Boutama is one of the most beautiful rivers of Yakutia, which flows through the territory of the “Lena Pillars” park with it’s unique banks, rich fauna and flora. The average current flow is 1 meter per second.

Boutama River is situated on the area of Lena Pillars Nature Park.

Geological texture of Lena Pillars contains outstanding evidences of the Earth and its living population development history. Numerous fossils of ancient organisms found here are unique preserved evidences of a very important stage in the history of the organic world and a biodiversity “boom”, that occurred in lower Cambrian epoch. Also in Lena Pillars area the fossils of mammoth fauna representatives were found: mammoth (Mammulhus primigenius Blum), bison (Bison priscus Boj), fleecy rhinoceros (Coelodonta antiguibatis Blum), Lena horse (Eggus lenensis Russ), Reindeer (Rangifer tarandus L).

On the territory of the Park there is a wide diversity of frozen ground relief (frozen ground karsts, silt pinnacles, bulgunnyakhs, up-warping knobs, polygonal-veined ices). On the right bank of Lena one can see small areas of fluttering sands – “tukulans”; it’s a unique landscape with some elements of a cold northern sandy desert.

In general, there are 464 species, 276 genera and 81 families of vascular plants. It’s the only area in the world where the endemic inhabitant Redowskia sophiifolia can be met. Besides, in the area of Lena Pillars one can meet 12 more Red Book species.

Area is characterized by a specific combination of fauna complexes. Together with dominating forest elements, the representatives of mountain-taiga (Siberian musk deer, red deer) and mountain-steppe (brown creeper) complexes are met here. There are 42 species of mammals in the Park. The fauna of breeding birds is represented by 99 species, 27 species are included in the Red Books of different levels. Bewick’s swan, peregrine falcon, gyrfalcon, white-tailed eagle, golden eagle, osprey and sterkh are included in the Supplement to the CITES Convention, they also are protected species of the world avifauna.

Lena Pillars are extremely beautiful; their aesthetic influence on people has no comparison throughout a huge territory of Eurasian North-East. Fantastic stone statues, resembling strange-shaped pillars, spires, bayed towers, crossings and caves, stretch along the rivers’ banks for tens of kilometers.

Geographic Location

These wetlands are found along the coastal territory between the Khromskaya Guba (Bay) and the Sundrun River mouth in the Republic Sakha/Yakutia. The site ranges between 0.4 – 71 m above sea level in the Indigirka River Delta, between the Khroma and Sundrun rivers. The surrounding coordinates are 70° 30′ and 72° 35′ N and 143° 00′ and 152° 30′ E.

Overview

This site totals approximately 1,608,000 ha, and comprises important breeding and moulting areas for waterfowl. It is an important nesting area for the eastern population of Siberian Crane, and provides summer habitats along a migration route of Wild Reindeer. The Indigirka Delta and the territory between the Khroma and Sundrun Rivers provide favorable habitats for rare animals, such as Brent Goose, Bewick’s Swan, Spectacled Eider, Steller’s Eider, Siberian Crane, and Ross’s Gull along with economically important species, Long-tailed Duck and Northern Pintail.

Conservation Status

The Kytalyk State Resource Reservation was designated by the Government of Republic Sakha (Yakutia) on 12 August 1996. It was established on the territories of two existing zakazniks (game refuges) – Elon’ and Khroma. The territory of the Reservation is under special protective and management regime is enforced by the law on “Specially protected nature sites of Republic Sakha (Yakutia)” and the Statute of the Kytalyk Resource Reservation. Four rangers carry out practical protection of the Reservation. The entire territory of the Resource Reservation is divided into several functional zones differing in terms of protective regime and use and management of natural resources: seasonally closed zones, “sacred grounds”, traditional land-use zones, licensed reindeer hunting zones, and commercial fishing zones. Shooting waterfowl is prohibited in all of these zones. Moreover, hunting for all game birds and wild reindeer as well as fishing with nets are banned between 15 May and 30 September in the seasonally closed zones. During this period, no visits to the zone are permitted either by land or water except for the personnel of the Resource Reservation. Also, aircraft of all types are not allowed to cross the air space over the zone at an altitude below 500 m.

