Zeya Nature Reserve, Nature reserve at Tukuringra Ridge, Russia

Zeya Nature Reserve is a protected woodland area in the mountainous region of Tukuringra Ridge in the east. The Zeya River valley cuts through the terrain and creates varied habitats for wildlife and plants.

The reserve was created on 3 October 1963 on the initiative of the Far Eastern branch of the Siberian Division of the USSR Academy of Sciences. It was established partly as a reference plot for studying the ecological impact of the Zeya Dam and Zeya Reservoir, built in the 1960s and 1970s. Its main office is in the city of Zeya, 13 km to the south.

Local scientists take particular interest in the rare animal species that inhabit this region. Visitors can learn about the habitats of these creatures and how they adapt to the mountainous environment through guided tours.

Visitors need official permission to enter the area and can choose between different walking routes ranging from short walks to full-day hikes. It is wise to register in advance and bring appropriate footwear and weather protection, as the terrain is hilly and conditions change quickly.

The reserve holds the world's northernmost stands of Mongolian oak, near the Tyoply cordon on the shore of the Zeya Reservoir, where animals typical of those oak woods also occur. Among its roughly 1,400 butterfly species recorded by February 2015 is the Tukuringra prominent (Zaranga tukuringra), known in Russia only from here.