The Sarychat-Ertash Zapovednik reserve was designated in 1995 to protect the high-altitude ecosystems of the Central Tien Shan. It covers an area of 1340 square kilometres south-east of Lake Issyk-Kul in the Ak-Shiyrak range. The highest peaks rise to roughly 5,200 metres. The reserve also lies within the Issyk-Kul Biosphere Reserve and constitutes one of its two core areas.
The reserve harbours a number of regionally and globally threatened species, including snow leopard Uncia uncia and argali Ovis ammon, near-threatened species such as Pallas cat Otocolobus manul and high mountain species such as the stone marten Martes foina and grey wolf Canis lupus. Whilst the larger fauna, butterflies and alpine flora are relatively well studied, the diversity of groups such as invertebrates, bats and rodents is virtually unknown.
Pressures on the reserve include poaching of snow leopards, mountain ungulates and marmots. Unlawful hunting of mountain ungulates also allegedly occurs where hunting concessions overlap the reserve’s southern buffer zone. The reserve needs to maintain a high field presence to manage these issues, but lacks the necessary resources.
This project is funded by the International Finance Corporation and DFID through the European Bank for Reconstruction & Development. The Kumtor Operating Company is also providing significant financial support to project training activities and for the purchase of resources for the reserve.
Send your old mobile phone to our partner, Fonebak, and they'll recycle or re-use every phone - and donate £5 to FFI for every phone received. Please recycle your old phone.
Conservation and human needs are inextricably linked, download our leaflet that describes how we integrate conservation and human needs.