Critical site encompasses a major portion of the breeding rage of the eastern population and increased legal protection is an urgent priority to regulate resource use and improve management. Phase 2 – focusing on management systems and ecotourism development.

SCWP Objectives

A proposal has been made to expand the territory of the Reservation by 877,600 ha. This would lead to the protection of areas around lakes Krugloye, Lebedinoye, and Arylaakh, which are known to harbor at least 10 pairs of the Siberian Crane, as well as provide moulting ground of Whooper Swans and a place of congregation of migratory birds in spring. The necessary documentation has been submitted for consideration by the Government of Republic Sakha (Yakutia). The SCWP is working to improve protection of the area, regulate resource use and improve management of the reserve. During Phase 2, the project will focus on management systems and ecotourism development in addition to an ongoing education and public awareness program.

Great Siberian Lena river (length is 4270 кm) flows into the Arctic Ocean and formes the largest delta in Russia, which square is more than 32 thousand square km. A numerous channels (total quantity is 6500) formes a dense network. There are more than 1500 islands and 30 000 lakes. About 16 000 qubic metres of water flow through the delta Lena every second, it’s about 500 qubic kilometres per year.

Delta Lena lays in tundra zone, forest-tundra species penetrates here through the valley, mountain species get by the Kharaulakh mountains (northern part of the Verkhoyansky ridge).

There are 121 bird species could be found in Delta Lena, 71 species nesting here.
The most interesting nesting species are Bewick’s Swan Cygnus bewickii, Whooper Swan Cygnus cygnus, Brent Goose Branta bernicla, Lesser White-fronted Goose Anser erythropus, Steller’s Eider Polysticta stelleri, King Eider Somateria spectabilis, Gyrfalcon Falco rusticolus, Peregrine Falco peregrinus, Golden Eagle Aquila chrysaetos, Ross’ Gull Rhodostethia rosea and Sabine’s Gull Xema sabini. Siberian White Crane Grus leucogeranus and Snow Goose Chen caerulescens fly into Delta Lena.

International Biological Station (IBS) “Lena-Nordenskiold”

The International Biological Station (IBS) “Lena-Nordenskiold” in the Lena River Delta was set up according to the Memorandum of Mutual Undestanding between the Republic of Sakha and WWF-Sweden. The Station was opened by Duke of Edinburgh, Prince Philippe in July, 95. The main objectives of the IBS are to organize and to undertake complex researches of arctic ecosystems in Yakutia, observing their biodiversity, and to conduct monitoring of the ecological situation and research sustainable use of natural resources.

The Lena River Delta is one of the key regions in the Arctic. This region is the largest in the Arctic covering more than 28,5 thousand square kilometres. The average annual water discharge is 16.300 cubic metres/per second.

There are practically all main landscape complexes of the Arctic in the Lena River Delta region, especially the intrazonal valley complexes. The typical tundra landscape is to be found in the North-West part of the Delta. The seperate islands of this landscape are in the South-West and South-East parts of the Delta. The offshoots of Kharaulahsky mountain range and Chekanovsky chain of hills form a complex mountain landscape.

The flora composition in this region is comparatively rich (373 vascular plant species, 106 moss species and 74 lichen species). There is a combination of arctic, hypoarctic and boreal elements in flora and a diversity of plant associations. It allows to research primary producers of tundra and mountain ecosystems in geobotanical, ecological and ecological-biochemical aspects.

The numerious bodies of water, river branches and nearness to the station of the estuary zone, where a fresh river water and sea salt water mix, give a unique opportunity to research, the hydrobiontes (plankton and benthos), which are the fodder (food) of valuable salmon fishes: Stenodus leucichthys, Coregonus sardinella, Coregonus nasus, Coregonus muksun and others. The Lena River Delta is a key place of fattening and formation of spawning area for these fishes. The complex study of these ecosystem components is of theoretical and practical importance.

