www. altai-es.ukg.kz The proposed territory of Katon-Karagaisky national park is outstanding not only for its scenery but also for the diversity of wildlife that inhabits this area. One-third of all Kazakhstan's fauna is concentrated in the region of the proposed park. Among the wild denizens to be protected are 66 mammals, over 250 birds, 3 amphibians and 4 reptiles, plus several thousand insect species.

Many bird species here are rare and listed in the Red Data Book of Kazakhstan. For instance, small numbers of the black stork (Ciconia nigra) are found here in canyons with dense forest growth The common crane (Grus grus), nesting in swampy river and lake valleys, and the demoiselle crane (Anthropoides virgo), confined to meadows in mountain hollows are also Red Data Book species. The proposed park will protect habitat for rare raptors such as the osprey (Pandion haliaetus) and white-tailed eagle (Haliaeetus albicilla), which nest near Lake Markakol, their main source of fish In addition, twenty pairs of golden eagle (Aquila chrysaetos) breed on rocky ledges among the mountainous ridges. From time to time, (Melanitta deglandi) may be observed in alpine lakes.

Scores of other birds are far more plentiful. Passerine birds, such as tits (Parus sp.), buntings (Emberiza sp.), rose finches (.Carpodacus sp.), pipits (Anthus sp.), and accentors (Prunella sp.) are easily observed. Whether poised against the crowns of gigantic cedars and spruce trees or against steep slopes, these birds enliven any landscape with then relentless motion and melodious singing.

The soft voices of the songbirds sharply contrast with the harsh cackle of the willow grouse (lagopus lagopus) or the black grouse's (Tetrao tetrix ) noisy flapping of its wings. Scurrying among cedar forests in search of food, restless nutcrackers (Nucifraga caryocatactes) also cause quite a ruckus. However, it requires special skill to catch a glimpse of the cautious hazel grouse (Tetrastes bonasia), capercaillie (Tetrao urogallus), or the flash of a goshawk (Accipiter gentilis).

Also, one must listen attentively to hear the mournful voice of buzzards (Buteo buteo) and black woodpeckers (Dryocopus martius).The list of mammals found in the Altai is equally fascinating. Brown bears (Ursus arctos) weighing up to 300 and 400 kg inhabit taiga thickets Abundant fur-bearing animals wander in the forests: sable (Martes zibellina), Siberian weasel (Mustela sibirica), and stoat (Mustela erminea). Along rivers one may spot the footprints of otter (Lutra lutra) and American mink (Mustela vision), which has become a common species after its introduction. The secretive lynx (Lynx lynx) and wolverine (Gulo gulo) can also be noticed from time to time.

Another elusive animal, the snow leopard (Uncia uncia), roams in the watersheds of spectacular mountain ridges, whose towering height makes them nearly inaccessible. In the kingdom of rocks, glaciers, and snow fields the tracks of the master of this place may be encountered every once in a while. Mountaineers have seen the animal more than once in such places as the Kapchalski Pass and on the edges of Lake Bukhtarminski, both along the park's boundary in the northeast, as well as in the eastern part of the Southern Altai Ridge, in the region of Crystal Peak. Occasionally, the snow leopard has been spotted along the shores of Lake Markakol.

For the most effective preservation of the snow leopard, it is essential to set aside an area within the park that would be considered a strict protected zone with restrictions on human access. Besides the snow leopard, this zone would help to protect argali (Ovis ammon), the largest species of mountain sheep (males reach up to 200 kg), and the Himalayan snowcock (Tetraogallus himalayensis), one of the rarest birds in the high mountains.

The territory of Katon-Karagaisky also coincides with the northern range of an extremely rare relict canine species, the dhole (Cuon alpinus), (for more information please altai-es@ukg.kz ). The last sightings of the dhole date from the 1960's in the Bereli Valley in the very northern part of the park, however, it was detected as recently as the early 1990s in Kalbinski Ridge, to the west of the park's territory.
A variety of hoofed species also find a haven in this mountainous terrain. The wild red deer (Cervus elaphus) population here totals only 1000 individuals, while the graceful roe deer (Capreolus pygargus) is quite commonplace. On the other hand, the musk deer (Moschus moschiferus) - a distant relative of the roe deer - is far more difficult to observe. Only the tracks of this animal give away its presence in the dark coniferous forests. The largest herds of the Siberian ibex (Capra sibirica) in Kazakhstan's Altai are observed within the park's territory.