To preserve the unique flora and fauna of Uzbekistan

It is gratifying that the unique beauty of the nature of our country is recognized internationally. An example of this is the inclusion of the Lower Amudarya State Biosphere Reserve in the UNESCO World Network of Biosphere Reserves. That is, the pride of this reserve - the Bukhara deer - is protected not only by Uzbekistan, but also by UNESCO.
One of the most important steps to streamline the nature protection system was the transfer by the Presidential decree "On measures to improve the system of public administration in the field of protected natural territories" dated March 20, 2019 from the jurisdiction of the State Committee of the Republic of Uzbekistan on Forestry to the structure of the State Committee of the Republic of Uzbekistan on Ecology and Environmental Protection of Chatkal Biosphere, Zaamin, Surkhan, Nuratinsky and Kyzylkum state reserves, the Lower Amudarya State Biosphere Reserve (NAGBR).
So, the NAGBR is located on the territory of the Beruniysky and Amudarya districts of the Republic of Karakalpakstan on a total area of 69 thousand hectares. It was created after the President's speech on August 24, 2018 at a meeting of the Council of the Heads of the Founding States of the International Fund for Saving the Aral Sea, held in the city of Turkmenbashi (Turkmenistan).
In 2019, an international conference on the Aral Sea was held, and on May 18, 2021, at the plenary session of the 75th session of the UN General Assembly, on the proposal of the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev, a special resolution was unanimously adopted to declare the Aral Sea region a zone of environmental innovations and technologies. The initiative of the head of Uzbekistan received broad support from the world community, as evidenced by the fact that about 60 states from different regions of the world co-sponsored the resolution.
Goal 80 of the New Uzbekistan Development Strategy for 2022-2026, approved by Presidential Decree of January 28, 2022, sets the task: the implementation of projects in the Aral Sea region based on the programs of the International Fund "Green Climate" and the Global Environment Facility aimed at protecting biodiversity, preventing climate change and soil erosion, worth $ 300 million. The creation of the NAGDB was the contribution of our committee to the solution of the task.
The main task of the biosphere reserve is the preservation and restoration of tugai landscapes, vegetation and animal species in these forests, including rare, endangered, and other natural objects characteristic of the territory of the biosphere reserve.
The Lower Amudarya State Biosphere Reserve is divided into three zones: protected, buffer and transitional. Every year in spring and autumn, work is carried out here to maintain a cadastre of flora and fauna by counting and monitoring methods along pre-approved routes.
There are 419 species of higher plants in the biosphere reserve. Of these, two species are listed in the Red Book of the Republic of Uzbekistan as rare.
36 species of mammals, 246 species of birds, 29 reptiles (two of them aquatic), 43 classes of fish are also recorded on the territory.  36 species of rare animals are listed in the Red Book of the Republic of Uzbekistan, 18 species are on the IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature) Red List.
The subject of special pride of the NAGBR is the Bukhara deer (Cervus elaphus bactrianus). The State Committee of the Republic of Uzbekistan for Ecology and Environmental Protection is doing a lot of work to preserve this beautiful animal in the wild. As a result, according to the latest estimates, its number has reached 1,700 heads.
Bukhara deer is a mammal of the order of artiodactyls, popularly called hangul. Males reach a height of about 120 cm and weigh up to 200 kg. Beautiful spreading antlers of deer have five to eight appendages and rise above their owner by 90-110 cm. Every spring in March-April, deer shed their antlers, new ones grow instead of the old ones.
Deer are herbivores. It is noted that in the conditions of Karakalpakstan they feed on 27 species of plants. They mainly eat leaves and stems, young shoots of reeds, erianthus, willow, poplar, licorice, djida and wild carrots. In spring, during the period of reduction of plant food in the tugai, deer migrate in search of ephemeroid plants, and then return to the tugai. In autumn and winter they feast on the fruits of djida, sweet roots of kuga. The main habitats of deer fall on groves dominated by trees and shrubs, riverbanks. They hide in the thickets from their enemies and escape from the heat.  And in the evening they go out to graze almost until dawn.
In the first half of the last century, Bukhara deer settled on the shores of the Amu Darya, Syr Darya and the Aral Sea, lived in thickets of reeds and tugai. As a result of the drying up of the sea, the reduction of water in rivers, the degradation of thickets and the felling of trees in groves, fires, poaching, the number of Bukhara deer in the second half of the twentieth century sharply decreased. They began to disappear from their natural habitat.
