Getting There
You can get to the territory of Lower Amudarya State Biosphere Reserve by car.
What to Expect
The flora and fauna of the reserve is very rich. The reserve is inhabited by a long-eared hedgehog, a dwarf bat, a tolai hare, a midday gerbil, a jackal that hides in rugged tugai, and a badger, which also lives here among the trees and shrubs.
The ungulates of the reserve are represented by two species: wild boar and Bukhara deer (Hangul – listed in the Red Book). Bukhara deer have been acclimatized in the reserve. He once inhabited the basins of the Amu Darya river and the lower reaches of the Syrdarya.
Currently, the reserve is the keeper of the world’s largest population of Bukhara deer and therefore can be considered globally significant.
History
One of the tourist areas of the Republic of Karakalpakstan is the Lower Amudarya State Biosphere Reserve. It is located along the main highway A-380, 2 km from the road.
In 2011, the Cabinet of Ministers of the Republic of Uzbekistan adopted a resolution on organizing the activities of the Lower Amudarya State Biosphere Reserve. It was created within the framework of a joint project of the government of Karakalpakstan, the United Nations Development Program and the Global Environment Facility “Conservation of tugai forests and strengthening of systems of protected areas in the Amu Darya delta in Karakalpakstan.”
The reserve will allow to preserve valuable corners of wildlife and at the same time to sustainably develop the economy of the region. The total area of the biosphere reserve is 68717.8 hectares, of which 11 568.3 hectares are a protected area with a strict regime of protection; 6731.4 ha of buffer zone, and 50 418.1 ha of intermediate zone.
Foreign tourists will get acquainted with the unique tugai forests, local flora and fauna, as well as historical monuments.
Facilities Available
A museum, tourist information (including in English) is available to visitors, and a visit zone is currently under construction.
