Budari State Nature Sanctuary (zoological)

Budari Sanctuary is a zoological sanctuary organized in 1986 with the purpose of protecting and enriching the natural resources of the Zhayik.

Geographic location

It is located in the districts of Akzhaik, Bayterek, and Terekte of West Kazakhstan region. The area is 80 thousand ha. The sanctuary’s goal is to increase bird species of hunting‑economic importance, as well as to preserve the game animals inhabiting the forests and steppe. The sanctuary protects valuable mammals and birds such as saiga, elk, wild boar, forest squirrel, marmot, steppe polecat, swan, white stork, etc., whose numbers are decreasing year by year. The main task is to protect hunting‑economic species of waterfowl, and to settle hunting‑economic species of animals in the artificial reservoirs of the Oralkoshim irrigation system.

Relief

The sanctuary area extends from the village of Skvortsov in the north to the village of Baranovka in the south, covering 80.0 thousand square kilometres, including lands belonging to Zelenov and Akzhaik districts. Its territory is located in the plain part of the Caspian lowland basin and rises two levels above the plain. The area north of Budari village is a part that is constantly flooded, with low‑lying floodplains and deep depressions where steppe grain crops are found. Tree‑like plants occupy considerable spaces, mainly consisting of willow‑poplar forests. The southern Budari relief alternates with extensive large sand chains, where various grass‑grain crops are abundant in the meadows.

Flora and fauna

Along the water banks and between the floodplains, the entire stretch is covered with shrubby willow groves, with occasional reed thickets and black reeds. Small forests composed of white poplar and true coastal shrub‑reed vegetation can be seen.

The clearings in the forest on the north side have burned meadow, and the central open areas can be described as a combined area of millet and wheat. The southern slopes are covered with juniper and pine. In the water reservoir, together with reed-grass seedlings, one can also find leguminous plants, the rare legume species entered in the Red Book, and other plants such as spiny thistles, etc., which are rarely encountered in our region.

From the animal world there are 120 species of birds, 30 species of fish, 20 species of mammals, 10 species of reptiles, and aquatic swimmers. Large animals include elk, moose, fox, hare, rabbit and other animals. Among the birds, the most widespread are the grey jay, the woodpecker, and the swallows. The rich fish resources of the Zhaiyk River generate great interest.

Since the sanctuary was organized, no special studies have been conducted here.