Sung-Khacapdag Nature Reserve. Back in the 30s, Academician N. I. Vavilov came to the conclusion that Western Kopetdag is one of the world centers for the formation of fruit trees in the dry subtropics. Then he came up with a proposal to create a reserve here. However, only in 1977 a branch of the Kopetdag Nature Reserve was established in the region, which was then transformed into an independent Syunt-Khasardag Nature Reserve. It consists of the Central, Ayderinsky and Chendyrsky sections and a mountain reserve. The total protected area is 30,260 hectares. The flora of Southwestern Kopetdag is extremely unique. which is explained by the location of the region at the junction of the Hyrcanian, Khorasanian and Eastern Mediterranean flora. 1,322 species of higher plants have been identified here, 190 of which are endemic, a wide variety of common almonds, walnuts, pomegranates, figs and forest grapes. Many plants can be used as essential oil medicinal, resinous, dyeing, as well as decorative purposes. Only in the South-Western Kopetdag and nowhere else is the legendary mandrake found, which in ancient times was considered a panacea for many diseases. The fauna is represented by 76 species of mammals, 250 species of birds and 36 reptiles. Of the birds, the most rare are the bearded golden eagle, saker falcon, snake eagle, black stork, steppe kestrel, black vulture and black vulture, which within Central Asia is found only in the valleys of the Western Kopetdag. The delay in establishing the reserve led to the disappearance of the Turanian tiger, cheetah, Bukhara deer, bezoar goat, kulan, bear, otter. The leopard, mountain sheep (urial), hyena and even wild boar are on the verge of extinction. The reserve carried out a successful reacclimatization of the kulan, releasing 44 individuals into the Sumbar valley in 1987-88. They took root and in 12 years multiplied the population. Employees of the scientific department annually maintain the “Chronicle of Nature”. They published two scientific collections about the nature of the South-Western Kopetdag, dozens of articles, and began the design of the Museum of Nature.

---

The reserve carried out a successful reacclimatization of the kulan, releasing 44 individuals into the Sumbar valley in 1987-88. They took root and in 12 years multiplied the population. Employees of the scientific department annually maintain the “Chronicle of Nature”. They published two scientific collections about the nature of the South-Western Kopetdag, dozens of articles, and began the design of the Museum of Nature.

---

Ösümlik we haýwanat dünýäsi

Fauna
It is home to 68 species of mammals (including leopard or leopard, Turkmen mountain sheep or urial, bezoar goat, honey badger, hyena, bandage, porcupine), 280 species of birds (including Caspian snowcock, chukar, pheasant, bearded vulture, Shaheen, saker falcon ). Since the end of the 19th century, the Kopetdag fauna has become significantly impoverished; the cheetah, tiger, goitered gazelle, and kulan have not survived.
Flora
More than 960 species of higher plants (including elm, maple, oleaster, Caucasian hackberry, fig, cherry plum, hawthorn, barberry, cotoneaster, almond, ephedra). In the foothills the vegetation is steppe, in the middle mountains and highlands there are juniper trees (Turkmen juniper, more than 21 000 ha), thickets of saxaul and pistachio.

Photos from the reserve

Search