The Altyn-Emel National Park and the Barsakelmes Nature Reserve in Kazakhstan have been included in the UNESCO World Heritage List as part of the transnational nomination “Cold Winter Deserts of Turan”, introduced jointly by Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan.
The decision was made at the 45th session of the UNESCO Intergovernmental Committee for the Protection of the Cultural and Natural Heritage in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
“Today, the deserts of Central Asia have been awarded global recognition by UNESCO as an outstanding example of the development of terrestrial ecosystems in extreme climatic conditions and the evolution of survival and adaptation strategies of plants and animals within the framework of dynamic ecological and biological processes,” said the Kazakh delegation.
The deserts of Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, and Turkmenistan have some of the world’s highest differences in maximum and minimum air temperatures within a year. According to scientists, they clearly demonstrate the evolution and adaptation of terrestrial ecosystems to extreme climatic conditions. To survive in them, many species of plants and animals have developed unique adaptation strategies. Moreover, these deserts are home to a number of rare animals, such as kulans, goitered gazelles, saigas, and plants such as saxaul.
As Turanews.kz news team, we congratulate Kazakhstan on this important achievement!
