South Kamchatka Nature Park

South Kamchatka Nature Park was created in 1995 and included into the UNESCO World Cultural and Natural Heritage List in 1996 in the Volcanoes of Kamchatka nomination. The general area of the park is 4,860 sq.km. (1,876 sq.miles).

There are several active and extinct volcanoes on the territory of the park including Zheltovsky, Ksudach, Khodutka.

Pieces of park borders pass tops of Asachinsky, Mutnovsky and Vilyuchinsky volcanoes.

The river network is rather developed in the park. Actually all rivers are spawning grounds for Pacific salmon. There are about 150 lakes of different origin.

The Nature Park features diversity of thermal phenomena concentrated in several geothermal systems such as Mutnovsky, Zhirovsky, and Khodutkinsky.

59 species of mammals live in the nature park. Snow sheep, brown bear and northern otter belong to species of special value. Fox, sable, river otter, wolverine, American mink, American ground squirrel and others can also be found here.

About 200 sea bird rookeries are located on the coasts and islands including the Russia’s largest rookery of starichki (5,000-6,000 pairs), large rookeries of slaty-backed gulls, tufted puffin, red-faced cormorant and willocks. One of the largest aggregations of peregrin falcon was registered within the borders of Kamchatka. At least 20 pairs of Steller's sea eagles as well as golden eagle and fish hawk nest here.

718 species of vascular plants grow in the park including 12 endemic, 15 on the border of the range, 39 rare plants with decreasing quantity, and several species registered in the Red Book of RF.

In the park there is a Bereg Chubuka regional reserve as a habitation for snow sheep, and five natural monuments such as Rare landscapes of Vilyuchinsky volcano, Mutnovsky volcano crater, the Ovrazhia river basin, Khodutka volcano thermal springs, Ksudach volcano caldera.