Zoological reserve "Chon-Zhargylchak", Jeti-Oguz district, Issyk-Kul region
Zhargylchak State Reserve was established in 1990 and covers over 23,000 hectares. It is home to the Tien-Shan brown bear, snow leopard, maral and large birds of prey listed in the Red Book of Kyrgyzstan. At present it is in the hands of the Directorate of the Yssyk-Kul Biosphere Territory and, along with other specially protected natural areas, needs measures to conserve flora, fauna, seed bank and protection from poachers. Partially and quite legitimately, this function can be fulfilled by various public organizations. The public association Ala-Too Bugu is one such organisation, established by local activists in 2021 to address the tasks of ensuring the protection regime of the reserve, monitoring the fauna and flora on its territory, introducing modern livestock grazing methods, developing an environmental, scientific and economic rationale for the activities.
Based on the model operating in the Baiboosun micro-reserve, CAMP Alatoo PF has already trained local residents to produce ecological products (cheese), provided radio sets, GPS navigators, binoculars and office equipment to public rangers from the members of Alatoo Bugu Protected Area. Information boards have been installed on the territory of the reserve.
