"Kolsay Lakes" national park of Kazakhstan

“Kolsay Lakes” national park of Kazakhstan is located in the Raiymbek and Talgar districts of the Almaty region of Kazakhstan. The park territory is located on the northern slope of the Kungei Alatau ridge in the eastern part of the Northern Tien Shan. The northern part of the park borders the Chilik River, which belongs to the Lake Balkhash basin, and the southern border is the Kungey Alatau ridge, which borders Kyrgyzstan. The park was founded in 2007. The park contains unique landscapes with a cascade of lakes and rich flora and fauna. Some areas of wild, untouched nature have been preserved. The name of the park itself indicates that the Kolsai Lakes and Lake Kaindy are located on the territory of the park. Kolsai lakes are called the pearl of the Northern Tien Shan; these are three picturesque mountain lakes, the two lower lakes are surrounded by spruce trees, alpine meadows and mountain pastures. The upper lake is located among the rocks. Lake Kaiyndy is famous for its origin. It was formed in 1911 as a result of a strong earthquake, which caused a landslide that blocked the gorge. Water flooded the gorge with coniferous trees. The spectacle is magnificent, since the water is cold, which is why the needles of the trees are well preserved and can be clearly seen through the transparent surface of the water.

The fauna of the park is rich and diverse; there are more than 200 species of vertebrate animals and is represented by the following types of animals; Among the mammals inhabited are argali, Tien Shan bear, wolves, snow leopard, Turkestan lynx, Central Asian otter, wild boars, and badgers. Representatives of 4 species of fish live here,
2 species of amphibians, 197 species of birds and 29 species of mammals. Among the birds listed in the Red Data Book are the bluebird, the painted tit, the golden eagle, the bearded vulture, the saker falcon, and the kumai. A rare fish species is the rainbow trout. The flora of the park is also very interesting and diverse. The lakes are surrounded by cliffs, forests of spruce, broad-leaved trees and mountain alpine meadows. Almost all types of plants grow here. There are 12 species of plants listed in the Red Book - Kungei feather grass, golden adonis, Cossack juniper, shrenka spruce, etc. There are also very rare plants - edelweiss. Edelweiss is a mountain flower about which there are legends; it grows at the very tops of the mountains.

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