Not far from the city of Genichesk of the Kherson region (Ukraine), on the large uninhabited spit Biryuchy Island lies the Azov-Sivash National Nature Park. The protected area in 1927 received the status of a state reserve. Many kilometers of sandy beach, shallow bays and bays, rich nature attract tourists to the region who are looking for a quiet, measured rest.
Geographical position
Biryuchy island, despite the name, is actually not an island. It is a spit with a length of 20 km and a maximum width of 5 km in the north-western waters of the Sea of Azov. This is an offshoot from the larger Fedotova spit. Together with Fedotov’s spit, it forms a complex accumulative form of alluvial origin with a length of about 45 km, which significantly exceeds the parameters of all the braids of the northern coast of the Sea of Azov.
The territory is washed by the Sea of Azov from the south and southeast, and from the north by the waters of the Utlyutsky estuary. Biryuchiy really was once an island 25 kilometers long and 3 to 5 kilometers wide. Later, wind and surf washed sand, connecting the island with Fedotova spit.
History
In Ukraine, a legend is spread that the island of Biryuchiy is of artificial origin. There are legends that he was washed on the orders of Peter I in order to block the way for the Turkish fleet. Vast shoals of braids do present a serious obstacle to shipping. However, there is no evidence for the theory. But scientists suggest that the island of Biryuchiy on the Sea of Azov was the habitat of the royal Scythians: this is indicated by excavations and its ancient name - Wolf Island.
physical characteristics
The soil of the spit is composed of shell detritus with an admixture of sand material, the thickness of the deposits reaches 10-12 m. They lie on silty and clay silts of the ancient Azov age. The soils of the spit Biryuchy island are mainly meadow and soddy, less often - solonchak and alkaline-bog.
This spit was formed due to the sequential connection of coastal shell systems with a relative excess of 0.8-1.0 m above the basins, which are oriented in the west-south-west direction. A feature of this accumulative form is the absence of a triangular base, characteristic of other braids of the northern and eastern coast of Azov. The current area of the spit is about 7273 ha.
Biryuchiy Island: recreation centers
Many kilometers of sandy beaches, warm waters of the Sea of Azov, healing steppe air, and a variety of wildlife are extremely attractive for the development of ecotourism. At the same time, the conservation status of the territory does not allow to actively intervene in the ecosystem.
Only a few camp sites operate on Biryuchy Island, you can also relax on your own - there are plenty of great places for camping. The following organized places for tourism operate on the spit:
- Gulf Stream Hotel;
- mini-hotel "Biryuchiy";
- recreation center "Gold Coast".
Biryuchy island can be visited with organized excursions by sea from Genichesk and transport from Kirrilovka. You can also relax directly on the protected area in the village of Sadki (the so-called "Khrushchev cottages"), where the park's employees live.
Azov-Sivash park
The landscapes of the spit have been under protection since 1926, first as part of the Nadmorskiye Kosa reserve, later as the Azovo-Sivash reserve, then reorganized into a hunting reserve. Since 1993, the spit was attached to the Azov-Sivash NPP. The Biryuchansky section of the park includes the spit Biryuchy ostrov (7273 hectares) and a kilometer-long strip of the water area of the Utlyutsky estuary and the Sea of Azov (5900 hectares).
In the vegetation cover of the spit Biryuchy Island, littoral, sand-steppe, saline-meadow, salt marsh, coastal-aquatic, synanthropic groups, as well as artificial afforestation are distinguished. There are 188 plant associations. Currently, sandy steppes occupy 28.2% of the territory on Biryuchi Island.
In 2009, in the fauna of mammals of the Azov-Sivash NPP, 5 species of artiodactyls and 2 species of artiodactyls were recorded. Of these, in recent years only wild boars have left these places; other species feel quite comfortable. The most valuable hunting animals in the park are red deer, European doe and European mouflon. The current number of ungulates (including domestic ones) on the spit is about 3870 individuals.