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Countries
| Area size | Status | Region | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tajikistan | 0 ha | ||
| Uzbekistan | 0 ha | ||
| Turkmenistan | 0 ha | ||
| Total area size | 0 ha |
Habitat description
The landscape is characterized by river valleys (tugai) with riparian forests bordering with sandy deserts.
River valley - tugai
Background information
The riparian forests of Amudaria are located along the river Amudaria - that flows into Lake Aral - about 1,000 km long and 3-5 km wide. Including the massives in the upper regions the area covers around 5,000,000-6,000,000 ha in total. The area is located in three different states: Tadjikistan, Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan.
A system of strict nature reserve (zapovedniks) is existing but only some part of the area is actually protected.
Most large herbivores species live in fragmented populations. If they could be connected breeding success and conservation results would improve.
Bukhara deer
During the early 1980s, about 900 Bukhara deer existed along the Amudaria river valley, including the border with Afghanistan. The population has increased from around 600 in the early 1970s reintroduction. Recently, numbers have declined as a result of industrial development of the Amudaria river valley.
Numbers of Bukhara deer have declined because of industrial development
Goitered gazelle
The original habitat is the desert but the population uses the bordering parts of the forest as well.
Large carnivores
Wolf, jackal, karakal and in some areas the striped hyena are native to the area. For being complete the ecosystem is missing the Turanian tiger, but reintroduction is not seen as a reasonable possibility.
Although some large carnivore species are missing, the ecosystem is called complete, but it is endangered (and the large herbivores with it). The problem is, that the forested areas are easy to water and have good soil. As a result reparian forests are highly suitable for agriculture and are cut down to gain ground, mainly to grow cotton. Within 3-5 years the soil accumulates salts and becomes unsuitable for agriculture. It would need recultivation, but instead, new forests are cut. Important habitat gets lost. Another reason for the decline of habitat is the change of the forests to pasture for cattle.
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Presence of species in landscape
Large herbivores
Large carnivores
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Maps
Interactive map
Hotspot Riparian forests of Amudaria to enlarge in Google maps
Further map information
If you have any comments on this map, please send us your suggestions for improvement.
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Opportunities
- There are some zapovedniks (strictly protected areas) which decreased within the last years and a system of forestry.
Some basic legislation for wildlife conservation exists but it does not always work. Efforts are being made to improve this. - It is very important to bring new landuse technologies in the region like systems of water filtration, desalinisation of soils, etc.
- Ecotourism can play an important role in large herbivores conservation, if the profit is used for conservation. It also can provide local people new job possibilities as an alternative to poaching and therefore support large herbivores conservation. Some important wildlife areas are neighbouring or not far from very important historical and cultural tourist areas (Bukhara, Samarkand, Khiva).
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Threats
- Human population density is high in the upper and lower reaches of Amudaria (up to 100 people/km2), 1-10 people in the middle reaches and less then 1 person/km2 in the huge areas in the surrounding deserts. The region includes some important towns and settlements.
- Rapid loss of habitat is the major threat for all large herbivore species in the riparian forests of Amudaria.
- Another threat is severe poaching that declines populations seriously.
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Experts and Scientific Referees
Pereladova, Olga
WWF Central Asia Regional programme. Scientific research on acoustic communication, behaviour, ecology, conservation and restoration.
WWF Russia
www.wwf.ru/eng
WWF Russia
www.wwf.ru/eng
Contact
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Library
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Sources
PERELADOVA O., V. KREVER, M. WILLIAMS
1997, Biodiversity Conservation in Central Asia: analysis of modern situation and project portfolio, Almata, Ashgabad, Bishkek, Dushanbe, Tashkent, Moscow
SOKOLOV V. E. (Ed.), E. E. Syroechkovskii
1985-1990, Zapovedniks of the Soviet Union, Moscow, Misl., 8 diff. Vol.
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All comments on Riparian forests of Amudaria
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