Koyten
Dag
Mountains. Koyten Dag Nature
Reserve was created to protect the largest remaining Ibex
populations in
Central Asia. These long-horned mountains goats and a significant number of Urials
((Ovis ammon vignei) an endangered
mountain sheep species) inhabit the steep canyons and flower covered valleys of
the soft ridge of the Koyten Dag Mountains leading up to Turkmenistan’s tallest
peak, Ayrybaba (3.137m).
Koyten Dag is also well-known for its dinosaur plateau
with 438 well preserved fossil dinosaur footprints, as well as for its caves
considered the most beautiful and interesting caves of the former
Soviet Union. The mountain can be
discovered on numerous climbing trips along the entire ridge.
According to information of the Turkmen state news agency (TSNA) a
process of studying the conditions for establishment of the National
natural park in the mountains of Koytendag in the southeast of
Turkmenistan has started.
An expedition of the specialists from
the Ministry of nature protection of Turkmenistan will conduct a
particular revision of the Koytendag conservation area in the nearest
future, on which basis the National park is to be established.
It
should be noted that Koytendag is a unique natural region. There are
many sights: from widely known inside the country and abroad to those
that will be opened for the first time to public. For example, a
prospect of organizing climes to the highest mountain hill in
Turkmenistan, Ayribaba (3139 m), situated near the conservation looks
quite attractive. Or trips and walks to small plateau near the village
called Khojapil Ata, where the signs of dinosaurs that lived there 150
mln years back were found. There were found over 500 giant petrous
footprints of these animals in the 80th of last century.
A point
of specific attraction for specialists and amateurs are the numerous
caves and other underground complexes. Mysteries of Karluk caves in the
south of Koytendag have been narrated in many folk legends and stories.
The inner sides of such underground "structures" as Khashymyuk and
Gapgotan strikes with their unique beauty. But there are caves that
keep their secrets till nowadays. One of them was named after the
national hero of Turkmen, Georogly beg. A legend says that this worrier
and poet lived there his last years.
The National natural park
may include healing sulphuretted springs near the foothill place of
Gaynarbaba and thicket of trees called Unabi with a disinfectant
air-cleaning feature. Fruits of these unique trees have been famous for
being used by local population as medicine for heart, kidneys, liver
and stomach diseases since ancient times. Scientists call the biggest
in Central Asia grove Unabi near the village Koyten "a drugstore in the
open air". There are cypresses, archa, almond and pistachio trees on
the upper level of mountains.
Specialists have no doubt that if
done the right way the future park may become a place of real
pilgrimage of true lovers of exotic nature from all over the world.
The Koytendag State Nature Reserve was organised 11/07/1986,
and is situated on the west slope of the Koytendag Mountains, representing spur
of Gissars range of great mountain system Pamiro-Alay. The territory of the
Reserve is
27,139 ha.
The main aim of the Reserve creation is the protection of the unique nature of
the Kugitang mountain range, and its bordering territories and the development
of the sensible ecosystems and in particular the protection of Capra falconeri
(a very rare species of wild goat included into the Red Data Book of CITES).
The main directions of activity in the Koytendag nature reserve are the
conservation and restoration of the mountain ecosystems in the Southern
Pamir-Alai. The Koytendag range forms the border between the Mountain-Central
Asian and Iranian biogeographic provinces, and is characterized by specific
physiographical conditions and the original flora and fauna. 22 species of
mammals and 80 species of birds were registered in the nature reserve. About
1,000 species of higher plants, among which 40 are endemic, have been found in
the nature reserve. The Koytendag nature reserve incorporates 3 natural
preserves (all established in 1986):
Garlyk (karst; protection of unique subsurface caves, the world’s only
population of the Koytendag blind char);
Khodjapil (mountain forest; conservation of Zarafshan juniper, “Dinosaurs
Plateau”, screw-horned mountain goat, and others);
Khodja-Burdji-Belend (mountain forest; protection of pistachio areas).
The climate of the reserve and its bordering territories is very peculiar. Average
annual precipitations makes up
402 mm
decreasing at the foothills and increase up to 700-
800 mm on the top of the mountains . In
spring shower rains in the mountaineous canyons sometimes result in mud floods
and land slides.
The name of the Koytendag mountains characterizes the specifics of its relief. The
mountain terrain is cut with numerous valleys and deep canyons, the longest of
which is Hodjachilgazbaba with a length of
28 km. The steep walls of Daraya canyon
can reach up to
600 m.
