Zapovednik Verkhne-Tazovsky, in Yamalo-Nenetsky Autonomous Okrug was established in
1986. Its area is 631,3 thousand ha. It is located on Verkhnetazovskaya Upland, in the
watershed of river Taz tributaries — Pokolka and Ratta. The highest elevations are
160-170 m above the sea level.
In the plant cover north-taiga forests and bogs are presented: pine cowberry-lichen
forests, dark coniferous forests of Siberian pine, spruce and fir, valley mixed forests,
paludal sphagnum pine forests and oligotrophic moors with a thick cover of reindeer moss
are developed, which serve important habitats of game birds and reindeer.
The flora includes plants rare for Siberia: Turk's cap lily, Ural peony, broad-leaved
grape fern, etc.
The Zapovednik is home to the following mammals: moose, brown bear, wolverine, sable,
least weasel, ermine; there also occur the lynx, Siberian weasel; dwelling in water bodies
are the muskrat, and otter. Tetraonidae are common, including the capercaillie, black
grouse, hazel grouse, willow grouse.
There are a number of rare and endangered birds as the Siberian crane, white-tailed
eagle, osprey, golden eagle Aquila chrysaetos, Bewick's swan, red-breasted goose (stopping
over on the flyway).
Rivers provide spawning grounds to taimen, inconnu, muksun, chir.
The Zapovednik area is a promising ground for the acclimatization of the beaver
(Kondo-Sosvinskaya population) and the forest form of wild reindeer (Rangifer tarandus).