The Lena River Delta is the main area for nesting of migratory birds in the Arctic. There are 118 species in the avifauna. The intercontinental ties, direction and distance of the delta birds populations probably, are unique in the Arctic. The study of the following species is of particular interest: Bewick’s Swan (Cignus bewickii), Black Brant (Branta bernikla), Snow Goose (Chen hyperboreus), Common (Somateria mollissima) and Steller’s (Polysticta stelleri) Eiders, Sabine’s (Xema sabini) and Ross’s (Rhodostethia rosea) Gulls, Peregrine Falcon (Falco peregrinus). On the biological station, it will be possible to study the oppotunities of reacclimatizasion of Snow Goose (C. hyperboreus), which inhabited all area of seaside tundra in Yakitia.

The fauna of mammals is represented by tundra, mountain and northern-boreal species. The 17 species of 25 inhabit permanently this region. The Caribou (Rangifer tarandus) and the Arctic fox (Alopex lagopus) are the most significant species in the market of indigenous people. Presently, the quantity of these species is decreasing for different reasons. The Kharaulahsky population of Marmot (Marmota camschatica) is unique. There are 5 species of sea mammals, the situation of its population, unfortunatetly, is currently unknown. The situation of Walrus (Odobenus rosmarus) which is included in “The Red Book of USSR” and “The Red Book of Yakutia” is anxious. The number of the walrus is decreasing and, therefore the number of breeding ground is reducing.

The location of the station is convenient to undertake the monitoring of water, mountain and tundra ecosystems. The Lena River Delta part is a power-full acumulator of suspended substances, including the polluted substances in the runoff of the Lena. The existence of protected lands (preserves) and industrial (navigation; floating and storing of timber; commercial hunting and fishing) areas allows to study the mutial influence of human being and the environment and the natural biological processes.

The IBS is located on the very east channel of the Lena Delta – “Bykovsky”, aproximately 70 kilometres from Tiksi. In summer, one can go to the station by air (helicopter, 1 hour ) and by river (boat, 2 hours) from Tiksi and passenger ship (3 days) from Yakutsk by the Lena River. It is possible to go by motor-boat and by launch along the Lena River Delta. About 20 persons can live in the station. There is a bath, hot and cold water supply, electricity (220V; 50Hz). The international communication is conducted by fax, E-mail from the IBS office in Tiksi. There is an office of the station, in Yakutsk, which coordinates the scientific researches.

The Snow Bunting (Plectrophenax nivalis), sometimes colloquially called “snowflake”, is a passerine bird in the bunting family Emberizidae. It is an arctic specialist, with a circumpolar Arctic breeding range throughout the northern hemisphere. There are small isolated populations on a few high mountain tops south of the Arctic region, including the Cairngorms in central Scotland and the Saint Elias Mountains on the southern Alaska-Yukon border.

The breeding habitat is on tundra, treeless moors, and bare mountains. It is migratory, wintering a short distance further south in open habitats in northern temperate areas, typically on either sandy coasts, steppes, prairies, or low mountains, more rarely on farmland stubble. In winter, it forms mobile flocks.

It is fairly large and long-winged for a bunting, 15-18 cm long and with a wingspan of 32–38 cm, and weighing 26–50 g. In flight, it is easily identified by its large white wing patches. The breeding male is unmistakable, with all white plumage and a black back; the breeding female is grey-black where the male is solid black. In winter plumage, both sexes are mottled pale ginger, blackish and white above, and pale ginger and white below, with the males having more white than the females.

It builds its bulky nest in rock crevices. The eggs are blue-green, spotted brown, and hatch in 12–13 days, and the young are already ready to fly after a further 12–14 days.

During the last ice age, the Snow Bunting was widespread throughout continental Europe.

The Lapland Bunting, Calcarius lapponicus, is a passerine bird in the bunting family Emberizidae, a group separated by most modern authors from the Fringillidae (Old World finches).

It breeds across Arctic Europe and Asia and in Canada and the northernmost USA. It is migratory, wintering in the Russian steppes, the southern USA, Northern Scandinavian arctic areas and down to coastal Southern Sweden, Denmark and Great Britain

The Lapland Bunting is a robust bird, with a thick yellow seed-eater’s bill. The summer male has a black head and throat, white eyestripe, chestnut nape, white underparts, and a heavily streaked black-grey back. Other plumages have a plainer orange-brown head, a browner back and chestnut nape and wing panels.

