Khakasski Nature Reserve, Nature reserve in Khakassia, Russia
Khakasski Nature Reserve is a protected area in Khakassia consisting of nine separate sections spread across different landscapes. The sections include steppe regions, mountain taiga forests, and several large mineral lakes situated in remote wilderness.
The protected area was established in 1999 and preserves a mosaic of archaeological sites documenting several millennia of human settlement. Many of these ancient sites are scattered across the mountainous terrain and date to pre-classical periods.
The reserve maintains a Nature Museum in Abakan where visitors learn about local ecosystems and traditional conservation methods of the Khakassian region.
Visiting the area requires a permit obtained through the administrative office, which also arranges guided ecological tours for interested travelers. Planning ahead ensures better access to the available routes and research activities.
Lake Bele, the largest mineral lake in Eastern Siberia within the reserve, contains a native population of Bele perch found nowhere else with these specific characteristics. This fish species thrives in the particular mineral composition of the water.
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