Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan environmentalists unite to protect Markhur and nominate it for UNESCO List

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UZA News

The Surkhan State Nature Reserve in the Surkhandarya region is collaborating with the Koytendag State Nature Reserve in Turkmenistan to safeguard the region’s diverse flora and fauna. Both reserves are situated on opposite sides of the Kuhitang mountain range. The Koytendag State Nature Reserve, covering 27,140 hectares, is located at an altitude of 850 to 3,137 meters above sea level and is home to over 140 species of birds, as well as dinosaur footprints and unique caves. On the other hand, the Surkhan State Nature Reserve, spanning 23,802 hectares on the eastern slope of the Kuhitang mountain range, boasts over 190 species of animals and more than 800 species of plants. It is also renowned for its rock carvings dating back to the 12th-7th millennia BC and is home to 25 species of animals listed in the Red Book of Uzbekistan. According to Rustam Turdiyev, Director of the Surkhan State Reserve, a new smart patrol system has been implemented within the reserve, as part of joint projects with the Ministry of Ecology, Environmental Protection and Climate Change of Uzbekistan, the Global Environment Facility, the United Nations Development Programme, and the Critical Ecosystem Partnership Fund. This system utilizes advanced technologies to monitor and report on the sustainable use of natural resources and forestry in mountainous areas crucial for global biodiversity. It also aids in responding promptly to potential threats and collecting data from various sources to improve regional security and protect rare animal species. The smart patrol system also assists in analyzing data and developing strategies to prevent threats, can be integrated with other security systems, and allows for more efficient use of human resources. Workshops were held last year to discuss the implementation of this system, with the participation of experts, employees of the Surkhan State Reserve, the Institute of Zoology of the Academy of Sciences of Uzbekistan, Termez State University, the Center for Large Landscape Conservation, and foreign experts. The protection of migrating wild animals, accounting for their numbers, and identifying and eliminating factors hindering population stability were also discussed. Shoniyaz Mengliyev, Deputy Director of the Koytendag State Nature Reserve, highlighted the importance of cooperation between the two reserves in preserving and increasing the population of the Markhur, a rare species of screw-horned goat listed in the Red Book of both Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan. He also mentioned that an expedition was organized to nominate the Markhur for inclusion in the UNESCO List, and praised the Surkhan State Reserve for its separate feeding of wild animals in winter, which has a positive impact on conservation efforts. It has been observed that animals and birds such as the Markhur, Bukhara mountain sheep, bearded vulture, black vulture, and golden eagle migrate from the Surkhan State Reserve to neighboring countries, making collaboration with the Koytendag State Nature Reserve crucial for their preservation.

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