Barsa-Kelmes

Barsa-Kelmes

Founded in 1939, the reserve is situated on an island of the same name in the Aral Sea. Its territory is as large as 30, 000 ha. It numbers 250 species of plants, 203 species of birds. 56 species of animals includes – among others – Asiatic wild donkey, Persian gazelle, corsac fox and wolf.
In addition thereto there has been founded Bayan-Aul natural park with an area of about 45,000 ha. It is by right a mountain forest oasis surrounded by desert-like steppes. Weathered granite Bayan-Aul mountains covered with pine and birch-tree forests govern semi-desert plains of the Kazakh hummock topography interrupted by exceedingly beautiful lakes of Zhasyby, Toraigyr and Sabyndykol.