Dzhelandy-Say Ravine

Dzhelandy-Say (Balka Dzhelandy-Say) is a regional landscape and geological nature monument in the Orenburg District of Orenburg Oblast. The protected stretch, about 5 km long, runs along the right bank of the Dzhelandysay ravine, 6 km downstream from the village of Dzhelandy, below the Belye Kolodtsy (White Wells) springs. The nature monument covers roughly 505 hectares.

Geology and fossils

On the right side of the ravine, above the Belye Kolodtsy springs, light-grey calcareous sandstones and Upper Jurassic marls are exposed, rich in fossil fauna: ammonites, belemnites and bivalve molluscs. Large belemnite rostra, up to 30 cm long, occur here.

About 3.7 km further down the ravine lies an even more complete section of Jurassic deposits. On the watershed between the Dzhelandysay and the Ural River, these sands are worked by a quarry, where limonite concretions with tubular cavities — traces of decayed plant stems — turn up among the sand. In one of the ravine's tributaries, a thin seam of sooty coal can be traced within the clay layers. Higher in the section, Upper Jurassic calcareous sandstones are in places so rich in shells that they pass into coquina; a neighbouring, larger tributary gully exposes rocks with large belemnites, ammonites, brachiopods and large bivalve inoceramids.

Nature

Along the right bank of the Dzhelandysay a stretch of unplowed feather-grass steppe survives, 1–1.5 km wide and about 5 km long. It is one of the few steppe tracts of this size left intact in the district, and the nature monument protects it mainly as a refuge for rare species.

The steppe is home to grey partridges, demoiselle cranes, little bustards and great bustards — species listed in the Red Book. Ruddy shelducks and European bee-eaters nest in burrows along the ravine's slopes.

History

The village of Dzhelandy, where the protected stretch of the ravine begins, was founded between 1929 and 1934 on the site of the Bitsu and Bely Kolodets winter camps. From the start it belonged to the Pugachyovsky stud farm settlement and developed as part of its horse-breeding operation. Orenburg District itself was established on 20 March 1920; from 1938 to 1957 it was called Chkalovsky District before being restored under its earlier name.

The nature monument is now managed by the Directorate of Specially Protected Natural Areas of Regional Significance of Orenburg Oblast, and a special protection regime applies within its boundaries.

Getting there

Dzhelandy-Say lies in Orenburg District, 6 km down the ravine from the village of Dzhelandy. The nearest landmark on the ground is the Belye Kolodtsy springs, where the protected stretch begins.

Good to know

The site holds the status of a regional nature monument under a special protection regime: collecting rocks and fossils, ploughing the steppe and other economic activity are restricted here. Hunting within the hunting-ground boundaries requires permission from the local administration and may be banned for certain species or seasons.