Tigrovaya Balka nature reserve

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Tigrovaya Balka nature reserve

Tugay Forests of the Tigrovaya Balka Nature Reserve

ajikistan is renowned for its unique nature reserve, Tigrovaya Balka, which is situated at the confluence of the Vakhsh and Panj rivers.

Established on November 4, 1938, Tigrovaya Balka was Tajikistan’s first-ever nature reserve. In September 2023, the «Tugai Forests of Tigrovaya Balka Reserve» were recognized and added to the UNESCO World Heritage List. Experts note that this reserve is the only place in the world where tugai jungles, a rare type of floodplain forest, have been preserved.

Tigrovaya Balka is located in the Vakhsh River Valley. At the beginning of the 20th century, this area was covered with dense tugai forests, resembling true jungles with thick growths of Turanga (a type of poplar), oleaster, various shrubs, tall grasses, vines, and meadows. However, during the 1930s, as the Vakhsh Valley was increasingly developed, the area of these natural ecosystems began to decline significantly.

In response to this environmental loss, the authorities decided to establish the Tigrovaya Balka Reserve to preserve the unique natural complexes typical of the southern deserts and river floodplains of Central Asia. The reserve also aimed to protect rare species and serve as a site for diverse scientific research. Over the following years, the reserve’s territory was expanded to its current size.

Now, the reserve spans over 50,000 hectares, stretching from the northern Khodja-Kazian mountain range to the southern Kashkakum desert and the banks of the Panj River. Administratively, the reserve falls under the jurisdiction of the Jilikul District in the Khatlon Region.

Tigrovaya Balka is particularly famous for its tugai forests, which cover much of the reserve. These floodplain forests rely on regular seasonal flooding to maintain their ecological balance. For a long time, this unique forest system thrived with minimal human interference. However, in recent years, natural flooding has become impossible due to alterations in river flow caused by human activities. To compensate, artificial floods are now conducted in Tigrovaya Balka, but they cannot fully replace the natural river flooding that these forests depend on.

Tugay Forests of the Tigrovaya Balka Nature Reserve
Tugay Forests of the Tigrovaya Balka Nature Reserve
Tugay Forests of the Tigrovaya Balka Nature Reserve
Tugay Forests of the Tigrovaya Balka Nature Reserve

Another significant aspect of the reserve is its wildlife. Today, it is one of the few places where the endangered Bukhara deer can still be found. Up until the mid-20th century, Tigrovaya Balka was also home to the Turan tiger, the species that gave the reserve its name. The last sighting of this tiger in the reserve was in the spring of 1954. In 1970, the Turan tiger was officially declared extinct.

Genetically, the Turan tiger was closely related to the Amur tiger, which inhabits the Far East. Experts believe that the primary reasons for the extinction of the Turan tiger were the destruction of its habitat and direct persecution. Despite the loss of the Turan tiger, the name of the reserve has been preserved in its memory.

The tugai forests where the tiger once roamed were heavily developed and converted into cotton fields. According to some reports, in the 1930s, the tugai forests covered more than 90,000 hectares, but within two decades, their area had been reduced by more than two-thirds, even outside the boundaries of the Tigrovaya Balka Reserve.

Among the rare species still found in the reserve are the Bukhara deer (with a population of over 300 individuals), goitered gazelle, striped hyena, and leopard, all of which are listed in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. The reserve is also home to several rare fish species, including the small and large Amu Darya shovelnose, the pike asp (also known as the lysoch), and the Aral and Turkestan barbel.

The Bukhara (tugai) deer is considered the jewel of the reserve. This subspecies of the red deer is known for its beauty, and in Central Asia, it is affectionately called «khongul,» meaning «royal flower.»

Within the Tigrovaya Balka Reserve, there are more than a dozen lakes. The length of these lakes ranges from 2 to 5-6 kilometers, with most being around 3-4 kilometers long. Their width typically does not exceed 100-200 meters, and the maximum depth in some parts can reach 6.5-8 meters. Notable lakes include Dar’yo-kul and a group of lakes known as Tukhloe, Kirpichnoe, Korchovoe, and the large and small Gulikovskoe. The water in these lakes is slightly saline.