Living on the Volcano: Miraculous Kamchatka Nature Reserve

The reserve has been part of the World Network of Biosphere Reserves since 1984. It became a part of the UNESCO World Natural Heritage site "Volcanoes of Kamchatka" in 1996.

Rare wild reindeers live on the reserve. However, scientists have sounded the alarm: the population of wild reindeer, recorded in the Red Book of Kamchatka, is steadily shrinking.

If you happen to visit the Kronotsky Nature Reserve you would be able to see lynxes in the wild. Due to the special protection regime in the Kronotsky Reserve, the lynxes are not as cautious as in the fishing areas. They are practically unafraid of people and behave quite comfortable.

Cape Kronotsky is located on the east coast of Kamchatka and is part of the reserve. Once there was a functional lighthouse in this place, but since 2007 it does not work.

Horned puffins, which nest on islands and coastlines of Alaska, also like Kamchatka’s climate. Horned puffins can dive to a depth of 50 meters.

The insular seal is the largest of the subspecies of seals. The body length of an adult insular seal reaches two meters. Due to the scarcity this seal species, insular seals are listed in the Red Book.

A death valley is also located there. In fact, Kamchala’s valley of Death the is just a valley of geysers. But due to a high level of volcanic gases accumulated there, birds and mammal die immedeately after enter the valley.

Natural phenomena like Kamchatka’s Valley of Death are also known in other areas of the world that are distinguished by volcanic activity: for example, near Yellowstone National Park in the USA ("Dead Gorge") and in Java in Indonesia, where there are several valleys of death.

About a thousand thermal springs, including mud boilers and thermal lakes are located on the territory of the Kronotsky Reserve.

The American minks was first released in Kamchatka in 1960. There are currently only several thousand left in Kamchatka.

The Anadyr fox is the biggest and has the brightest fur of the subspecies of foxes.

Steller's sea eagle mainly eats fish. Its mass reaches nine kilograms. This bird is listed in the Red Book of Russia.

A large number of fish lead to the appearance of brown bears on the lake shores. Tourists can see bears fishing from a specially erected observation tower located in the lake area.

Sockeye salmon begin to spawn from July until March. Many fishing enthusiasts visit the reserve in this season.

The fire-breathing hills are a symbol of the Kronotsky Reserve. Of the 25, there are eight active volcanoes.

The caldera of the Uzon volcano is a huge cavity with a diameter of about 10 kilometers. Its area reaches 150 square kilometers.