Katon-Karagay National Park (Kazakh: Катонқараға́й мемлекетті́к ұлтты́қ табиғи́ паркі́) is the largest national park in Kazakhstan. It is located on the eastern edge of the country, in the Southern Altai Mountains. The park covers the western side of the "X" where the borders of Kazakhstan, Russia, China, and Mongolia meet. The highest peak in the South Siberian Mountains, Belukha Mountain (4,506 meters or 14,783 feet), is on the Russian border in the Katun Range. The park is in the Katonkaragay District of the East Kazakhstan Region, 1,000 kilometers (620 miles) southeast of the capital city, Astana.

The park was created on June 1, 2001. In 2011, it became part of the shared "Altai" park with Russia. In 2014, the park was added to the new "Katon-Karagay Biosphere Reserve," which was named by the UNESCO Man-and-Biosphere program.

Topography

Located on the slopes of the Southern Altai Mountains and near the Bukhtarma River valley, the park has mountainous and glacier-shaped land with elevations often reaching over 3,000 meters (9,800 feet). The park borders the Altai Republic of Russia to the north, China to the southeast, the Farpusnaya River to the west, and the northern slopes of the Sarymsakty and Tarbagatai ranges of the Southern Altai Mountains to the south. Thirty-four percent of the park is covered in forests, while the rest includes mountain meadows, rocky slopes, and glaciers. The land has steep slopes shaped by glaciers, forming features like trough-shaped valleys, cirques, and moraines. Rivers fed by glaciers are steep and fast-moving. Kokkol Falls, which is 80 meters tall, is the largest waterfall in the Altai Mountains.

Ecoregion

The park is located in the Altai alpine meadow and tundra, as well as the Altai steppe and semi-desert areas. These areas show all the different types of plant life found from the steppe up to the alpine tundra. These areas have very high diversity because they are where two different regions meet: Siberia to the north and the cold deserts of Central Asia to the south.

Climate

The climate at mid-level altitudes is called "Humid continental climate, cool summer subtype" (classified as Dfb in the Köppen system) and changes to an alpine climate (Köppen ET) above the treeline. Mountains and elevation levels influence how much rain falls each year. Lower areas receive an average of 386 mm of precipitation yearly, with the most rain falling in summer. Temperatures range from −26 °C (−15 °F) in January to 9.5 °C (49.1 °F) in July.

Plants and animals

The plants in the area are organized into four main altitude zones.

• The nival zone is found at elevations of 2,800 meters and higher. This zone has small groups of lichen and alpine plants, such as Snow Primrose and Altai Buttercup, growing in cracks and on rocky edges near snowfields and glaciers.
• The Tundra-mountain belt covers elevations from 2,100 to 2,800 meters. This area has mosses and lichens on rocks, as well as shrubs and grassy tundra, including Altai bluegrass and Honeysuckle.
• The Sub-alpine forest and mountain meadow zone ranges from 1,200 to 2,300 meters. Common trees here include Siberian pine, larch, and birch. The meadows have grasses, sedges, and blueberries.
• The Mountain-forest, meadow-steppe zone is located below 1,200 meters. This area includes birch and larch-aspen forests, along with many grasses and bushes.

Scientists have identified 363 types of vertebrates in the park: 284 birds, 65 mammals, 6 reptiles, 2 amphibians, and 6 fish species. Common mammals include the common shrew, tundra shrew, wolf, fox, roe deer, and brown bear.

In January 2021, a camera trap in Katon-Karagay National Park recorded video of a rare snow leopard (Panthera uncia) in the Altai mountains.

Tourism

There are places for visitors to stay in the nearby settlements. The park is divided into two main areas: 24% (1,512 km²) is a strict nature reserve where human activity is limited, and the remaining 76% (4,922 km²) is used for recreation, scientific research, and limited economic activities.