Kronotsky National Biosphere Reserve

Find the map of Kronotsky Reserve here

The Kronotsky State Biosphere Reservation may be rightfully considered one of the oldest Reservation in Russia. It was created in 1882 in the Kronotskoye Lake area as a preserve for hunting the sable and has been operating in the area for more than 100 years. Radical changes have occurred to the Reservation since 1967, the time when the Reservation was last reorganized.
They are as indicated below:

  • a 3-miles Pacific coastal area was joined to the Reservation in 1982;
  • the Kronotsky Reservation acquired status of a Biosphere Reservation and was included into the international network of the world's biosphere reservations;
  • a part of the Kamchatka river area covered with pine woods was joined to the Preservation in 1992 which led to enlargement of the Reservation's area;
  • the Kronotsky Reservation was included into the UNESCO list of the World's natural heritage in 1996.

The Kronotsky Reservation (area: 1,142,134 hectare) plays in important part in conservation of flora and fauna diversity within the Kamchatka peninsular.

763 species of vascular plants (16 species are endemic; 38 species are on the endangered species list of the Red Book of the Far East) make up flora of the peninsular.

The bird fauna is represented by 232 species, 31 of them are listed in the Red Book of Russia.

The Kronotsky Reservation houses the world's largest population of the Steller's Sea-Eagle and Aleutian sea-swallow (Sterna camtschatica), it is home to a great number of swans where they spend winter.

58 species of animals including those belonging to the order Cetacea inhabit the area. Among them are the sea otter, Kuril seal, sea lion and 9 species of cetaceous mammals that are on the endangered species list of the Red Book of Russia.

A number of natural objects of scientific, recreational and esthetic value are located in the Reservation. Among them are:

  • the Valley of Geysers
  • Caldera of Uzon Volcano
  • Burlyashchy Volcano
  • The Kronotskoye Lake
  • A grove of Kamchatka fir trees

 

Find the map of Kronotsky Reserve here

Find the trips in Kronotsky Reserve here

Photographed by Vladimir Mosolov

Kamchatka brown bear. Photo by V.Nikolaenko.Kronotskaya Sopka VolcanoKozlova Cape. The coast of Pacific ocean.Valley of GeysersSnow sheep


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