Stepnoi Nature Sanctuary

Stepnoi State Nature Sanctuary
Russian: государственный природный заказник "Степной"
Map showing the location of Stepnoi State Nature Sanctuary
Map showing the location of Stepnoi State Nature Sanctuary
LocationAstrakhan Oblast
Nearest cityAstrakhan
Coordinates45°55′N 46°46′E / 45.917°N 46.767°E / 45.917; 46.767
WebsiteOfficial Reserve Webpage, in Russian

Stepnoi State Nature Sanctuary (Russian: государственный природный заказник "Степной") (also Stepnoy Nature Reserve) is a protected area located in Liman district of Astrakhan Oblast, Russia.

Rangers station in Stepnoi Sanctuary (2020)

The sanctuary was declared in 2000 to ensure maintenance of unique natural complex of Stipa steppe providing habitat for saiga antelope (Saiga tatarica tatarica) and a number of other endangered species of animals and plants.[1] The sanctuary covers an area of 109.4 thousands of hectares.[2] The monitoring program started in 2004 showed that the sanctuary is an important territory for the survival of the critically endangered saiga antelope.[3][4] Saigas inhabit the sanctuary and the nearby regions of Kalmykia throughout the year. Stepnoi sanctuary provides well-protected territory for both rut and calving of saigas. Several artesian wells within the sanctuary serve as waterholes and mineral licks for saiga.

Artesian well in steppe

The role of these wells lacking human disturbance becomes especially important during the calving period when pregnant females and females with newborn calves are not able to move long distances.[5] These waterholes are regularly visited by saiga antelopes from spring to late autumn.[5][6] Stepnoi sanctuary also provides important habitat for many endangered and locally rare bird species such as steppe eagle (Aquila nipalensis), eastern imperial eagle (Aquila heliaca), demoiselle crane (Grus virgo), black-winged pratincole (Glareola nordmanni), little bustard (Tetrax tetrax), etc [2][1][7].

  1. ^ a b "О ГОСУДАРСТВЕННОМ ПРИРОДНОМ ЗАКАЗНИКЕ АСТРАХАНСКОЙ ОБЛАСТИ "СТЕПНОЙ" (с изменениями на: 01.09.2017), Постановление Правительства Астраханской области от 26 февраля 2007 года №65-П". docs.cntd.ru. Archived from the original on 2018-12-06. Retrieved 2018-12-06.
  2. ^ a b "Степной | ООПТ России". oopt.aari.ru. Archived from the original on 2018-12-06. Retrieved 2018-12-06.
  3. ^ А.А., Лущекина; Т.Ю., Каримова (2018). "Особенности пространственного размещения и этологической структуры популяции сайгака на территории заказника "Степной" (астраханская область)". Экосистемы: экология и динамика. 2 (1). Archived from the original on 2018-12-06. Retrieved 2018-12-06.
  4. ^ А.А., Лущекина; Т.Ю., Каримова; М.Ю., Дубинин; Н.Ю., Арылова; В.М., Неронов (2013). "Современное состояние и перспективы сохранения сайгака в Северо-Западном Прикаспии". Аридные экосистемы. 19 (2 (55)). ISSN 1993-3916. Archived from the original on 2024-05-26. Retrieved 2018-12-06.
  5. ^ a b Gilev, A.; Karenina, K. (2015–2016). "The significance of artesian wells for saigas within the Stepnoi Sanctuary, Astrakhan region" (PDF). Saiga News. 20: 19–21. Archived (PDF) from the original on 2018-12-06. Retrieved 2018-12-06.
  6. ^ Gilev, Andrei; Karenina, Karina (2019). "Sex and age composition of saiga groups near the artesian reservoir in the Stepnoi Reserve, Astrakhan region in the autumn of 2018" (PDF). Saiga News. 24.
  7. ^ "Why Do Steppes Need Artesians?". SCIENCE First Hand. Archived from the original on 2018-12-07. Retrieved 2018-12-06.