Zyuratkul National Park, Russia

The Zyuratkul National Park was organized on November 3, 1993. The total area is 88,249 hectares, the length from north to south is 49 km, the length from west to east is 28 km.

The park fulfills the following main tasks: preservation of standard and unique natural complexes, monuments of nature, history, culture, archeology and other objects of cultural heritage; environmental education of the population; development and implementation of scientific methods of nature protection in conditions of recreational use; environmental monitoring; restoration of damaged natural and historical and cultural complexes; creating conditions for regulated tourism and recreation.

The national park is administered by the Ministry of Natural Resources and Ecology of the Russian Federation.

 

Geography

On the territory of the park there is a reservoir Zyuratkul - the only alpine lake on the western slope of the Southern Urals (724 m above sea level) and many mountain ranges, including Zyuratkul (length 8 km, height 1175.2 m), Nurgush (height 1406 m).

The location of the Zyuratkul park at the junction of two natural zones - taiga and forest-steppe - determined the richness of flora and fauna.

According to BDT, the stress in the word Zyuratkul is placed on the last syllable (“Zyuratkul”), the local pronunciation is characterized by the stress on the second syllable (“Zyuratkul”).

 

Sights

The park includes such natural monuments as the high-mountainous reservoir Zyuratkul, the Kalagaza and Berezyak rivers, the Zyuratkul Pillars rocks, the Elm Grove. Numerous attractions of the park: a mountain-tundra plateau with an area of ​​9 km² at the top of the Nurgush ridge, an artesian spring Fountain in the upper reaches of the Malaya Satka River, relict larch forests on the Urenga and Lukash (Nukash) ridges, relict spruce forests on the Nurgush and Lukash ridges, a rocky remnant on the the Berezyak river in the Vinogradov khutor tract, an onion meadow in the upper reaches of the Malaya Satka river, a dam on the lake, a diversion (directing) channel 9 km long from the lake to the building of the hydroelectric power station in the village of Magnitka, areas of relict forest-steppe vegetation at an altitude of 850 m above sea level on the Maliy ridge Moskal, peat bogs at Cape Dolgy Spruce, Medvedi rocks on the Zyuratkul ridge.

Vegetable world
The territory is dominated by forests - spruce and spruce-fir, as well as birch forests. The richness of flora proves the presence of 653 plant species, including Siberian and European (Siberian fir, European spruce, etc.). 70 rare plants of the park are listed in the Red Book of Russia, among them: a real slipper, a large-flowered slipper, a leafless caper, a male orchis, an Ural anemone and pulmonary lobaria.

90% of the territory is occupied by dark coniferous taiga, but in some areas birch is found.

 

Animal world

The fauna of "Zyuratkul" has 214 species, including 40 species of mammals: predators - 14 (bear, wolf, fox, marten, ermine, etc.), ungulates - 3 (elk, roe deer, rarely wild boar), hares - 2. The fauna also includes fish - 17 (bream, perch, grayling, burbot, pike and others), amphibians - 3, reptiles - 6, birds - 145. There are rare species of animals: European mink, golden eagle, peregrine falcon, eagle owl, European grayling, mnemosyne and common apollo. These species are included in the Red Book of Russia.

 

Archeology

On the shore of the lake, 12 sites of ancient people of two eras were discovered: the Mesolithic - 12 thousand years, the Neolithic - 6-3 thousand years ago. Parts of buildings, products, stone axes, bronze tips, scrapers, chops, etc. have been preserved. The exposition of the Satka Museum of Local Lore, dedicated to this period of time, presents many items of excavation.

Also, recently discovered a geoglyph on the ground in the form of an elk measuring 218 by 195 meters. The image is estimated to be around 8000 years old.

 

Tourist facilities

The main tourist attractions are 5 ridges and a high-mountain lake. A convenient "ecological path" has been laid to the foot of the Zyuratkul ridge.

At the recreation center "Ecopark Zyuratkul" there is a mini-zoo.
It is in the process of being formed. Not all animals of the menagerie live in the nature of the Urals. For example, the black (Himalayan) bear and camel are more typical for other natural areas. Also at the recreation center "Eco-Park Zyuratkul" there is the Center for riding sports "Wild dogs" where in winter you can ride a dog sled.

Also in the national park between the village of Zyuratkul and the village of Magnitsky there is a maral breeding farm "Bear Joy", which contains semi-wild deer brought from Altai.
The trout farm is no longer operational.