Russian Federation

This biosphere reserve covers 100 km of the north-east shore of Lake Baikal and extends 45-80 km inland to the western slope of the Barguzinskiy Mountain range. Barguzinskyi Biosphere Reserve overlaps with the Lake Baikal World Heritage site. Situated in south-east Siberia, the 3.15 million hectares Lake Baikal is the oldest (25 million years) and deepest (1,637 meters) of the world's lakes. Its age and isolation have produced one of the world's richest and most unusual freshwater fauna that is of exceptional value to evolutionary science. With its outstanding variety of endemic animals and plants Lake Baikal is one of the most biologically diverse lakes on earth.

Main habitats of the biosphere reserve include for instance lacustrine terraces with larch (Larix dahurica), coniferous forests with pine (Pinus sibirica), spruce (Picea obovata), fir (Abies sibirica), thickets of dwarf pine (Pinus pumila), Kobresia dominated tundra and lichen covered rocks and cliffs. Hot springs remind of warmer climate in the past with relict species such as violets (Viola spp.).

The fauna is characteristic of the taiga with 39 species of mammal recorded, including pika (Ochotona hyperborea), Siberian chipmunk (Eutamias sibiricus), marmot (Marmota baibacina), flying squirrel (Pteromys volans), fox (Vulpes vulpes) and brown bear (Ursus arctos).

This biosphere reserve has a long research history dating back to 1957, coordinated by the Academy of Sciences. A station for the monitoring of climate, vegetation, animal populations and their harvesting was set up in 1983. The former Lake Baikal Biosphere Reserve was split to Barguzinskyi and Baikalskyi Biosphere Reserves in year 2000.