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Site description (2004 baseline):
Site location and context
This is a mountain area on the borders of Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan. The area includes the western part of the Talasskiy Alatau ridge and adjoining parts of the Ugamskiy ridge. Typical landscapes have a relief of deep valleys and canyons, the slopes covered with stands of juniper (both tree- and bush form). On the terraces there are high-grass dry meadows and high-mountain meadows. The highest peaks at the headwaters of the Aksu and Dzhabagly rivers are covered with glaciers and snow fields. This is the most representative area for Western Tien Shan landscapes because during the 70 years that the site has been a Zapovednik its ecosystems have become completely natural.
240 bird species have been recorded here, including 125 breeding species. This represents 89.6% of the number of breeding species of all the Western Tien Shan. In addition to the globally threatened species, there are 9 species from the Red Data Book of Kazakhstan: Ciconia nigra, Falco pelegrinoides, Neophron percnopterus, Gypaetus barbatus, Aquila chrysaetos, Hieraeetus pennatus, Circaetus gallicus, Bubo bubo and Myophonus caeruleus. Population sizes are thought to be low, but not known definitely. 115 species (including protected species such as Falco cherrug, Falco peregrinus, Grus grus and Grus virgo) visit the IBA during migration or in winter, staying for up to 4-5 months.
Non-bird biodiversity: 54 species of mammals, 11 reptiles, 2 amphibians, 2 fishes have been recorded. 2,124 species of invertebrates have been found but their total number is supected to be around 5,500 species (Beskokotov, 1996). The most important mammals are Snow Leopard (Uncia uncia), Menzbir's Marmot (Marmota menzbieri), mountain sheep (Ovis ammon karelini), bear (Ursus arctos isabellinus), all included in the national Red Data Book. There is one rare species of reptiles - Ophisaurus apodus. Of insects, there are many endemics of the Tien Shan and Western Tien Shan. For example, of the 186 species (64 genus) of Carabidae beetles recorded, 114 species (62%) are endemics of Western Tien Shan and Middle Asia. The flora includes 1,679 species, about 10% of them are endemics. About 30 plant species are included in the Red Data Book of Kazakhstan, the most important being Prenanthes mira, Tulipa dubia, Thesium minkwitzianum, Malus nezdwetzkiana, Sesli setiferum, Scutellaria flabellaria, Ugamia angrenica and Dryopteris mindshelkensis (Ivaschenko, 1996).
In the past, before establishment of the Zapovednik, the territory was used for grazing and the juniper forests for fire-wood. Sometimes and on a smaller scale these types of use occurred during the last 50 years (the last mass use of the area for grazing was in winter 1961). Now the territory is used for nature protection and research (closed reserved area of highest status - "Zapovednik"), and for ecological tourism/recreation (without especially designated plots).
Pressure/threats to key biodiversity
1. Illegal shooting of big mammals - wild boar, bear, ibex, mountain sheep, roe deer.
2. Industrial pollution from factories in Shimkent and Taraz cities, especially as the result of accidents.
3. Disturbance of birds due to increasing tourism/recreation
4. Fires
5. Road construction projects through the reserve.
Conservation responses/actions for key biodiversity
Bird studies have been carried here since establishment of the Zapovednik in 1933. These include the works of L.M.Shulpin in 1933-1935, V.V.Shevchenko in 1943-1948, A.F.Kovshar in 1959-1966, B.M.Gubin in 1970-1973, A.A.Ivaschenko in 1967-1985, E.S.Chalikova in 1981-2004, and V.G.Kolbintzev in 1985-2003. Besides birds, other groups of animals (vertebrates and invertebrates) and plants etc. were studied as part of the planned research of the Aksu-Dzhabagly Zapovednik. Of conservation projects, the most important is the Trans-boundary project of GEF/UNDP (for Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan). It was launched in 2001 and is ongoing. The main goal is conservation of the biodiversity of the Western Tien Shan by facilitation of protected areas, harmonization of interests of local communities and nature protection.
The IBA is identical to the Aksu-Dzhabagly Zapovednik (Nature Reserve).
Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Important Bird Area factsheet: Aksu-Dzhabagly State Nature Reserve (Kazakhstan). Downloaded from
https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/aksu-dzhabagly-state-nature-reserve-iba-kazakhstan on 22/11/2024.
