshar (Ed.): ''Monitoring biologicheskogo raznoobraziya Zapovednika Aksu-Dzhabagly''. In: ''Tethys Biodiversity Research''. Tom 1, S. 16.
</ref> Some of the largest genera are ''Astragalus'', ''Gagea'', ''Allium'', ''Carex'' and ''Oxytropis''. There are 44 rare plant species that are listed as endangered in the red data book of Kazakhstan,<ref>A.F. Kovshar (Ed.): ''Monitoring biologicheskogo raznoobraziya Zapovednika Aksu-Dzhabagly''. In: ''Tethys Biodiversity Research''. Tom 1, S. 17-21.</ref> including the native wild apple (''[[Malus sieversii]]''), wild grape (''[[Vitis vinifera]]'') and several wild [[tulip]] species (e.g.. ''[[Tulipa greigii]]''). The lower parts of the reserve are covered by semi-desert, scrub and steppe, which form a colorful carpet of [[geophyte]]s in the spring. The montane belt is a mosaic of open [[juniper]] forests with ''[[Juniperus seravshanica]]'' and ''[[Juniperus semiglobosa]]'', and meadows in which Eurosiberian and Middle Asian plants thrive. The [[Aksu Canyon]] harbors some forest fragments with [[Asiatic wild apple|Malus sieversii]] und the Turkestan Maple (''[[Acer turkestanicum]]''). Further up, in the subalpine and alpine belt, we find meadows, tall herb vegetation, and small cushion communities with ''[[Onobrychis echidna]]'', as well as short grass sods with  ''[[Carex melanantha]]'' and ''[[Kobresia persica]]''. Gallery forests of willows and birches grow along the main rivers. Scree vegetation is frequent in the area and home to the rare onion species ''[[Allium karataviense]]'', also ''[[Iris willmottiana]]'' and ''[[Tulipa kaufmanniana]]'' can be found.<ref>{{cite web |title=Celestial Silk Road 5th-21st June 2016 |url=http://www.viranatura.com/Product_100001_Celestial-Silk-Road-5th-21st-June-2016 |publisher=viranatura.com |accessdate=26 May 2015}}</ref>

== Fauna ==
There are 44 mammal species in the Reserve that are enlisted as highly endangered in the red book of Kazakhstan.<ref>A.F. Kovshar (Ed.): ''Monitoring biologicheskogo raznoobraziya Zapovednika Aksu-Dzhabagly''. In: ''Tethys Biodiversity Research''. Tom 1, S. 21-23.</ref> The most prominent species are the [[snow leopard]] which is, however, rarely seen. Somewhat more frequent is the [[Himalayan brown bear]], the Tien Shan [[argali]] (''Ovis ammon karelini''), the [[Indian crested porcupine]] (''Hystrix indica''), and [[Menzbier's marmot]].

== References ==
{{Wikivoyage|Aksu-Zhabagly}}
<references />
*[http://aksu-jabagly.kz/eng/ Homepage of the reserve]

[[Category:Nature reserves in Kazakhstan]]
[[Category:Protected areas established in 1926]]
[[Category:Biosphere reserves of Kazakhstan]]