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Sports & nature

Koytendag Nature Reserve (Dinosaur Plateau)

The Koytendag State Nature Reserve was organized 11/07/1986, and is situated on the west slope of the Koytendag Mountains, representing spur of Gissars range of great mountain system Pamiro-Alay. The territory of the Reserve is 27,139 ha. The main aim of the Reserve creation is the protection of the unique nature of the Koytendag mountain range, and its bordering territories and the development of the sensible ecosystems and in particular the protection of Capra falconeri(a very rare species of wild goat included into the Red Data Book of CITES).

The reserve is located on the bounder of Uzbekistan and covering the extreme south - eastern portion of our country. The main areas are the Koytendag - Tau mountain ridge, a grandiose canyon "Umbar Dere" with striking 28m waterfall, the world - wide famous plateau of Dinosaurs (with 438 footprints), a unique sulfur - hydrogen spring "Kainar Baba", canyon "Kyrk gyz", carst caves. Here one can clearly see a panorama of the Aira - Baba peak, the highest peak in Turkmenistan, which is 3137 m above sea level. Not only the Koytendag flora, but also its fauna is unique: only here, on the foothills of the Kopetdag Mountains can you see a spiral horned goat, a rare Bukhara subspecies of a mountainous ram.

Kutan cave

The amazing first hall of the cave is known as the Farther Christmas and Snow Maiden. These two huge sized fairy figures are among unusual in shape stalactites of calcite and gypsum.The The cave entrance i s very narrow, only 0,5 m high. And at last a really wonderful hall 'Fairy Tale'. The walls of this wonder are of gypsum curtain, there is stucco molding of ceiling aragonite 'roses' and other 'flowers' of unbelievable beauty.

Repetek

The Karakum Desert occupies the area of about 35 million ha, or more than 80% of the whole territory of Turkmenistan. According to its geological and natural conditions, the Karakum can be divided into three large parts: Northern or Zaunguz, Central or Lowland, and South-Eastern Karakum. The latter incorporates the Repetek State Biosphere Reserve where 20 species of mammals and 23 species of birds live. The total flora of higher plants growing here includes 269 species belonging to 206 genera and 84 families. Of 132 species of aboriginal plants in the Repetek nature reserve 42 species (31.8%) are endemic for the Karakum and Kyzylkum deserts.