Abstract: Kyrgyzstan is a land of towering mountains, glaciers, rushing streams, wildflowercovered meadows, forests, snow leopards, soaring eagles, and yurt-dwelling nomads. The entire nation lies astride the Tian Shan1, Chinese for “Heavenly Mountains”, one of the world's highest mountain ranges, which is 7439 m (24,400 ft) in elevation at its highest point. The nation is the second smallest of the former Soviet Central Asian republics. In
spite of Kyrgyzstan's diverse wildlife and stunning natural beauty, the nation remains little known, and, as yet, still on the frontier of international conservation efforts. The following report is the product of 12 months of research into the state of conservation and land-use in Kyrgyzstan. This effort was funded by the Fulbright Commission of the U.S. State Department, and represents the most recent findings of the author's personal environmental journey through Inner Asia, which began in 1999. When I first started my preliminary research for this project, I was extremely surprised to learn that, even though the Tian Shan Range has tremendous ecological significance for conservation efforts in middle Asia, there wasn't a single major international conservation organization with an office in the former Soviet Central Asian republics. Even more surprising was how little awareness there is of conservation issues in the Tian Shan region amongst conservation workers in neighboring areas who are attempting to preserve similar species assemblages and ecosystems to those found in the Tian Shan. Given this lack of awareness, and the great potential for the international community to make a positive contribution towards improving the current state of biodiversity conservation in Kyrgyzstan and Central Asia, I have summarized my findings on protected areas and conservation in Kyrgyzstan and the Tian Shan of Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, and Xinjiang in the chapters below. The report begins with some brief background information on geography and society in the Kyrgyz Republic, followed by an overview of biodiversity and the state of conservation in the nation, which at the present time closely parallels the state of conservation in the other former Soviet Central Asian republics. Part IV of the report provides a catalog of all major protected areas in Kyrgyzstan and the other Tian Shan nations, followed by a list of sites in Kyrgyzstan that are as yet unprotected but merit protection. In the appendices the reader will find fairly comprehensive species lists of flora and fauna found in the Kyrgyz Republic, including lists of mammals, birds, fish, reptiles, amphibians, trees and shrubs, wildflowers, and endemic plants. In addition, a
draft paper on the history and current practice of pastoral nomadism in Kyrgyzstan has been included in Appendix A. While the research emphasis for this study was on eastern Kyrgyzstan, over the course of the study the author did have the opportunity to make brief journeys to southern Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, and Xinjiang. While falling short of being a definitive survey of protected areas of the Tian Shan, the informational review which
follows is the first attempt at bringing the details of conservation efforts throughout the entire Tian Shan Range together in one place. It is hoped that this summary of biodiversity and conservation in the Tian Shan will generate interest in the region amongst conservationists, and help increase efforts to protect this surprisingly unknown range that forms an island of meadows, rivers, lakes, and forests in the arid heart of Asia.

Abstract: Fauna of Uzbekistan is represented by species being common for south deserts (Indian honey badger, striped hyena, cheetah, caracal), tugai forest (riverine forest) (Bukhara deer, jackal, chaus, tiger), Palaearctic steppes (corsac, steppe polecat, marbled polecat, steppe cat, saiga), deserts of Africa and Middle East (sand cat, tridactylous African jerboa) and steppes of Central Asia (dhole, snow leopard, ibex). There are many foxes, large susliks, and muskrats there. Before hunting was prohibited a very few animals belonging to rare species such as bear, otter, leopard, snow leopard, lynx, roe deer, Bukhara deer, markhor, Asian moufflon, argali, Menzbier's marmot, and sometimes honey badger, caracal, manul, and cheetah, were shot.

Abstract: There are 27 mammal species in the mountains of Turkestan ridge, 17 of which are good for trade or sport hunting. However, many of them have become non-numerous because of overhunting or destruction of their natural complexes (forest cutting, erosion, etc.). In Turkestan ridge of Uzbekistan, snow leopard is protected only in the Zaamin nature reserve.

Abstract: Human population growth in the Mountain Badakhshan autonomous province will result in changes of wild life habitat. The first highland nature reserve (Muksu river basin) is proposed to be established within the habitat of Marco Polo sheep, Siberian ibex, Tien Shan brown bear, snow leopard, Himalayan and Tibetan snow-cock, bar-headed goose, bearded and Himalayan vultures. The Mountain Badakhshan nature reserve will serve as a reference for other highland landscapes of the USSR, a `fiduciary' of gene bank containing valuable endemic, rare, and endangered animal and plant species.

Abstract: Collected are additional data on encounters with six rare animal species that have been never seen before in the West Tien Shan. These are free-toiled bat, Etruscan shrew, snow leopard, little forktail, urban swallow, Central Asia tortoise, and Kyrgyz racerunner.

Abstract: It describes geographical, soil, climatic and hydrological features of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, and Tajikistan. Types of economic activities including fur-trade are described, too. Game preserves are classified, and list of game fauna species inhabiting these republics is given. Snow leopard lives in rocky mountains and is hunted very rarely.

Abstract: It describes a mammal species composition in the mountain ecosystems of Central Asia Kopetdag, Hissaro-Alai and Pamir, Tien Shan, and Tarbagatai ridge. Data on distribution and population number is presented.

Abstract: In territory of reserve and surrounding foothills 238 birds, 42 mammals, 9 reptiles, 2 amphibious and 2 fishes are registered. The mammal: argali, wild ibex, roe deer, red deer, a wild boar, snow leopard, steppe cat, a stone marten, ermine, red fox, badger, long-tailed marmot and Menzbier's marmot. Irbis is rare in reserve. Ibexes (numerous spesies) and wild sheep are main prey of the snow leopard. With the beginning of ibexes migration snow leopards follow them.

Abstract: The rare species are protected in six nature reserves in Kazakhstan, including 9 mammals, 29 birds, and one reptile species. More than 20 rare and endangered species inhabiting Kazakhstan cannot be met within the nature reserves. The point is to establish a network of state nature reserves, particularly in steppe and desert area of the country.

Abstract: Mammals inhabiting the Aksu Jabagly nature reserve make up 79.6 percent of the whole mammal fauna of the West Tien Shan. The following endangered species live in the area: argali, brown bear, dhole, Turkistan lynx, snow leopard, stone marten, porcupine, and free-toiled bat. Snow leopard deserves a special attention.