The upper slopes of the mountains plateau is covered by forest consisting of
walnut, maple, juniper (archa) and wild grape. The whole year round a stream of
cold clear water flows under the shady trees. The Umbardepe canyon with its
vertical hillsides and with an amazing waterfall of
27 m, absolutely strikes one"s
imagination.
Koytendag region is located close to the border with Uzbekistan in the east of
Turkmenistan. In this area one can see the Koytendag mountains with the peak
Ayry Baba - the highest point in Turkmenistan - 3,137m above the sea level, a
grandiose canyon "Umbar Dere" with 28m waterfalls, the plateau of
Dinosaurs with 438 footprints of Dinosaurs, a unique - hydrogen sulphate water
spring "Gainar Baba", canyon "Kyrk gyz", carst caves. Not
only the Koytendag flora, but also its fauna is unique: on the foothills of the
Kopetdag mountains one can see a spiral homed goat, a rare Buldiara species of
a mountainous ram.
The reserve is located on the bounder of Uzbekistan and covering the extreme
south - eastern portion of our country. The main areas are the Koytendag
mountain ridge, a grandiose canyon "Umbar Dere" with striking 28m
waterfall, the world - wide famous plateau of Dinosaurs (with 438 footprints),
a unique sulfur - hydrogen spring "Gainar Baba", canyon "Kyrk
gyz", carst caves. Here one can clearly see a panorama of the Ayry - Baba
peak, the highest peak in Turkmenistan, which is
3137 m above sea level. Not only the
Koytendag flora, but also its fauna is unique: only here, on the foothills of
the Kopetdag Mountains can you see a spiral horned goat, a rare Bukhara
subspecies of a mountainous ram.
The Caves
Ninety million years ago when modern deserts territory of Central Asia was
soaked by plantiful rains and big ocean splashed near young mountains, the
water begins to dissolve rocks and to search shelter in new caves. After that
the caves had been derived by clay and kept for a long time from Neogene till
Middle Quaternary. The mountains had risen together with the caves full of
clay, then the clay was washed away and the karst system was born once one.
First mention about caves we find in "Diodorus Siculus Library" about
2000 years ago. The discovery of smugglers mumy with goods in cave tolds that
caves had been used by smugglers as a shelter in XVIII-XIX centries. The name of
the main caves of the ridge Cupp-Coutan can been translated from Turkmen as
sheep-fold that witnesses about caves" utilization in human history. New
discovery of caves was made by the Ashkhabad"s geologist Yalkapov in 1956. Yalkapov
found several of caves and made first maps of caves. However the fame of the
caves was connected with the beginning of industrial extraction of marble onyx
and following public activity for caves protection. The fame of caves in
scientistic circles was due to the works of Maltsev, who periodicaly published
scientific and popular articles about researches and protection of caves. The
best maps of caves and a list of caves minerals were also made by Maltsev. During
last years there was a hope to organise in the cave something to show the
tourists. But it"s impossible because this ridge isn"t often visited by
tourists. That"s why this project have not been worthwhile. Now most of the
Russian cavers consider that Koytendag Caves are the most beautiful and
interesting. American reader will have better understanding of speleothems
types Koytendag Caves by analogy to Lechuguilla Cave in American Carlsbad
Caverns Park. There are many different legends about Koytendag caves.
An absolute wonder of these beautiful sports is the so-called Garlyk caves. A
Cafe - hall of small and low grottos with stalactites and stalagmites, columns
in the shape of big candles, minarets, webs and needles is a real fantastic
view. Another attraction is the Gulshirin cave. The cave entrance is very
narrow, only
0,5 m
high. A really wonderful hall "Fairy Tale" with its gypsum curtain
and stucco molding of ceiling, decorated with aragonite "roses" and
other "flowers" of unbelievable beauty impress. Every
cave has its own collection of mineral unusual forms and it"s very difficult to
describe them. Its worth to visit them. In the region the karst forming process
is developing, and as the result there is a lot of various caves, mines, and
traveling paths. The first one is the Gap -Gutan cave. The amazing first hall
of the cave is known as the Farther Christmas and Snow Maiden. These two huge
sized fairy figures are among unusual in shape stalactites of calcite and
gypsum. The cave entrance is very narrow, only
0,5 m high. And at last a really
wonderful hall "Fairy Tale". The walls of this wonder are of gypsum curtain,
there is stucco molding of ceiling aragonite "roses" and other "flowers" of
unbelievable beauty. In Koytendag every cave has a real mineral variety of
unusual forms. It"s difficult to express our impression of wonderful things of
such nature.
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