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21-607: In Autumn 1914, English explorer Jamie Bunchuk completed an expedition to cross the Betpak-Dala to its fullest longitudinal extent, from Lake Balkash in the east to the Sarysu River in the west. He also ran 190 miles, nearly eight marathons, back-to-back, over the course of eight days within the region. An epizootic of pasteurellosis occurred in Betpak-Dala in May 2015, in which more than 120,000 saiga antelope — representing more than

42-622: A 750 mile, 63-day-long, horse ride from Ust-Kamenogorsk to Almaty , in honour of the centenary of a historical journey through the region by the Anglo-Irish explorer Sir Charles Howard-Bury . For their efforts, the pair were presented with an award for the 'Best individual contribution for furthering relations between the UK and Kazakhstan' by the British-Kazakh Society at the House of Commons. For

63-658: A number of fossils . Of particular interest is the Bissekty Formation of Uzbekistan, from the early Late Cretaceous , which has produced several species of early birds : Incolornis martini , Explorornis walkeri , Kizylkumavis cretacea , Kuszholia mengi , Lenesornis kaskarovi , Sazavis prisca , Zhyraornis kaskarovi and Z. logunovi are recognized as valid species. Tyrannosaurid , therizinosaurid , ornithomimosaur , oviraptorosaurian , troodontid , ankylosaur , hadrosaur , and ceratopsian dinosaurs are also known from this rock unit. Other fossils from

84-422: A number of depressions and highlands (Sultanuizdag, Bukantau). Most of the area is covered with dunes ( barchans ); in the northwest large areas are covered with takirs (clay coatings); there are also some oases. There are agricultural settlements along the rivers and in the oases . Temperatures can be very high during the summer months, from mid-May to mid-September. Kerki , one extreme inland city located on

105-604: A third of the global population — were confirmed dead. The Betpak-Dala is located between the lower reaches of the Sarysu River , the Chu River , and Lake Balkhash . In the north, near the 46°30’ parallel, Betpak-Dala borders on the Kazakh Uplands , an area of low, rounded, isolated hills. Its area is approximately 75,000 square kilometres (29,000 sq mi). To the southwest lies the Ashchykol Depression . The desert

126-450: Is 51,450 km (19,860 sq mi). It is a breeding centre for rare species such as goitered gazelle ( Gazella subgutturosa ), Przewalski's horse ( Equus ferus przewalskii ), Turkmenian kulan ( Equus hemionus kulan ) and MacQueen's bustard ( Chlamydotis macqueenii ). The reserve was founded in 1977 on the enclosed area in 5,131 ha (19.81 sq mi). The Kyzylkum Desert has exposed rock formations that have yielded

147-467: Is a flat, gently rolling plain with an elevation ranging from 300 metres (980 ft) to 350 metres (1,150 ft) and a general south-western incline. Elevations are greatest in the east. In the southeast, the Zheltau highland reaches an elevation of 599 metres (1,965 ft) at Mount Suykadyr (Суықадыр) and of 972 metres (3,189 ft) at Mount Kyzylbelen (Кызылбелен). The western part of Betpak-Dala

168-623: Is an English explorer, equestrian Long Rider (assoc.) and an editor of Sidetracked magazine. He is best known for his exploration of the Central Asia region. Maddison's first expedition was to the Djangart Valley of the Tian Shan mountains in eastern Kyrgyzstan . Since then, he has mounted numerous expeditions including: spending one month living and working with Kirghiz hunters in southeast Tajikistan , small archaeological discoveries from

189-660: Is composed of folded Mesozoic rock and horizontally layered Paleogene friable rock (sand, sandstone, clay, and conglomerates). The eastern hilly region has a plicate structure and is composed of Lower Paleozoic sedimentary-metamorphic rock series and granite. The climate is sharply continental. The annual precipitation is between 100 millimetres (3.9 in) and 150 millimetres (5.9 in), of which only 15 percent occurs in summer. Summers are dry and hot; winters are cold with little snow. The average temperature in January ranges from −12 °C (10 °F) to −14 °C (7 °F), and

210-503: Is now a content marketing strategist in London and a motivational speaker. Maddison married on December 15, 2018. Kyzyl Kum The Kyzylkum Desert ( Uzbek : Qizilqum, Қизилқум , قِیزِیل‌قُوم; Kazakh : Қызылқұм , romanized :  Qyzylqūm , قىزىلقۇم) is the 15th largest desert in the world. Its name means Red Sand in Turkic languages . It is located in Central Asia , in

