AGRAKHANSKI ZAKAZNIK

The State Natural Zakaznik of federal importance ‘Agrakhanski’ is a biological (zoological) sanctuary and is intended to preserve and restore valuable commercial, as well as rare and endangered objects of wildlife and their habitats.
It is established by the Order No 115 dated 8.04.1983 of the Main Management Board of Hunting Economy and Nature Reserves at the Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic, without expiration date. The Zakaznik was allocated to Daghestan Nature Reserve by the Order No 359 dated 3.11.2009 of the Ministry of Natural Resources and Ecology of the Russian Federation. Located in Kizlyar, Babayurt districts and Kirovski region of Makhachakala City. A total area of the Zakaznik is 39,000 ha.
Agrakhanski Zakaznik is of great importance for the conservation of rare and endangered species of mammals including the European red deer, jungle cat, Caucasian otter, marbled polecat, etc. It is one of the most important breeding, stopover and wintering grounds for waterbirds at the western Caspian coast.
The Zakaznik records more than 200 species of birds including 40 bird species listed in the Red Data Books of Daghestan, Russia, and the IUCN Red List (the Dalmatian Pelican, Pygmy Cormorant, Spoonbill, Glossy Ibis, Cattle Egret, Siberian White Crane, Demoiselle Crane, Black-winged and Collared Pratincoles, White-eyed Pochard, White-tailed Eagle, Great Black-headed Gull, Eurasian Curlew, White-tailed Plover, etc.). The water area of the Zakaznik and the eastern coast of Agrakhanski Peninsula are included in two Important Bird Areas of global significance (IBAs) ‘Agrakhanski Bay - North Agrakhan’ and ‘Chechen Island and the eastern coast of Agrakhanski Peninsula’.
Major violations of the Zakaznik protection regime are related to fish poaching and cattle grazing around water bodies. The Zakaznik territory is guarded by 12 staff-workers of the Daghestan Reserve with assistance of the Task Force.