Altai - Sayan Ecoregion

In the heart of the Eurasian continent, at the junction of four countries – Kazakhstan, Russia, Mongolia and China – there stretches a huge mountainous land – the Altai-Sayan Mountain Chain. Each concerned state is establishing its own Especially Protected Areas here all sharing one common purpose – preserving this wonderful land as a single and flourishing ecosystem.

The ecoregion was listed as the UNESCO World Natural Heritage site. It is the place where the Siberian taiga, the Great Steppe and the Mongolian desert meet. This is also where 3 great rivers – the Irtysh, Ob and Yenisei – originate, and the habitats of animals representing different zoogeographical zones overlap.

The most important thing about the area is that all the materials about the Altai-Sayan Ecoregion refer to snow leopard. In fact, this is the area’s trademark.