Barsakelmes Biosphere Reserve

UNESCO Biosphere Reserve, inscribed 2016, in Kazakhstan. The Barsakelmes Biosphere Reserve is located in the Sahara–Gobi Desert zone of the Aral Sea basin. The Aral Sea region is a priority area for wetland conservation, with several bird migration routes converging over the region. The territory of the biosphere reserve is a valuable site for the preservation of biodiversity in the Aral Sea, which includes approximately 2,000 species of invertebrates, 30 mammal species, 178 bird species and 20 reptile species. The reserve also encompasses four archaeological sites that form part of the nomadic Kazakh heritage of the Silk Roads.