Golden Mountains of Altai
Encyclopedia
Golden Mountains of Altai is the name of an UNESCO World Heritage Site  consisting of the Altai and Katun Natural Reserves
Katun Preserve
Katun State Nature Reserve is located in the Altai Republic in Siberia, along the border with Kazakhstan. It was established on July 25, 1991. In 1998 Katun became part of the Golden Mountains of Altai UNESCO World Heritage Site...

, Lake Teletskoye
Lake Teletskoye
Lake Teletskoye is the largest lake in the Altay Mountains and the Altai Republic, Russia, and has a depth of up to 325 meters.Situated at a height of 434 m above sea level, the lake is long and wide and lies between the mountain ridges Korbu and Al-tyntu, on the junction of Sailughem Mountains...

, Belukha Mountain
Belukha Mountain
Belukha Mountain , located in the Katun Mountains, is the highest peak of the Altay Mountains in Russia. It is part of the World Heritage Site entitled Golden Mountains of Altai....

, and the Ukok Plateau
Ukok Plateau
Ukok Plateau is a remote and pristine grasslands area located in the heart of southwestern Siberia, the Altai Mountains region of Russia near the borders with China, Kazakhstan and Mongolia...

. As stated in the UNESCO description of the site, "the region represents the most complete sequence of altitudinal vegetation zones in central Siberia, from steppe
Steppe
In physical geography, steppe is an ecoregion, in the montane grasslands and shrublands and temperate grasslands, savannas, and shrublands biomes, characterized by grassland plains without trees apart from those near rivers and lakes...

, forest-steppe, mixed forest, subalpine vegetation to alpine vegetation". While making its decision, UNESCO also cited Russian Altai's importance for preservation of the globally endangered mammals, such as snow leopard
Snow Leopard
The snow leopard is a moderately large cat native to the mountain ranges of South Asia and Central Asia...

 and the Altai argali
Altai argali
Altai argali is a traditional subspecies of argali, wild sheep that roam the highlands of Altai Mountains.Altai argali are the largest of all sheep, with the heaviest horns, those of mature males normally 45-50 and up to 75 pounds ....

. The site covers a vast area of 16,175 km².


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