South Tuva, Russia Photograph by O. Kosterin   Central Asia: Western Mongolia into southern Russia Deserts and Xeric Shrublands   60,700 square miles (157,200 square kilometers) -- about the size of South Carolina Vulnerable

· Land of Lakes and Life
· Special Features
· Did You Know?
· Wild Side
· Cause for Concern
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Land of Lakes and Life

If you like wide-open spaces, crystal-clear lakes, and abundant wildlife, you’ll love the Great Lakes Basin Desert Steppe ecoregion. In this ecoregion, herds of ungulates (hoofed animals) roam the dry, grassy plains, while flocks of birds fly across the wide, blue sky. Hundreds of lakes dot the landscape, providing habitats for migrating birds and places for wandering wildlife to rest and drink.

Special Features

This ecoregion is located in the northernmost part of the Central Asian desert. It is filled with lakes that range from being fully saline to fresh. Uvs Lake, at the center of this ecoregion, experiences the hottest, coldest, and driest conditions of any place on Earth at similar latitudes.

	A polecat isn’t really a cat. Instead, it’s related to weasels and ferrets. Polecats defend themselves by spraying a strongly scented musk. These solitary animals dig burrows in the ground and even dig a separate room for storing food--a polecat pantry!

Wild Side

Life is busy in this lake-filled ecoregion. Asiatic ibex scurry over rocks and along steep drops as white-tailed eagles and osprey soar overhead. Steppe polecats burrow underground, while lynx and snow leopards prowl the night in search of prey. Herds of Mongolian and black-tailed gazelles roam the ecoregion in search of food. The lakes and marshes are home to many endangered birds, including the rare snowy-white Eurasian spoonbill, which nests here during the summer. Six of the world’s 15 crane species live in reserves in the area.

Cause for Concern

This ecoregion faces a variety of human and natural threats. Increasing human water use and drought have caused water levels to drop in some parts of the ecoregion, while overgrazing by domestic livestock threatens to degrade the grasslands. And many species, such as ibex, snow leopard, and elk, are hunted illegally for their pelts, horns, and other parts.

For more information on this ecoregion, go to the World Wildlife Fund Scientific Report.