Chatyr Kul. 08/11//05; Naryn Oblast; 16,100 ha; 40°37'N 075°18'E. State Reserve. A saline high altitude lake (3,530m asl.) in the Tien Shan Mountains with pristine ecosystem. The main inflow runs from the Ak-say river and the lake plateau is bound between the edges of At-Bashi (4,700m) and Kakshalto ridges (5,500m) with permanent snowfields and glaciers, forming the border between Kyrgyzstan and China. It is one of the few habitats for Pamir Brown-headed Gulls, a breeding area for Bar-headed geese, and crucial for nine species of moulting ducks, especially Tadorna ferruginea, representing about 40% of the global population. A significant population of IUCN Redlisted Argali Sheep (Ovis ammon) is also found grazing at the plateau. The absence of ichthyofauna, high transparency and shallowness of the lake support luxuriant growth of submerged macrophytes like Potamogeton and high population of rare invertebrates like Gammarus krevetki. Located near the Torugart Pass, the lake basin was once a part of the Silk Route, and remnants of a 10th century caravanserai can still be seen. Over hundreds of years, local nomads have been using the lake area for grazing horses in summer. Ramsar site no. 1588. Most recent RIS information: 2005.