TURKMENISTAN
9. DINOSAURS AND CAVERNS OF THE JEWELS OF KUGITANG
In Badkhyz, the following are registered: more than 46 mammal species; more than 255 bird species, close to 40 species of non-migratory and more than 100 species of nesting bird species; and 39 reptile species. Invertebrate species number more than 1,326. The primary value of Badkhyz are: its large mammals, including large herds of Asiatic wild ass (kulans) and goitered gazelle; large predators such as the leopard and striped hyena; and those species listed in the IUCN Red Data Book and the Red Data Book of Turkmenistan,
such as the Turkmenian mufflon (Red Data Book of Turkmenistan). The seasonal distribu-tion of ungulates and some other animals is due, above all, to the watering regime. Rare and endangered bird species, which are listed in the IUCN Red Data Book and the Red Data Book of Turkmenistan, are encountered such as serpent eagle, griffon vulture, Eurasian eagle-owl, Saker falcon, barbary falcon, houbara bustard, and others.
The nominated territory is located in eastern Turkmenistan and includes ecosystems of the Kugitangtau Range, its spurs, and adjacent river valleys. Administratively, the territory belongs to the Lepab District.
The proposed nomination includes several specially protected nature areas:
1. Kugitang SSNR (zapovednik) (area 27,139 hectares)
2. Karlyuk SSPR (sanctuary) (area 40,000 hectares)
3. Khodzhapil SSPR (sanctuary) (area 31,635 hectares)
4.Khodzhaburdzhibelend SSPR (sanctuary) (17,592 hectares)
The total area of the nominated object is 116,366 hectares. Its coordinates are: 37021'52"
- 38009'42" N.; 66000'00" - 66035'00" E.
Statement of Significance
Kugitan Strict State Nature Reserve was established with the goal of preserving and restoring the ecosystems of the Kugitang Range, the Gaurdak Mountains, and adjacent parts of river valleys, with all totality of their components, of the genetic fund of flora and fauna, and for the development of scientific foundations for protecting nature in this region.
Karlyuk SSPR (sanctuary) was created with the goal of: preserving, restoring, and reproducing natural resources; supporting general
ecologi-cal balance (including the conservation and restoration of the mountainous landscape com-plex of the southern slope of Kugitangtau and its spurs); protecting and studying the natural conditions of the Karlyuk Caverns; creating conditions necessary for the inhabitation and reproduction of rare ungulates (markhor, Bukhara argali), unique ichthyofauna (Kughitang blind loach) and other animals; and protecting and restoring juniper forests that are significant for water and erosion protection.
The Khodzhapil SSPR (sanctuary) was creat-ed to: preserve and restore a mountainous landscape complex in the northern unprotect-ed part of the Kugitangtau Range and in the northeastern part of the Gaurdak-Kugitang District; to protect and restore pistachio and juniper forests; to protect, study, and preserve the natural condition of the unique paleonto-logical monument "Plateau-dinosaur tracks";
to create conditions necessary for the inhabi-tation and reproduction of rare ungulates, predators, reptiles, and birds (such as the markhor, Bukhara argali, leopard, hyena, black stork), and other animals.
Khodzhaburdzhibelend SSPR (sanctuary) was created to preserve and restore of the moun-tain landscape complex of the slopes of Khodzhaburdzhibelend, Sakyrtma, Takhtatau;
and to preserve and restore rare plant and animal species that are economically, scien-tifically, and culturally valuable.
The Kugitang cavern complex is unique in Eurasia, in both its size and in the diversity of its geological phenomena.
Criteria for inscribing the property on UNESCO's World Heritage List
N(i)- The territory presents the primary phas-es of the Earth's development, including evi-dence of ancient life, significant geological processes in the development of forms of the earth's surface, and ongoing geomorphologic and physiogeographic particularities of relief.
The site is composed of rocks from the Precambrian , Paleozoic, Mesozoic, and Cenozoic Eras. It has an abundance of ancient mollusks, brachiopods, and dinosaur tracks.
