Kizlyar Bay Biosphere Reserve, Russian Federation

Kizlyar Bay is one of the largest bays in the Caspian Sea and is also one of the largest migratory routes for birds in Eurasia. It represents a diversity of marine, coastal and desert-steppe ecosystems, including populations of threatened animals, such as the Caspian seal, many species of birds and sturgeons. With a surface area of 354,100 ha, it has a permanent population of 1,600 inhabitants who depend on fishing, land use (grazing and haymaking), hunting and tourism.

Ecological Characteristics

 

The biosphere reserve ensures conservation of globally important natural complexes and objects of the north-western coast of the
Caspian Sea. It holds three IBAs of global significance (IBA EU-RU419 “Nizhnekumskiye Floods”, IBA EU-RU172 “Kizlyar Bay”, and IBA ВС 038 “Tyuleny Island”), two potential Ramsar sites (“Kizlyar Bay” and “Nizhnekumskiye Floods”), populations of globally threatened animals (Caspian seal, many species of birds and sturgeons). The entire water area of the proposed BR lies within boundaries of a special North Caspian Protected Fishery Zone which status is close to that of nature sanctuary.

 

Mammals of the reserve consist of 47 species, 5 of them entered into the IUCN Red List and Red Data Book of Russia. The north-eastern part of
Kizlyar Bay and
Tyuleny Island is greatly important for reproducing of Caspian seal, the only one and endemic species of the Caspian pennipeds. Other rare species include the jungle cat, Caucasian otter, European mink, and marbled polecat.

The BR is highly valuable for breeding, migration and wintering of more than 280 species of birds. Kizlyar Bay is a key part of one of the largest migratory routes of birds in Eurasia, connecting a European part of Russia, Western Siberia and North Kazakhstan with Transcaucasia, Western Asia, the Near East, North and East Africa.

 

Socio-Economic Characteristics

The core area and buffer zone of the proposed biosphere reserve have no permanent population available. The buffer zone seasonally supports not more than 15 people.

The total number of the population permanently living in the transition area is circa 1750 persons. There are no large inhabited localities in the transition area, but rather many seasonal settlements at livestock farms (kutans).  National composition of seasonal population is mixed, mostly Darghinians, Avars, and Russians. Average density of the permanent population in the transition area is less that 1 person per 1 sq.km. Traditional activity of permanent population is agriculture – stock-raising and fishing.

 

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Last updated: April 2019