The Unique Natural World of the Syunt-Hasardag State Nature Reserve, Turkmenistan
The Syunt-Hasardag State Nature Reserve, covering an area of 29,700 hectares, was established in 1979 to protect and study the unique mountain-valley forests of the southwestern Kopetdag range. It is located in the Balkan Velayat in the foothills of the Syunt and Hasar mountains. The reserve also includes the Syunt-Hasardag Sanctuary.
According to CentralAsia.news, the reserve is home to 1,322 species of higher plants, including mosses, vascular plants, ferns, clubmosses, and others. Of these, 150 species are endemic, meaning they are found nowhere else in the world.
Among the 800 basic plant species, 32 are listed in the Red Book of Turkmenistan, including rare species such as Turkmen mandrake, Greek rowan, Turkmen pear, and Ziverts pear. Along the banks of the Sumbar River, lush groves of walnut, pomegranate, fig, pear, apple, and grape trees thrive.
Wildlife of the Reserve
The animal life of Syunt-Hasardag is equally rich and diverse:
38 species of reptiles,
250 species of birds, and
76 species of mammals live here.
Rare and endangered species listed in the Red Book include the eagle, saker falcon, porcupine, leopard, mountain sheep, and hyena. The steep mountain slopes are nesting grounds for bearded vultures, golden eagles, and occasionally black storks.
Predators such as jackals, steppe foxes, and wolves are common. In the foothills, one can also encounter wildcats, caracals, Pallas’s cats, and Turkestan lynxes. Badgers and stone martens dwell in the canyons.
Small Mammals and Reptiles
There is also a wide variety of small mammals, including hedgehogs, four species of shrews, and 23 species of rodents like voles, hamsters, and mice.
The reserve hosts three species of turtles and 17 species of lizards, ranging from small geckos (gray, Caspian, and spiny-tailed) to the gray monitor lizard.
There are 16 species of snakes, with the blunt-nosed viper (Gurza), the saw-scaled viper (Efa), and the cobra considered particularly dangerous.
The Syunt-Hasardag Nature Reserve is not only a critical sanctuary for biodiversity but also a significant research area, a key to regional ecological stability, and a treasure of Turkmenistan’s natural heritage.
