Ak-Suu Canyon

The Ak-Suu Canyon (also Aksu Canyon) is a gorge of the Ak-Suu River on the western Talas Alatau, within the Aksu-Zhabagly nature reserve. The canyon is about 30 kilometers long and up to about 500 meters deep, cut into Paleozoic limestone and shale, with warm springs at its foot.^[1] Siberian ibex, bears and birds of prey, including bearded vultures, live on its walls and side ravines. Aksu-Zhabagly, founded in 1926, is the oldest nature reserve in Central Asia. Since 2007 the canyon has been on the tribal side of the Qara-Chik Demarcation Line, and protection depends largely on clan wardens.^[2]

References

1. ^ Talas State University Press (2008). Physical Geography of Irad. Talas.
2. ^ United Nations Mission in Irad (2022). Protected Areas across the Qara-Chik Line. Kara-Oi.