Ust-Lensky Reserve
Ust-Lensky Reserve is located in the delta of the Lena River and on the western slope of the northern end of the Kharaulakh Ridge, on the territory of Bulunsky District of the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia).
Approximately 150 kilometers before the Laptev Sea, a breathtaking picture of endless water expanses, branches and channels opens up. The total area of the Lena River estuary – the second largest in the world after the Mississippi River delta – is 45,000 km².
- Highlights
- General information
- Creation history
Plant life - Animal life
- Reserve regime
- How to get there
- Where to stay
Highlights
One of the main attractions of the Ust-Lensky Reserve is the ancient island Pillar 114 meters high. It consists of rocks that are over 400 million years old.
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The history of the island is laden with mysterious legends and legends. One of them says that in prehistoric times it was connected to the land by a thin marshy isthmus. Fleeing from pursuers, a mammoth cub and its mother reached the island. However, the shaky swampy place did not let the adult animal through, and the mother died. The mammoth was left alone on a large uninhabited island. At his call, other mammoths came to the distant shore, but the distance was insurmountable.
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The locals began to worship the mammoth and consider it a symbol of successful hunting. The cult did not stop even after the death of the animal. For thousands of years, the veneration of the spirit of the red mammoth has been preserved. Now the emblem of the reserve has surely become clear. According to Yakut belief, this place is the abode of mysterious spirits. When passing by, one should throw a tribute – a few coins – into the water. Near Pillar Island you can often see mirages, which arise due to the contact of cold air with warm water. The place is really mysterious!
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General information
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History of creation
The idea of creating a large reserve in the Lena delta appeared in the early 1960s, but had to wait about 20 more years before the reserve became a reality. In 1985, the Ust-Lensky State Nature Reserve was organized. In 1995 the first International Biological Station “Lena-Nordenskjold” was established on its territory. Every year scientists, participants of Russian and international projects and expeditions actively work here. In 2000, the territory of the reserve was included in the UNESCO World Natural Heritage List.
.Vegetation
About 400 species of higher vascular plants grow on the territory of the reserve, 20 of which are classified as rare and endangered. 115 species of mosses and more than 200 species of lichens have been recorded, and 153 species of algae have been identified in the Lena delta water bodies.
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Animal World
The Ust-Lensky Reserve is home to 30 mammal species, about 70 bird species, 1 amphibian species and 32 fish species.
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Here you can meet reindeer (Rangifer tarandus), snow sheep (Ovis canadensis), blue foxes (Alopex lagopus), black-necked marmots (Marmota camtschatica). In 1996 a herd of musk oxen (Ovibos moschatus) was brought to the territory of the Reserve. A remarkable external feature of musk oxen is their strongly converged horns. The ears of these animals are very small, almost invisible, deeply hidden in the wool. The musk oxen have successfully adapted to the conditions of the North. According to various estimates in the tundra their population reaches 4000 individuals.
.The Laptev subspecies of walrus (Odobenus rosmarus laptevi), narwhals (Monodon monoceros), beluga whales (Delphinapterus leucas) and polar bears (Ursus maritimus) are protected here.
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About 7000 red-throated loons (Gavia stellata), 25000 black-throated loons (Gavia arctica), about 10000 lesser swans (Sugnus bewickii) and about the same number of white-fronted geese (Anser albifrons), about 2000 black geese (Branta bernicla) nest annually in the Lena delta. Teal (Anas crecca), Siberian Eiders (Polysticta stelleri) and Long-tailed Ducks (Clangula hyemalis) nest here. The latter seem to be toys rather than living birds, so bizarre and unusual is their “outfit.”
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In the Lena delta the most common fish species are Siberian ripple (Coregonus sardinella), Arctic omul (Coregonus autumnalis), muksun (Coregonus muksun), burbot (Lota lota), saika (Boreogadus saida), European smelt (Osmerus eperlanus), saffron cod (Eleginus navaga) and others. Smelt is one of the favorite delicacies of the peoples of the North.
.Reserve regime
To visit the Ust-Lensky Reserve in summer, you need to start making out a pass in early spring. Many ecological tourism routes have been developed in the reserve. From July to August, specialists of the International Biological Station “Lena-Nordenskjold” conduct ornithological tours. You can get permission for hunting and fishing in the reserve’s management. In spring, hunting for waterfowl is allowed in specially designated places, and in fall – for wild reindeer. There are also organized rafting on kayaks and inflatable rafts on the rivers Besuke, Kengdei, Chubukulakh and Ayakit.
.How to get there
In summer you can fly by plane to Yakutsk, then about 1700 km by passenger ship to the village of Tiksi. The nearest settlement, Bykovsky settlement, is 45 kilometers from the eastern border of the reserve. The village of Tiksi, where the Reserve’s administration is located, is 60 km from the southern border of the Reserve. The distance from the administration to the Reserve itself is usually traveled by helicopter or all-terrain vehicle. A cheaper, though more difficult option is a hiking route.
.In winter, Yakutsk and the village of Tiksi are connected only by a winter road for trucks.
.Where to stay
You can stop at the biological station “Lena-Nordenskjold”, which is located at the address: Republic of Sakha (Yakutia), 678400, Tiksi, 28, Akademika Fedorova St., sq. 16, MBS “Lena-Nordenskjold”; tel: 8-(41167) 5-34-90.
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