231-566: The Cretaceous rocks of the Kyzylkum include tree trunks, pelecypods , beetles , sharks , rays , bony fish , frogs , salamanders , turtles , crocodylomorphs , pterosaurs , and a varied fauna of small early mammals . Paleontologists that have worked in this area include J. David Archibald , Alexander Averianov , Sergei Kurzanov , Lev Nesov , Anatoly Riabinin , Anatoly Rozhdestvensky , and Hans-Dieter Sues . The local population uses

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252-572: The Sarysu River. He also ran 190 miles, nearly eight marathons, back to back over the course of eight days within the region. The expedition was aided by two locals, a supporting four-wheel-drive vehicle, and with funding from the French underwear company HOM . In September 2017, Maddison made the first on-foot crossing of the Saryesik-Atyrau Desert , running 70 miles across the lower reaches of

273-617: The X-XI C. Sak city of Bazar Dara , a 100 mile, multi-day, camel supported run across the Red Sands Desert in Uzbekistan , chronicling the lives of Kazakh eagle hunters in western Mongolia and winter packrafting down the Khovd River , Mongolia (temperatures down to -20 °C) in retrofitted and homemade packrafts. In 2013, Maddison – alongside friend and colleague Matthew Traver – completed

294-481: The average temperature in July ranges from 24 °C (75 °F) to 26 °C (79 °F). There are many shallow, often Sor -type of saline lakes, such as Arys , Buralkynyn Tuzy and Karakoin . Underground waters, emerging in places, are abundant. The predominant soils are gray-brown desert solonchak and solonets . The western region of Betpak-Dala is an argillaceous sagebrush desert; Anabasis salsa grows in

315-662: The banks of the Amu Darya River , recorded 52 °C (126 °F) in July 1983. Desert fauna include the Russian tortoise ( Testudo horsfieldii ) and a large lizard known as the Transcaspian or desert monitor ( Varanus griseus ), which can reach lengths of 1.6 m (5.2 ft). The saiga antelope ( Saiga tatarica ) also occasionally migrates through the northern part of the desert. Kyzylkum Nature Reserve in Bukhara Region

336-563: The expedition, he was also the recipient of a Sir Peter Holmes Memorial Award from the Royal Society for Asian Affairs . This award is designed to encourage independent and purposeful travel in Asia. In the autumn of 2014, Maddison led the first expedition ever to cross the Betpak-Dala or the 'Steppe of Misfortune' from its easternmost extremity on the shores of Lake Balkash to its western edge on

357-465: The land between the confluent rivers Amu Darya and Syr Darya , a region historically known as Transoxania . Today it is divided among Kazakhstan , Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan . It covers about 298,000 km (115,000 sq mi). Kyzylkum is mainly located in Uzbekistan. Its territory consists mainly of an extensive plain at an altitude up to 300 m (980 ft) above sea level , with

378-576: The large spaces of the Kyzylkum Desert as a pasture for livestock (mostly sheep , Bactrian camels and dromedaries ). The desert is well known for its deposits of gold , uranium , copper , aluminium and silver , natural gas and oil. The development of the most famous gold-field at Muruntau began in the early 1970s. The centres for the mining and smelting industry at the region are Navoi , Zarafshan , Uchkuduk . The major industrial enterprises are: НГМК (Navoi Mining and Smelting Complex) and

399-844: The region from the Ili River to the Karatal River in under 30 hours. Across that time he had to contend with 36 °C heat and soft sand dunes underfoot. The expedition was sponsored by watchmaker Christopher Ward . Maddison was a journalist, having written investigative articles on deforestation within Armenia (published in Geographical magazine) and reporting on the further environmental damage of Lake Sevan 's changing water levels (published in Hidden Europe magazine). Previously an editor of Sidetracked magazine and presenter for Sidetracked TV, he

420-593: The salt-marsh depressions, while Pamirian winterfat ( Krascheninnikovia ceratoides ) and Siberian pea shrub ( Caragana arborescens ) grow on the sand dunes. In the east the argillaceous desert merges with the stony desert where Salsola arbuscula grows on the rocky hills. Betpak-Dala is used as a spring and autumn grazing land. This Kazakhstan location article is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . Jamie Bunchuk James Benjamin Maddison (born 9 July 1988), formerly known as Jamie Bunchuk ,

441-530: Was established in 1971. The area of the reserve amounts to 101,000 km (39,000 sq mi) and it is located on flood-land ( tugai ) drained by the Amudarya close to the settlement Dargan Ata . Fauna include: Bactrian deer ( Cervus elaphus bactrianus ), wild boar ( Sus scrofa ), common pheasant ( Phasianus colchicus ), golden eagle ( Aquila chrysaetus ). Djeyran Reserve is located 40 km (25 mi) south of Bukhara . The total area of this reserve

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