Aksu-Zhabagly Nature Reserve, Nature reserve in Turkistan Region, Kazakhstan.
Aksu-Zhabagly is a nature reserve in Turkistan Region, Kazakhstan, covering parts of the Western Tien Shan mountains. Deep gorges alternate with alpine meadows and juniper forests, while steep rock faces and scree fields shape the higher elevations.
The protected zone was established in 1926 as the first official nature reserve in Central Asia and marked the beginning of conservation efforts in the region. Later decades brought expansions of the boundaries and recognition as a biosphere reserve by international organizations.
The name comes from two neighboring rivers and appears on local maps and signs in this double form. Rangers live in small stations at the edge of the protected zone and monitor the routes that take visitors through valleys and over ridges.
Several hiking trails cross the terrain and range from low valleys to elevations above 4,000 meters (13,000 feet). The best time to visit is between early summer and early fall, when snow clears the upper routes and wildflowers cover the meadows.
More than 1,200 plant species grow on the grounds, including a rare red tulip that blooms at higher elevations. Nearly 240 bird species use the gorges and forests as breeding grounds or resting stops during migration over the mountain ranges.
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