Karachukar Valley or Chalachigu Valley ( Chinese : 卡拉其古河谷 ) is a valley in Taxkorgan Tajik Autonomous County , Xinjiang , China . It contains the basin of the Karachukar River , a tributary of the Tashkurgan River , and is regarded as part of Taghdumbash Pamir . The valley borders Afghanistan ( Wakhan Corridor or Little Pamir ) to the west and northwest, Tajikistan to the north, and Pakistan ( Gojal or upper Hunza ) to the south. The name of the valley is from Kyrgyz , meaning "black cave".
6-621: The valley is part of the Taxkorgan Nature Reserve . The protected Marco Polo sheep is only found in the wild around this area. The region is often referred to by the Chinese as the Chinese portion of the Wakhan Corridor . There is an ethnic Kyrgyz village called Bayik ( Chinese : 排依克村 or Chinese : 阿特加依里村 ). The entire Chalachigu Valley is closed to visitors. However, local residents and herders from
12-547: Is a nature reserve in Kashgar Prefecture , Xinjiang , China . It is situated around the Taghdumbash Pamir of Pamir Mountains and Karakorum Mountains . It covers about 14,000 square kilometres (5,400 sq mi) was established in 1984 mainly to protect the rare Marco Polo sheep and Tibetan argali . It has since also served to protect other species such as the snow leopard . The reserve
18-564: Is bordering Khunjerab National Park in Pakistan . Most of the landscape is dominated by open, alpine vegetation. Trees are only present in some valleys below 3,400 m. The reserve is home to three wild ungulate species. The most prominent is the Marco Polo sheep . In the 1980s there were about 150 of these large wild sheep in the reserve. Today, the population has increased to about 1,000 animals. The other two ungulate species are
24-677: Is situated in westernmost China in the border area to Afghanistan , Tajikistan and Pakistan . It is also bordered by Khunjerab National Park in Pakistan and Wakhan National Park in Afghanistan. Half of its size is above 4,500 m and encompasses the northern edge of the Karakorum, the western edge of the Kunlun and the eastern offshoots of the Pamir mountains. To the south the reserve
30-537: The Siberian ibex and the blue sheep . Another ungulate, which was present originally in the area is the kiang . Large predators are represented by snow leopard , wolf and brown bear . About 7,750 people with 70,000 domestic animals inhabit the reserve. The livestock has a strong impact on the reserve's vegetation. During 2011–2013, the Tien Shan dholes ( Cuon alpinus hesperius ) have been spotted by
36-823: The area are permitted access. In March 2017, CCTV-7 's Documentary for Military program produced a mini-series covering the numerous border outposts in Chalachigu Valley. The valley was a significant thoroughfare of the Silk Road during ancient times. Around the valley are numerous passes connecting to other countries: Of the above passes, it is believed that the famous Chinese Buddhist pilgrim Xuanzang traveled through Wakhjir Pass on his return trip back to China around 649 AD . Some Chinese historians argue that he also used Beyik Pass on his way to India. Taxkorgan Nature Reserve The Taxkorgan Nature Reserve (officially spelled Taxkorgan Natural Reserve )
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