Katunsky State Natural Biosphere Reserve

About museum

The Katunsky Biosphere Reserve is a unique place of pristine wilderness located near the highest mountain peak of Siberia — Belukha. The history of its creation began in 1917, when the well-known geographer and traveler V. P. Semenov-Tyan-Shansky first proposed the idea of creating a specially protected natural area in the Central Altai. Officially the Katunsky Reserve was opened in 1991 on an area of 157,664 hectares. Its main purpose is the preservation of the typical ecosystems of the Katun Range, habitats of the snow leopard and rare species of flora and fauna. Administratively the Katunsky Reserve belongs to the Ust-Koksinsky District of the Altai Republic. Elevations within its territory range from 1,300 to 3,280 meters above sea level. There are 135 small lakes within the protected area, the best known of which are the Upper Multinskoye and Poperechnoye lakes.