State Nature Sanctuary "Floodplain of the Irtysh River" (complex)

This protected area, known locally as Yertis Zhagalau ("the Irtysh coast"), covers stretches of floodplain along both banks of the Irtysh River in Pavlodar region. The sanctuary follows the river's natural division into upper, central, and lower floodplain sections, each shaped differently by seasonal water flow, local relief, and soil composition. Groves of white willow, silver birch, and black and white poplar line the channels and oxbow lakes, forming a mosaic of wetland forest typical of this stretch of the Irtysh. Surveys have recorded roughly 20 fish species, around 105 bird species, and some 55 mammal species within its bounds, including foxes, roe deer, elk, and various rodents and ground squirrels. The sanctuary functions as a wildlife corridor and breeding ground within an otherwise heavily used agricultural and industrial river valley, and its floodplain forests have been discussed for stronger protected-area status because of their ecological value to the wider Pavlodar region.