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Site description (2006 baseline)
Territory is located 60 km north-west from Bishkek city. North-western part of Chu valley within Kyrgyzstan. The northern boundary coincides with the state border of Kazakhstan-Kyrgyzstan. South-western boundary stretches along the the line of villages Stepnoe- Tulek, while thesouthern one goes along line of village Tulek- village Djani-Pakhta. Eastern boundary extends along the highway connecting villages Djan-Pakhta and Kamyshanovka. Steppe plowed sites with small areas of wastelands and fallow lands along fields unfit for tillage. Most of the wasteland is concentrated along the banks of Ak-Su river, situated lower Tulek village and river Shor-Koo. Three rivers Kara-Balta, Ak-Suu and Shor-Koo flow in the site. The banks of the rivers aresometimes steep, up to 10-12 m high. Most of the steep banks are situated along the River Ak Suu. Dead lakes overgrown with reeds and other wetland vegetation are common. Since irrigated cropping is commonly practices in the area, the many small and medium-size channels, their banks are fringed with stands of reed and ruderal vegetation. Reedbeds growing along hollow depressions may often reach several hectares. Small ponds full of water during the spring-summer time and fringed by wetland vegetations are occasionally seen as well. The largest part of reed stands growing along the banks and channels is burnt down. Small patches of inundated thickets and trees grow along the River Ak Suu. No settlements are in the area expect for three villages located along the border of the IBA. Tree cover is composed of planted Elm, Willow, Poplar and Russian Olive tree. As a rule, the width of tree plantations is about several meters, tree belts of 20-30 meters wide are less occasional. Local communities practice crop farming, less occasionally livestock breeding which mostly occurs at areas adjacent to community settlements. Amateur fishing is practiced in rivers. Fish is hunted both by local locals and visitors from around Bishkek City. Amateur fishing as well as bird and animal hunting is common across the area except in community settlements.

Key biodiversity
Criterion A3 is of prime importance for the site because of birds’ diversity. Biome 04a (Eurasian steppe): 8 out of 16 (50%) species are seen here and Biome 04b (Eurasian deserts and semi-deserts).From 1971 to 1975 Institute of Biology of Kirgiz SSR had conducted seasonal bird migration observations.

Non-bird biodiversity: Large mammals that still occur here are Siberian Ibex (Capra sibirica), Siberian Roe Deer (Capreolus pygargus). Some 20 years ago Snow leopard (Uncia uncia) could be seen here.Grey marmot (Marmota baibacina), Red pika (Ochotona rutila), Beech marten (Martes foina), and Weasel (Mustela nivalis) are common. Two species of snakes are seen here: Siberian pit viper (Agkistrodon halys) and Steppes ratsnake (Elaphe dione) as well as Ablepharus alaicus. Plant life is presented by ca. 1000 species, such as Schrenk’s Spruce, Almaty Apple, Atraphaxis muschketowii, Turkestan Shrub Maple, Ribes Yanchewski, Caucasian Hackberry and others. Large mammals inhabiting the IBA include Wild Boar, Roe, occasionally saiga seen in winter, as well as wolf and badger; fox is common, dog fox, steppe polecat and weasel are rare. One can encounter colonies of Tamarisk jird and the long-eared hedgehog which are common.

Acknowledgements
Data-sheet compiled on 20-Sep-2006 by Anatoliy N. Ostasenko, received by BirdLife Cambridge May 2008, translated by Tsovinar Hovhannisyan in summer 2010, entered into WBDB by Rory McCann in autumn 2010.

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Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Important Bird Area factsheet: Tulek Valley (Kyrgyzstan). Downloaded from https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/tulek-valley-iba-kyrgyzstan on 22/11/2024.