Badhyz State Nature Reserve

Lore & Background

The Badhyz State Nature Reserve was created in 1941 to safeguard the unique landscape of solitary and grouped foothills ranging from 20 to 200 m in height. Its climate features a short spring followed by a long, hot summer with 4–5 months of heat and little cooling winds. The reserve incorporates three wildlife sanctuaries—Çemenebit, Gyzyljar, and Pulhatyn—established in 1956.

The reserve is historically important as the last place where the Turkmenian wild ass was found. The wild ass population grew from 200 at the reserve's founding to 5,000 animals, then declined to about 650. Other ungulates include urial, goitered gazelle, and wild boar. Predators such as red fox, Persian leopard, striped hyena, grey wolf, and Asiatic wildcat are present.

The Asiatic cheetah once occurred in the reserve but has not been recorded since the 1960s. Dispersal from neighboring Iran is obstructed by the fenced border between the two countries.

Reader's Guide

The Badhyz State Nature Reserve holds conservation significance as a stronghold for the Asiatic wild ass (Equus hemionus kulan), a species that was once confined to this area. The reserve's population dynamics—from 200 to 5,000 and then to about 650—illustrate both successful recovery and subsequent challenges. The presence of other ungulates and predators, including the Persian leopard and striped hyena, underscores the reserve's role in preserving a diverse arid ecosystem. The historical occurrence of the Asiatic cheetah, now extirpated due to border fencing, highlights the impact of human infrastructure on wildlife movement. The reserve's three sanctuaries, established in 1956, provide additional protection. Its landscape of foothills and extreme climate—with average precipitation of 280 mm and long hot summers—shapes the habitat. The reserve remains a key site for conservation in Turkmenistan, though the decline in wild ass numbers and the loss of the cheetah indicate ongoing pressures.

Did You Know?

• The reserve was established in 1941 and covers 877 km².
• The Asiatic wild ass population grew from 200 to 5,000, then declined to about 650.
• The Asiatic cheetah has not been recorded in the reserve since the 1960s.
• The reserve includes three wildlife sanctuaries established in 1956: Çemenebit, Gyzyljar, and Pulhatyn.