Current view: Text account
Site description (2009 baseline):
Site location and context
Located in the southern part of the Altay Mountains, near to the Chinese borders with Kazakhstan, Russia and Mongolia, 100 km west of Altay City and 450 km north of Urumqi. The Burqin River is a tributary of the Ertix River, which flows into the Arctic Ocean. There are extensive reedbeds and grasslands along the Burqin River, and it is important for breeding and migratory birds.
Non-bird biodiversity: Nationally protected animals include Ursus arctos and Cervus elaphus, and the fish Hucho spp.
Conservation responses/actions for key biodiversity
Established as a nature reserve in 1980, and upgraded to a national nature reserve in 1986 (with an area of 250,000 ha, of which 100,000 ha overlaps with the IBA).
Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Important Bird Area factsheet: Burqin River and Kanas Lake (China (mainland)). Downloaded from
https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/burqin-river-and-kanas-lake-iba-china-(mainland) on 22/11/2024.
