Where is Askania-Nova located?
Askania-Nova Reserve is a truly unique place located in the Kherson region, in the south of Ukraine. It won the all-Ukrainian competition “Seven Natural Wonders of Ukraine”.
The area of the reserve is 33 thousand hectares, 1/3 of which is a steppe zone that has never been subjected to human economic activity.
What was the purpose of Askania-Nova?
This biosphere reserve was founded by a landowner from Germany, Friedrich Dalz-Fein, with the aim of creating a sheep colony. But after realizing what unique birds and animals live in this territory, he decided to create a reserve. So, the purpose of creating Askania-Nova is to create a nature reserve with a huge number of animals, birds and plants inhabiting it in order to preserve them in their original form.
The Askania Nova Biosphere Reserve holds the title of the oldest and largest steppe biosphere reserve on the planet. There are over 500 species of plants and 3,000 species of animals here.
What animals live in the Askania Nova Reserve?
69 species of fauna are listed in the Red Book of Ukraine, 295 animals are protected by the Bern Convention, 104 animals are protected by the Bonn Convention, and 12 animals are listed in the European Red List.
In Askania Nova live South American camels, zebras, African and Indian antelopes, Scottish ponies, llamas, deer, American bison, Kaffir buffalo, Przewalski's horses, saigas, zebras and others
Among the birds here you can find black and white swans, bustards, cranes, gray partridges, African ostrich, pheasants, steppe eagles, parrots, flamingos, cranes, peacocks.
What plants grow in Askania Nova?
In Askania Nova, perennial grasses grow mostly - about 51% of them. The Red Book of Ukraine lists 13 species of plants that can be found in the reserve - Scythian caragana, Ukrainian feather grass, star-shaped star-shaped flower, Schrenk's and Scythian tulips, Taliev's cornflower, Regel's and Scythian onion, chess grouse, rare-flowered zozulynets, chalky two-rowed. As well as 3 species of mushrooms and lichens, 6 species of flowers of autochthonous flora are listed in other international red lists.
Source: https://dovidka.biz.ua/rozpovid-pro-zapovidnik-askaniya-nova
