Taxkorgan Reserve

The Taxkorgan Reserve is located in western China in the Pamir - Karakoram region in the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. It was established in 1984 primarily to protect the rare Marco Polo Argali and extends over 14,000 km ² of high mountains.

Geography and vegetation

The reserve is located in the border area of China to Afghanistan, Tajikistan and Pakistan. Half of the area is above 4500 m and encloses the northern flank of the Karakorumgebirges, the westernmost foothills of the Kunlun and the eastern edge of the Pamir Mountains. In the south of the 2200 km ² large Khunjerab National Park in Pakistan adjacent to the reserve. Since the late 1960s, the Karakoram Highway connects Pakistan and China over the Khunjerab Pass. Vast areas of the reserve are too dry or too cold to ensure the growth of lush vegetation. The only trees that grow in some low valleys below 3400 m, willow, tamarisk, poplar and birch. Only a few trees reach a height of 10 m. The upper vegetation limit is about 4400 m.

Wildlife

In Taxkorgan Reserve three wild ungulate species occur. Including the Marco Polo argali is most threatened. The reserve, only lived in the 1980s, about 150 of these large wild sheep. Today, the stocks have recovered to over 1000 animals. The other two ungulate species of the reserve are the Siberian ibex and blue sheep, both species occur together in only a few areas. Originally also occurred in the Kiang Taxkorgan, but equines are now extinct. The ungulates have several large predators like snow leopards, wolves and brown bears food. In the reserve live about 7,750 people and 70,000 livestock that affect the landscape greatly by strong grazing.