Golden Mountains of Altai
The Altai mountains in southern Siberia form the
major mountain range in the western Siberia biogeographic region and
provide the source of its greatest rivers – the Ob and the Irtysh. Three
separate areas are inscribed: Altaisky Zapovednik and a buffer zone
around Lake Teletskoye; Katunsky Zapovednik and a buffer zone around
Mount Belukha; and the Ukok Quiet Zone on the Ukok plateau. The total
area covers 1,611,457 ha. The region represents the most complete
sequence of altitudinal vegetation zones in central Siberia, from
steppe, forest-steppe, mixed forest, subalpine vegetation to alpine
vegetation. The site is also an important habitat for endangered animal
species such as the snow leopard.