Flora and fauna of the Reserve: rare species

The Altaiskiy Reserve harbors 1,500 higher vascular plant species, of which 49 species are listed in the Red Data Book of the Altai Republic, and 20 species – in the Red Data Book of the Russian Federation:

 Aconitum decipiens, Aconitum paskoi, Lady’s-Slipper Orchard (Cypripedium calceolus), Large-flowered Cypripedium (Cypripedium macranthos), Bupleurum martjanovii, Delphinium ukokense, Siberian Fawn Lily or Siberian Trout Lily (Erythrónium sibíricum), Feather Grass (Stipa pennata), Stipa zalesskii, Allium altaicum,  Fen Orchid (Liparis loeselii), Ghost Orchid (Epipogium aphyllum), Neottianthe cucullata,  Weak Sedge (Carex laxa Wahlenb.), Oxytropis nivea,  Dactylorhiza baltica, Galium paradoxum, Merlin's Grass ( Isoëtes lacustris), Rheum altaicum, Military Orchid (Órchis militáris).

The Altaiskiy Reserve is home to 70 mammal species. Two of them are on the IUCN Red List (International Union for the Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources): Snow Leopard (Uncia uncia) and Altai Argali (Ovis ammon ammon); and the forest reindeer subspecies -  Rangifer tarandus - is listed in the Red Data Book of the Russian Federation.

The Altaiskiy Reserve is home to 59 rare and endangered fauna species, which accounts for 52% of all protected fauna species in the Altai Republic. Eight bat species found in the Altaiskiy Reserve are listed in the Red Data Book of the Altai Republic:  Whiskered Bat (Myotis mystacinus), Brandt's Bat (Myotis brandtii), Ikonnikov's Bat (Myotis ikonnikovi), Daubenton's Bat (Myotis daubentonii), Brown Long-Eared Bat or Common Long-Eared Bat (Plecotus auritus), Common Noctule (Nyctalus noctula), Northern Bat (Eptesicus nilssonii), Greater Tube-Nosed Bat (Murina leucogaster).

Of 326 bird species breeding in the territory of the Reserve and populating it:

1)      2 species are on the IUCN Red List:  The White-Tailed Eagle (Haliaeetus albicilla) and The Peregrine Falcon (Falco peregrinus);

2)     33 species are listed in the Red Data Book of the Russian Federation: Stone Curlew (Burhinus oedicnemus), Saker Falcon (Falco cherrug), Azure Tit (Cyanistes cyanus), Snowy Owl (Bubo scandiacus), Ferruginous Duck (Aythya nyroca), Golden Eagle (Aquila chrysaetos), Bearded Vulture (Gypaetus barbatus), Great Bustard (Otis tarda), MacQueen's Bustard (Chlamydotis macqueenii), Bimaculate Duck or Squawk Duck (Anas formosa), Eurasian Spoonbill or Common Spoonbill (Platalea leucorodia), Demoiselle Crane (Anthropoides virgo), Red-breasted Goose (Branta ruficollis), Gyrfalcon (Falco rusticolus), Dalmatian Pelican (Pelecanus crispus), Eurasian Oystercatcher  or Common Pied Oystercatcher (Haematopus ostralegus), Eastern Imperial Eagle (Aquila heliaca), Greater Flamingo (Phoenicopterus roseus), Band-Tailed Fish Eagle (Haliaeetus leucoryphus), Great White Pelican (Pelecanus onocrotalus), Northern Grey Shrike (Lanius excubitor), Osprey (Pandion haliaetus), Lesser Kestrel (Falco naumanni), Pallid Harrier (Circus macrourus), Steppe Eagle (Aquila nipalensis), Swan Goose (Anser cygnoides), Eurasian Eagle-Owl (Bubo bubo), Common Stilt (Himantopus himantopus), Brent Goose (Branta bernicla), Great Black-headed Gull (Larus ichthyaetus),  Black Stork (Ciconia nigra), Cinereous Vulture (Aegypius monachus), Pied Avocet (Recurvirostra avosetta).

3)      34 species are listed in the Red Data Book of the Altai Republic: 

Altai Snowcock (Tetraogallus altaicus),  Altai Falcon (Falco altaicus),    Great Egret (Ardea alba),  Eurasian Bittern or Great Bittern (Botaurus stellaris), Caucasian Great Rosefinch (Carpodacus rubicilla), Great Cormorant (Phalacrocorax carbo), Black-tailed Godwit (Limosa limosa), Eurasian Curlew (Numenius arquata),  Greater Spotted Eagle (Aquila clanga), Great Grey Owl or Lapland Owl (Strix nebulosa), Eurasian Pygmy Owl (Glaucidium passerinum), Common Wood Pigeon (Columba palumbus), White-winged Scoter (Melanitta deglandi), Bar-headed Goose (Anser indicus), Solitary Snipe (Gallinago solitaria), Bean Goose (Anser fabalis), Red-breasted Merganser (Mergus serrator), Brandt's Mountain Finch or Black-Headed Mountain-Finch (Leucosticte brandti),  Chukar Partridge or Chukar (Alectoris chukar), Smew (Mergellus albellus), Whooper Swan (Cygnus cygnus), Little Gull (Larus minutus), Mongolian Finch (Bucanetes mongolicus), Upland Buzzard (Buteo hemilasius), Booted Eagle (Aquila pennata), Rosy Starling or Rose-coloured Starling (Sturnus roseus), Pallas's Sandgrouse (Syrrhaptes paradoxus), Grey Heron (Ardea cinerea), Common Crane (Grus grus), Grey-necked Bunting or Grey-hooded Bunting (Emberiza buchanani), Wallcreeper (Tichodroma muraria), Ruff (Philomachus pugnax), Crested Honey Buzzard (Pernis ptilorhynchus), Black-throated Loon (Gavia arctica), The Black-necked Grebe (Podiceps nigricollis),  Northern Hawk-Owl (Surnia ulula).

Migratory rare species found in the Altaiskiy Reserve are: Spoonbills (Plateinae), Black Stork (Ciconia nigra), Mongolian Lark (Melanocorypha mongolica).