Klyazminsko-Lukhsky Zakaznik, Wildlife sanctuary in Vladimir Oblast, Russia.
Klyazminsko-Lukhsky Zakaznik is a regional complex nature reserve in Vyazniki District, Vladimir Oblast, Russia, between the Lukh and Klyazma rivers. It covers 43,450 hectares, with a 9,040-hectare buffer zone. The reserve lies in the Lukh lowland, a flat, partly boggy sandy plain with elevations from 72 to 102 metres, and includes the left-bank floodplain of the Klyazma with oxbow lakes, bogs and Lake Velikoye.
The reserve was established in 1994 to protect natural habitats and wildlife that had been under pressure from farming and logging. Before that, the land had been used for forestry and agriculture for decades, which had reduced many animal populations.
The reserve sits in a region where fishing and hunting were common for generations before protection rules came into force. Today, birdwatchers visit during migration seasons to spot species that stop here on their way north or south.
Visiting the reserve requires advance permission from the management office, so contacting them before making plans is a good idea. Access is only possible in organized groups, which helps limit the impact on the natural environment.
The reserve was added to the Ramsar list of protected wetlands, and since 2004 European bison have been reintroduced here: six bulls and four cows were released, two cows drowned in the first year, and the first two calves were born in 2006. By 2015 the herd numbered 22 animals.
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