Saryarka – Steppe and Lakes of Northern Kazakhstan

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Saryarka – Steppe and Lakes of Northern Kazakhstan: A Biodiversity Haven on the Central Asian Flyway

Saryarka – Steppe and Lakes of Northern Kazakhstan, inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2008, is a vast expanse of steppe landscapes and interconnected lakes that spans across the northern regions of Kazakhstan. This unique ecosystem serves as a crucial stopover point for millions of migratory birds traveling along the Central Asian flyway, connecting Africa, Europe, and South Asia to their breeding grounds in Western and Eastern Siberia.

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UNESCO Description of the World Heritage Site

Saryarka - Steppe and Lakes of Northern Kazakhstan comprises two protected areas: Naurzum State Nature Reserve and Korgalzhyn State Nature Reserve totalling 450,344 ha. It features wetlands of outstanding importance for migratory water birds, including globally threatened species, among them the extremely rare Siberian white crane, the Dalmatian pelican, Pallas’s fish eagle, to name but a few. These wetlands are key stopover points and crossroads on the Central Asian flyway of birds from Africa, Europe and South Asia to their breeding places in Western and Eastern Siberia. The 200,000 ha Central Asian steppe areas included in the property provide a valuable refuge for over half the species of the region’s steppe flora, a number of threatened bird species and the critically endangered Saiga antelope, formerly an abundant species much reduced by poaching. The property includes two groups of fresh and salt water lakes situated on a watershed between rivers flowing north to the Arctic and south into the Aral-Irtysh basin.

UNESCO Justification of the World Heritage Site

Criterion (ix): Ongoing biological and ecological processes: The property contains substantial areas of steppe and lakes with largely undisturbed associated biological and ecological processes. The seasonal dynamics of the hydrology, chemistry and biology of the lakes, with the diverse flora and fauna of the wetlands have evolved through complex wetting and drying cycles, and are of global significance and scientific interest. The wetlands of Korgalzhyn and Naurzum State Nature Reserves are key stopover points and crossroads on the Central Asian migratory bird flyways and are of outstanding importance for migratory waterbirds on their way from Africa, Europe and South Asia to their breeding places in Western and Eastern Siberia. The property also contains over 200,000 ha of Central Asian steppe, more than half of which is pristine, and which is part of the temperate grassland biome.

Criterion (x): Biological diversity and threatened species: Korgalzhyn and Naurzum State Nature Reserves protect large areas of natural steppe and lake habitats that sustain a diverse range of Central Asian flora and fauna and support vast numbers of migratory birds, including substantial populations of many globally threatened species. The Korgalzhyn-Tengiz lakes provide feeding grounds for up to 15-16 million birds, including flocks of up to 2.5 million geese. They also support up to 350,000 nesting waterfowl, while the Naurzum lakes support up to 500,000 nesting waterfowl. The property’s steppe areas provide a valuable refuge for over half the species of the region’s steppe flora, a number of threatened bird species and the critically endangered Saiga antelope, a once abundant species much reduced across its range by poaching pressure.

Encyclopedia Record: Saryarka – Steppe and Lakes of Northern Kazakhstan

Saryarka – Steppe and Lakes of Northern Kazakhstan is a part of the Kazakh Uplands which has been designated a World Heritage Site by UNESCO. It was inscribed on July 7, 2008. (see List of World Heritage Sites in Kazakhstan) The site comprises the Naurzum State Nature Reserve and Korgalzhyn State Nature Reserve. The two reserves contain wetlands which serve as important stop-over points for migrating birds from Africa, Europe, and South Asia. It is estimated that 15–16 million birds, including many endangered species, use the site as a feeding ground. The pink flamingos in particular are a major attraction within Korgalzhyn Reserve.

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IUCN World Heritage Outlook

The 2025 Conservation Outlook on Saryarka – Steppe and Lakes of Northern Kazakhstan reports the following assessment:

Source: International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) · View assessment