Mongol Daguur Strictly Protected Nature Area

Mongol Daguur specially protected nature area was founded in accordance with international standards for protected nature areas of the highest rang in Dornod aimak along the Russian-Mongolian border, and it forms a common in area nature reserve with the Russian Daursky reserve. Mongol Daguur consists of two different parts. The first and the largest of them is hilly steppes along the southern shore of Lake Barun-Torey, the second one is a marshy site in the floodplain of the Uldza river 30 km long and 20 km away from the main area. The both parts have a special importance as the place of nesting and rest of many waterfowl and near-water birds species during their migrations, among those species are a lot of rare and globally vulnerable ones. 260 birds species are registered there, including those put into IUCN Red List as �globally vulnerable� (Swan Goose, Great Bustard and others).

Alongside with the Daursky reserve Mongol Daguur is one of a few places in the world where one can watch in wild nature 6 species of cranes the pearls of Central Asia: Siberian crane, Grus Crane, Japanese and Hooded cranes, as well as regularly nesting White-naped and Demoiselle cranes. It is because of that the area of the Mongol Daguur reserve received the status of wetlands of international importance (Ramsar convention).

A special pride of the reserve is its steppe sites that have preserved the appearance of pristine mountainous steppes of Dauria. By today about 300 species of higher plants are identified there including several endemics (growing only in Dauria) and more than 100 species of medicinal plants traditionally used in popular medicine.

Peculiar is the reserve� s wildlife. Fauna of amphibians and reptiles is poor (only 6 species inhabit that area), and mammals inhabiting the reserve are 40 species. Daurian hedgehog, for instance, lives only in the north-east of Mongolia. Mongol Daguur is one of the important habitats of Mongolian gazelle and Siberian marmot. Little human population of the reserve's area and insignificant anthropogenic press allowed many mammals to preserve a relatively high number there.

Today Mongol Daguur is a protected nature area known all over the world. Scientific research is carried out in the reserve annually both by DIPA specialists and by scientists of many countries of the world. To conservation of the unique steppe area are aimed a number of international nature-protecting projects, which are being realized there.

The charm of the steppe and lots of animals living there, as well as the possibility to get acquainted with traditional way of life of Mongols attract guests from many countries of the world to the area. Now two visit-centres for guests and local people work in Ereentsav (the nearest to the reserve settlement), and in Choibalan where the reserve� s administration is situated. All this presents a good basis for development of ecological tourism in the region.

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