Current view: Text account
Site description (2004 baseline):
Site location and context
Three islands in the Bukhtarma reservoir, 4-5 km from the shore. The islands are located approximately 20 km from the town of Samarskoe, opposite the small village of Palatzy. The most southern island is named "Bezymyanny" ("No-named"), the others are "Sredny" ("Middle") and "Cherepashy" ("Tortoise"). The islands are covered with steppe grass vegetation, one of islands has scarce poplar groves along the shore and is rich in herbs. There are stones and small rocks on the highest points of the islands. One of the islands has a strip of 20 m wide sand dunes (up to 6 m high). Between two of the islands, there are sparse reedbeds.
There are breeding colonies of Dalmatian Pelican, Cormorant, Common Tern, Yellow-legged Gull, Great Black-headed Gull (small groups), Black-headed Gull, Gull-billed Tern, Little Ringed Plover and Common Sandpiper.
Non-bird biodiversity: Passerines typical for low-mountain steppe of Altay, rodents etc.
Unorganized and unregulated recreation of tourists arriving with boats, fishing, illegal hunting.
Pressure/threats to key biodiversity
See land-use.
Conservation responses/actions for key biodiversity
200 Steppe tortoise were introduced here in 2002, the impact is unknown. At the IBA, a protected area of regional level is planned.
None.
Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Important Bird Area factsheet: Tortoise Islands (Kazakhstan). Downloaded from
https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/tortoise-islands-iba-kazakhstan on 23/12/2024.
