The «Irgiz-Turgay» state nature reserve

Irgiz-Turgay State Nature Reserve with an area of 763.5 hectares is located on the territory of Irgiz district. The biodiversity of this territory is unique. There are 29 species of mammals, 250 species of birds, 14 species of reptiles, 4 species of amphibians and 10 species of fish presented on the territory of the reserve. Of these, 32 rare and endangered species of birds listed in the Red Book of Kazakhstan: pink and Dalmatian pelicans, spoonbill, loaf, small white heron, flamingo, Bewick's swan, whooper swan, red-breasted goose, stiff-tailed duck, siberian crane, gray crane, Demoiselle crane, bustard, Macqueen's bustard, little bustard, sociable lapwing, slender-billed curlew, pallas' gull, black-bellied and white-bellied sandgrouse, sandgrouse, peregrine falcon, saker falcon, white-tailed and band-tailed fish eagles, golden eagle, eastern imperial eagle, steppe eagle, short-toed snake eagle, osprey. The territory of the reserve is a habitat for mammals listed in the Red Book of Kazakhstan: the Bobrinski's serotine is endemic to Kazakhstan, and the sand cat is a rare small species in the fauna of Kazakhstan.
The Irgiz-Turgai State Nature Reserve is one of the largest and almost the only strictly protected steppe territory created for the purpose of preserving and restoring natural complexes, protecting habitats (wintering grounds, summer pastures, lambing), migration routes of the Saiga, a representative of the Betpakdala population.
During seasonal migrations and molting, at least 2-3 million birds of waterfowl and near-water species fly here. The flora of the reserve is represented by 430 species. The Nature Reserve consists of two regional branches – northern and southern, which are separated by the Turgai State Nature Reserve. The northern regional division includes the lakes of the Olkeyek group and the valley of the Olkeyek River. The Southern regional branch includes wetlands of international importance, a system of lakes on the Torgai River, the Shalkarteniz hollow, the Shalkarnura Mountains, Kurdim, Karakol and Bakshakol lakes located in the lower reaches of the Torgai River.
To ensure the protection and security of especially valuable natural complexes of the reserve from possible adverse factors and to preserve the ecological integrity of natural complexes around the reserve, a 2 km wide protection zone has been created around the perimeter.
Any activity that negatively affects the condition and restoration of the ecological systems of the reserve and the objects of the nature reserve fund located on them is restricted within the protected zone.