Kaplankyr Reserve

  Kaplankyr Reserve was established in 1979, located on the plateu Kaplankyr. The reserve area is 2,822 sq. km. There were registered 6 species of mammals, 147 species of birds and 918 species of plants. Kaplankyr reserve includes two preserves: Sarykamysh Reserve and Shahsenemskiy Reserve.

  There are two types of vegetation: shrubs and half-shrubs, as well as white saksaul, growing in Zaungun Karakum Desert. Such rare species of animals as gazelle, Usturt mountain sheep, honey badger and others are protected by the Reserve.

  Here you can often see caracal, sand cat, gopher, reptiles (cobra, lots of lizards). It is known that once there used to be swift-flooted mammals on the planet – cheetahs. Therefore, the main aim of the Reserve is revival of extinct cheetah population and an increase of extinct cheetah population, gazelles, honey badger, wild sheep, as well as the preservation of flora and fauna.

 Sarakamyshs Lake is the territory where you can see the majority of all living creatures of the Reserve. Beautiful swans swim on the shores of the lake and on the depth of the lake you can see a lot of different fish: sheatfish, carp, bream and many others. In spring and autumn you can often see migrating birds. Having lived in these beautiful places, many of them settled in these places for all. Now pelicans and cormorants live here.

  The vegetation of Kaplankyr lasts only two months of spring - March and April. At this time of year Kaplankyr is painted in delicate lemon color, and the whole area of the reserve is covered with green grass. The main area of the reserve is located in the Kaplankyr, Sarakamyshs and Ustiurt areas. The region is divided into three physiographic regions: Zaungunskiy Karakum,  Sarikamish valley and plateau Kaplankyr.