Crimean Game Preserve

Crimean Game Preserve (Krymske zapovidno-myslyvske hospodarstvo). Established in 1957, absorbing the former Crimean Preserve, which has existed since 1923. The preserve is located in the central and highest part of the Crimean Mountains at an elevation of 400-1,545 m and includes the peaks of Roman-Kosh (1,545 m) and Chatyr-Dag (1,525 m). Its area is 33,345 ha. The sources of most of the Crimean rivers—the Alma River, Kosa River, Mavlia River, Kacha River, and others—are found within the preserve's boundaries. Thirty percent of the preserve's area is covered with forest. The vertical vegetation belts that are characteristic of the northern slopes of the Crimean Mountains are represented in the Crimean Game Preserve: the belt of oak forests at 400–500 m, and beech forests at 600–1,300 m. On the southern slopes the Crimean pine and beech predominate in the extensive forests at 1,000–1,200 m. The yew, birch, and other trees are relicts of the Tertiary period. The principal animals that come under the protection of the preserve are the Crimean buck, roebuck, moufflon (acclimatized since 1920), fox, rock marten, and Eurasian red squirrel. Among the protected birds are the griffon vulture, eagle, and white-headed vulture.

[This article originally appeared in the Encyclopedia of Ukraine, vol. 1 (1984).]