It breeds in wet areas with birch or willow, and or bare mountains, and winters on cultivated land or coasts. The bird is often seen close to the tree line, and likes to feed in mixed-species flocks in winter. Its natural food consists of insects when feeding young, and otherwise seeds. The nest is on the ground. 2-4 eggs are laid.

The Little Bunting (Emberiza pusilla), is a passerine bird. It belongs to the bunting and American sparrow family (Emberizidae), a group separated by most modern authors from the true finches (Fringillidae).

This is a small bunting at 12-13.5cm in length. It has a heavily streaked brown back and white underparts with fine dark streaking. With its chestnut face and white malar stripe, it resembles a small female Reed Bunting, but has black crown stripes, a white eye-ring, and a fine dark border to the rear of its chestnut cheeks. Sexes are similar.

The Little Bunting breeds across the taiga of the far northeast of Europe and northern Asia. It is migratory, wintering in the subtropics in northern India, southern China and the northern parts of southeast Asia. The birds remain in their winter quarters for quite long.

It breeds in open coniferous woodland, often with some birch or willow. 4-6 eggs are laid in a tree nest. Its natural food consists of insects when feeding young, and otherwise seeds.

The Pallas’s Reed Bunting, Emberiza pallasi, (also known as Pallas’s Bunting) is a passerine bird in the bunting family Emberizidae, a group now separated by most modern authors from the finches, Fringillidae.

It breeds across northern and central Asia across to Mongolia. It is a migrant, which winters in south east Asia. It is a very rare vagrant to western Europe, but has occurred as far west as Great Britain.

It is common in tundra scrub by water, and also breeds in drier open areas such as open larch forest.

The Pallas’s Reed Bunting is a small passerine bird, similar to a small Reed Bunting. It has a small seed-eater’s bill. The male has a black head and throat, white neck collar and underparts, and a heavily streaked grey back (Reed Bunting has a browner back). The female is much duller, with a streaked brown head. It is less streaked below than female Reed Bunting.

Its natural food consists of insects when feeding young, and otherwise seeds. The nest is in a bush. 2-5 eggs are laid, which show the hair-like markings characteristic of those of buntings.

The Common Rosefinch (Carpodacus erythrinus) is the most widespread and common rosefinch of Europe, where it has spread westward from Asia. Common Rosefinches breed from Sweden and Siberia to the Bering Sea; the Caucasus, northern Iran and Afghanistan, Pakistan and the western Himalaya, Tibet and China; to Japan between latitudes 25° and 68°. In winter they are found from southern Iran to south-east China, India, Burma, and Indochina.

The mature male has brilliant rosy-carmine head, breast and rump; heavy bill; dark brown wings with two indistinct bars, and a white belly. Females and young males are nondescript with yellowish-brown above, brighter on the rump and grayer on head; buff below.

They are found in summer in thickets, woodland and forest edges near rivers and in winter in gardens and orchards, swampy vegetation and locally in dry oak woods.

The nest is placed low in a bush and the five eggs are dark blue with coarse dark brown spots.

The Asian Rosy-Finch (Leucosticte arctoa) is a species of finch in the Fringillidae family. It is found in China, Japan, Kazakhstan, North Korea, South Korea, Mongolia, and Russia. Its natural habitats are tundra and temperate grassland.

The Common Redpoll, Carduelis flammea, is a species in the finch family. It breeds somewhat further south than the Arctic Redpoll, also in habitats with thickets or shrubs. Nominate C. f. flammea (Mealy Redpoll) breeds across the northern parts of North America and Eurasia. There is also an Icelandic subspecies, C. f. islandica, and one which breeds in Greenland and Baffin Island, C. f. rostrata (Greenland Redpoll). All forms migrate further south in winter into southern Canada, the northern USA and most of Eurasia. These birds are remarkably resistant to cold temperatures and winter movements are mainly driven by the availability of food. The common redpoll is smaller, browner and more streaked than the Arctic redpoll. There are two distinct populations (one lighter, one darker) united in islandica, the relationships of which are unresolved.