Surface area:
19.3629 ha
Elevation: 2.072-3.245m
Protection
status: Fully protected by Altai Tavan
Bogd National Park.
Site
description: The most important area for birds of Khoton-Khurgan
Lakes consists of two lakes, of glacial origin, located at the source of Khovd
River in the middle of Altai Mountains valley, Tsengel village. These two lakes
are connected by 3 km-long Sargaal channel and freeze over from November to
June. Khurgan Lake has total of 20 small and large islands. There is larch
forest around the lake and in its surrounding mountains. The lake is surrounded
by snow-capped Mongol Altai high mountains with glaciers. However, the
lakes are rich in fish, fishery is not practiced here. The major use of land is
livestock grazing.
Importance
for birds: Globally
and locally threatened bird species such as Dalmatian Pelican (Pelecanus
crispus) and White-throated Bushchat (Saxicola
insignis) are recorded at this site. The site
supports bird species of the Eurasian high montane, steppe and dessert biome
and Kozlov's Accentor or Mongolian Accentor (Prunella
koslowi), whose breeding range defines the Mongolian
mountains secondary area. Dalmatian Pelican (Pelecanus
crispus), Ruddy Shelduck (Tadorna ferruginea), Common Goldeneye (Bucephala clangula)
and Northern Lapwing (Vanellus vanellus) occur,
reaching at least 1% of their flyway populations.
Special
flora and fauna: The site also supports Mongolian
grayling (Thymallus brevirostris),
narrow-headed Altai osman (Oreoleuciscus
angusticephalus) and dwarf osman (Oreoleuciscus humilis), recorded in
endangered fish species list of Mongolian Red Data Book.
