Russia - Krasnodar Krai

Erik Sunguryan - Russia - 22.04.2024

Bison in autumn

Caucasian Nature Reserve

Caucasian State Nature Reserve named Shaposhnikov

Mountain bison

A pre-historic beast, a forest giant, with no enemies in nature. For the sake of preserving bison from estermination by humans, the Caucasus Nature Reserve was created. Today it is the home to the world's only viable wild population of these unique animals.

Caucasus Nature Reserve is a Russian zapovednik (strict ecological reserve) covering a heavily mountainous section of the Northwest Caucasus Mountains. It is the largest and oldest in the territory of specially protected natural area in the Caucasus, having been created in 1924 as the Caucasian Bison Reserve. In 1979, the site was named a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve, and in 1999 included in a UNESCO World Heritage Site. In 2008 it was officially renamed after Khachatur (Christopher) G. Shaposhnikova the biologist who founded the reserve. The area is situated in the Mostovsky District of Krasnodar Krai, covering an area of 280,335 ha (1,082.38 sq mi).

Zapovednik is an established term on the territory of the former Soviet Union for a protected area which is kept "forever wild". It is the highest degree of environmental protection for the assigned areas, which are strictly protected and access to the public is restricted.