National Committee on Ecology and Climate Change of the Republic of Uzbekistan

The Nurata State Reserve was established in December 1973 in the Jizzakh region and covers the central part and northern slopes of the Nurata Mountains. The reserve is home to 247 animal species, 31 of which are listed in Uzbekistan’s Red Book.

The Kyzylkum mountain sheep, also known as Severtsov’s Argali, is a vulnerable species with a declining population. It is included in Uzbekistan’s Red Book, the International Union for Conservation of Nature’s (IUCN) Red List, and Appendix II of CITES. Argali inhabit the middle and upper mountain regions, moving across different elevations depending on the season, time of day, weather, food availability and human activity levels. In winter, they descend to foothills and valleys. Kyzylkum sheep have been breeding in the Nurata Reserve since 1991.