But over the past five years, Uzbekistan has taken great measures to revive the population of Bukhara deer. And now the local population of these animals in the upper reaches of the Amu Darya has reached 45-50 heads in Surkhandarya, in the middle reaches of the river in the Kyzylkum State Reserve - 224-232, in the Zarafshan National Nature Park - 40-45, in the lower reaches of the Amu Darya in the Lower Amu Darya State Biosphere Reserve - 1645. At the same time, deer are also found in the upper reaches of the Zarafshan River, in the border territories of Uzbekistan, Tajikistan and Afghanistan. There are groups created by the methods of introduction and reintroduction.
In Uzbekistan, Bukhara deer are listed in the Red Book and the IUCN Red List, so hunting for them is prohibited. For each case of violation of this prohibition reported by wildlife lovers, law enforcement agencies take response measures.
Environmental protection measures by the State Committee of Ecology are bearing fruit. For example, if in 2021 in the territories of Badai-Tugai and Zhumurtau, 1,423 heads of Bukhara deer were identified during the counting, then the spring count of 2022 showed the presence of 1,645 heads. For comparison: in 2019, the population here was 1,233 deer.
On the one hand, such an increase in the number of Bukhara deer pleased, but on the other hand, it exposed the lack of Badai-Tugai and Zhumurtau territories, the harmful effects of animals on the development of the flora and natural complexes began to be felt.
The area of the Badai-Tugai and Zhumurtau nature reserves is only 7681 hectares. Although, according to estimates, an average of 214 deer can live on a thousand hectares of the reserve, calculations are given in the scientific literature, according to which no more than 50-70 deer can be freely placed on such an area. It turns out that an excess of livestock does not allow the natural vegetation cover of these areas to recover, which leads to an inevitable reduction in the proportion of other herbivores.
Along with this, on the Nazarkhon NAGBR site (3,544 hectares) and in the Khorezm National Nature Park (21,687.5 hectares) created in 2019, despite the abundance of tugai thickets that make up the vegetation base of the habitat of the Bukhara deer, it turned out that these animals are not here. Since these territories are located far from the natural habitats of the Bukhara deer, the possibilities for the natural relocation of these animals here are limited.
To reduce the harmful effects of Bukhara deer on the tugai thickets of the NAGBRA, the most effective method is to settle in other places of the historical natural habitat. In 2021, four deer in aviaries were relocated from Badai-Tugai to the Khorezm National Nature Park from the funds of the extra-budgetary fund of the State Committee of the Republic of Uzbekistan for Ecology and Environmental Protection.
The Committee took close control of this experience. Measures are being developed for the targeted relocation of animals. In particular, 30 deer were transported from the territory of Badai-Tugai to the Nazarkhon site, 41 to the Khorezm National Park. Measures are planned to improve natural conditions there, provide tugai groves with drinking water and restore grass cover.
Catching the Bukhara deer living in nature, euthanizing with injections, safe delivery by transport, control of acclimatization is a rather troublesome occupation, besides it requires financial expenses. But the natural habitats of the animal are being revived.
Full-time employees carry out many other activities aimed at preserving the biodiversity of the Lower Amu Darya, studying flora and fauna, analyzing the collected data. Six scientific articles and theses have been prepared for publication.
Measures are also being taken to develop eco-tourism in the territory of the NBR, there are three ecotourist routes.
Work to create a modern visitor center to provide services to local and foreign tourists began in May 2021. The two-storey visitor center under construction has a museum for tourists, a hotel, and facilities for providing household services. It will be commissioned in 2023.
In the Nuratinsky State Reserve, under the jurisdiction of the State Committee of Ecology, work is currently actively underway to restore the number of argali and protect these animals. Rare mountain sheep found on the northern slopes of the Kyzylkum hills, which are part of the Pamir-Alai mountain system, belong to the endemic species and are listed in the Red Book.
Historically, the territory of this animal is the mountain ranges of Nurata, Oktog, Molguzar, Turkiston and Zarafshan, Pistalitog hills, Tomditog and others. Currently, the presence of over two thousand argali has been noted on the territory of the Nuratinsky State Reserve. In order to increase their population and prevent diseases, a nursery on 16 hectares has been organized on the territory of the reserve.
The preservation of the unique flora and fauna of Uzbekistan is necessary in order to convey to the descendants our beloved country in the form in which we received it from older generations.
Khalilullah Sherimbetov.
Head of the Department for Protected Natural Areas
The State Committee of the Republic of Uzbekistan for Ecology
and Environmental Protection.