The base of Kugitang Mountains has volcanic rocks, which often provide evidence of ancient volcanism, as well as tectonic breaks and canyons. In this region, 17 types of surface and subterranean exodynamic relief-forming processes are registered.
N(iii) - The territory presents itself as a unique natural phenomenon of exceptional scientific and esthetic significance, as numer-ous monuments of nature (botanical, zoologi-cal, geologizoologi-cal, hydrologizoologi-cal, paleontologizoologi-cal, and others) are located here.
The unique geological formations of the Kugtang cavern complex are without equal in Eurasia in the diversity of geological process-es that formed the complex, and in the process- esthet-ic value of geologesthet-ical phenomena.
N(iv) - The territory possesses exceptional biodiversity, including the habitat of rare and endangered species that are listed in the Red Data Books of Turkmenistan and IUCN.
Close to 100 endemic species and sub-species of plants and more than 20 animal species, including: markhoor, Tian Shan brown bear, striped hyena, caracal , leopard, Turkestan lynx, goitered gazelle, Bukhara argali, moun-tain sheep, and others.
Brief description of the site
The primary elements of relief of the Gaurdak-Kugitang District are mountain ranges and
deep ravines which coincide in their folded structure, and in the represented system of troughs and anticlines. The mountainous part of the region is characterized by a mountain-valley landscape, elements of which have a fan-shaped position. The position of the pri-mary hydrographic network is correspondingly also fan-shaped.
The following geomorphologic landscapes are characteristic for the relief of the region:
- A kuest and ridge landscape with inten-sive, all increasing activity by deep erosion;
- A badland landscape in areas of gently-sloping sediments of argillaceous and gypsif-erous lower-Cretaceous Period in the central part of the region;
- Ancient cone and proluvium aprons.
- A karst landscape. In Jurassic limestone, and also in limestone of Gaurdag thickness, numerous karst caverns were developed.
Contemporary exploration of the Kugitang cav-erns allows us to consider them Eurasia's largest karst cavern complex, and the extreme diversity of geological formations has determined their extraordinary scientific and esthetic value.
The region is relatively well supplied with waters of mixed type. The region's surface waters are presented by permanent and tem-porary streams, mountain and valley springs, and a small number of lakes. The region's cli-mate is sharp continental in nature, which is caused by the influence of the adjacent sand desert plains. The climate of the mountainous part of the region, compared to that of the plain part, is distinguished by its lower aver-age annual air temperature, a cooler summer, and a fairly large quantity of atmospheric pre-cipitation. The number of winters with snow cover is 10-15% higher. Permanent snow cover is lacking, and only on the summit parts of the Kugitangtau Range are small spots of snow preserved until mid-summer. Average annual air temperature at elevations of 1,000 meters above sea level is 15.20 Ñ; at 1,500 meters above sea level, it is 12.50 Ñ; at 2,000 meters above sea level, it is 9.80 Ñ; and at 2,500 meters above sea level, it is 7.10 Ñ. At elevations of 1,500 meters above sea level, the
average annual atmospheric precipitation is 320-330 mm; at 2,000 meters, it is 350-360 mm;
and at 2,500 meters, it is 370 - 380 mm.
The flora of Kugitangtau is estimated to num-ber approximately 1,000 species of upper vas-cular plants. Floristic analysis of the region's vegetation demonstrates its transitional posi-tion between the flora of Kopetdaga and Pamiro-Alay. On the Kugitangtau Range, there are numerous species that are also common to southern Tajikistan and to the mountains of Western Pamiro-Alay. The region's fauna numbers more than 100 nesting species of birds, and 40 mammal species. Ichthyofauna is interesting; in addition to fishes of the sur-face streams, it includes the Kughitang blind loach (a new species, which was discovered and described in one of the Kugitanga depres-sions in the 1980s; on the Asian continent, this is its only habitat area.)
The nominated territory has a number of note-worthy objects, including monuments of nature, a part of which have juridical status and are protected by law.
