West Altai Biosphere Reserve

UNESCO Biosphere Reserve, inscribed 2020, in Kazakhstan. Located on the border of the Russian Federation, in the North-Eastern part of East Kazakhstan, the mountain-taiga forests of West Altai Biosphere Reserve are largely untouched. They include the only black taiga forests in the country, as well as Siberian and dark taiga. Wolverines and musk deer live in the biosphere reserve, which is on the seasonal migration routes of wild ungulates, such as elk, deer and wild boar. The local fauna includes more than 160 bird species, 129 of which nest in the region (black stork, golden eagle, peregrine falcon, gray crane, eagle owl). Mining and agriculture, mostly for wheat, potato, sunflower and beet crops, are the main economic activities in the biosphere reserve.