Caverns. On the region's territory, there are almost 300 caverns, which are united in a sin-gle cavern system. The most studied among them are the caverns of Karlyuk karst region (Karlyuk SSPR (sanctuary)): the Kapotan, Khashim-Oiuk, (in translation "House of jew-els"). Intermediate ("Promejutochnaja"), Geophysical and Gaurdag Caverns have endured periods of neglect, popularity, and even barbaric destruction, but the most impressive halls are still safe, which in their geology and mineralogy and esthetic value have no analogs in the world.
"Dinosaur tracks" Plateau In 1980, on the slope of the Kugitangtau Range, 0.5 kilometers from the village of Khodzhapil (in translation
"sacred slope"), imprints of uncommon tracks (close to 500 imprints) were found on the plateau. According to all characteristics, the tracks are of those of plant-eating iguanodons and carnivorous dinosaurs that inhabited the area more than 150 million years ago.
In addition to the aforementioned monuments of nature, the following are also situated on the nominated territory: Umbar-Dere Waterfall, with a height of 25 meters; the "Kryk-gyz"
(Forty Maidens) grottos; and the Khodzhaburdzhibelend pistachio grove; among others.
The nominated territory includes Chatlak SSNR (zapovednik) and its buffer zone. The reserve is located in eastern Uzbekistan in the moun-tainous part of Tashkent Province and it encompasses the western extremity of the Chatkal Range and its spurs.
The total area of the territory is comprised of 48,027 hectares. The protected zone (2 units) occupies 35,809 hectares and the buffer zone 12,218 hectares.
Statement of significance
On the territory of Chatkal SSNR (zapovednik), a complex of natural ecosystems, which repre-sentatively reflect the unique biological and landscape diversity of the Western Tian Shan and its very rich flora and fauna, is preserved.
The reserve's territory is located in the Chimgan District of the Western Tian Shan floristic region of the Mountainous Central Asia Province. No fewer than 1,100 plant species grow in the reserve and vegetation cover is extremely variegated. More than 57% of the territory is covered by woody and shrubby cenoses. Closed plantations of juniper (Juniperus), crabapples (Malus), cherry-plums (Prunus), birch (Betula), willow (Salix), poplar (Populus), and walnut (Juglans regia) are observed only in limited, parts of slopes that are more favorable for growth, and more often, in valleys. The dominant tree species is Zarafshan juniper (Juniperus serawchanica), and occupies 24% of its area. The reserve's fauna is considered to belong the Central Asian Mountainous Province. Representatives of sev-eral faunal types inhabit this region. Animals with origins in Trans-Asian and Tibet play a sig-nificant role, as do Central Asian endemics. In the reserve, there are 4 fish species, 2 amphib-ian species, 11 reptile species, 176 bird species, and 33 mammal species. Based on incomplete data, 500 insect species has been registered.
Located and preserved within the reserve are monuments of nature such as unique ancient rock drawings, dating back to 1-2 millennia before our era, and the remnants of ancient settlements in the Maidantal urotchishche.
During the eighth- thirteenth centuries, a min-ing operation was developed here.
Criteria for inscribing the property on UNESCO's World Heritage List
N (ii)- In a unique form, it characterizes and demonstrates biological, ecological, and evo-lutionary processes in mountain and valley ecosystems, as well as unique communities of plants and animals.
N (iv) - Contains the most important and sig-nificant habitat for species from the viewpoint of biodiversity conservation; includes natural habitats that are globally significant from the standpoint of science and conservation;
including species that are threatened with extinction.
The following species, which inhabit the reserve's territory, are listed in the IUCN Red Data Book and are threatened with extinc-tion: snow leopard (Uncia uncia), Menzbier's marmot (Marmota menzbieri), forest dor-mouse (Dryomys nitedula), greater and less-er horseshoe bats (Rhinolophus ferrume-quinum, Rh. hipposideros), and Geoffrey's bat (Myotis emarginatus); among birds: black vulture (Aegypius manachus), lesser kestrel (Falco naumani), eastern stock dove (Columba eversmanni), white-winged wood-pecker (Dendrocopos leucopterus). Besides those, Included in the list of the Red Data Book of the Republic of Uzbekistan are: one species of snake (Orsini's viper (Vipera ursinii) that is protected only in Chatkal SSNR (zapovednik)) and 10 species of birds and three mammal species.