Wikiexpedition/Jarylhach

Wikiexpedition was held during 10-14 of September on the Jarylhach island, that is a key area and the main part of «Jarylhatskii» national park. The expedition had 4 members and 4 volunteers joined the expedition at their own expense.

descriptive report

The first day

Jarylhach is an island, and during the warm period of the year it’s possible to get there only by water, crossing several kilometers of Jarylhach Bay by motor boat.

On the first day of the expedition, 10 October, participants explored the northwest coast of the island, in the aquatorium of Karkinits'ka Bay, on the part of so-called “tract "Pyndyky" (small salty rounded lakes) using a boat. This place is especially enjoyed waterfowl birds - numerous gulls, cormorants, pink pelicans, swans. All birds appeared to be rather fearful, so participants failed to come close to them. This territory is one of the best preserved areas of natural landscapes of the Northern Black Sea, important as places for birds’ assemblaging during seasonal migrations. Also, the stingrays (a sea cat) often hold near the bank.

Steppe part, Jarylhach island
Salicornia brushwood, Jarylhach island

The second day

On the 11 of October there took place photography and videoshooting of mouflons and deer near the observation tower, with watering place next to it. After this the expedition went back to the “tract "Pyndyky", but this time to its land part, continueing photo- and videoshooting of flora, fauna and landscapes. This time we managed to capture Askanian deer and mouflons. After that the participants explored the north-eastern part of the island. It is noted there are a lot of common kestrels on the island. Mantis religiosa was often registered in this part of the island.

A deer on Jarylhach island
Mouflons on Jarylhach island

The third day

On the 12 of October the expedition carried an out to the eastern part of the island, where the lighthouse designed by G. Eiffel at the beginning of the twentieth century is situated, and explored territory on the way to it. On the same day participants managed to make a video of the Scarabaeus sacer – a dung beetle, listed in the Red Book of Ukraine.

Two lighthouses on Jarylhach island
Scarabaeus sacer on Jarylhach island

The fourth day

On the island even in the autumn season there can be found many species – witnesses of ancient times, when steppe zone stretched inextricably from Baikal to the delta of Dunai. Today only small fragments have left from the grasslands, no more than three percents from the previous area. Steppe animals and plants, that are scattered throughout this fragments and isolated from other individuals of their species, almost all are protected by international conventions, global and national lists of rare species. Jarylhach is the largest island area of virgin steppe in Ukraine. On the 13 of the group continued filming landscapes, and managed to found and take photo and video of a the very rare mantis – Empusa fasciata, which sometimes happens to be seen in sand dunes near the sea.

Empusa fasciata
Eremias arguta
Sandy shore, Jarylhach island

The fifth day

On the 14 of October, when finally the sea was calm for the last 5 days, participants managed to capture some animals in the water of Black Sea - Rhizostomae jellyfish and crabs.

Jarylhach island has been an object of particular attention ornithologists for a long time as nesting and stop place for large numbers of migratory birds, and even received a protected status in 1927, with the creation of the state sea reserves. During the study of the part of the eastern shore from the side of the Black Sea some rare birds were noted during flight, including peregrine falcons and field harrier; not far from the coas there was a small flock of common eiders - all these birds listed in the Red Book of Ukraine and are protected by international conventions.

field harrier, on the Jarylhach island
Young peregrine falcon, Jarylhach island
Two crabs, Jarylhach island
Jellyfish on the Jarylhach island

Materials, got and improved as a result of wikiexpedition

Articles, made in Wikipedia

Надморські заповідники

+ translation into English та Spanish languages

Джарилгач (заповідник)

Improved articles in Wikipedia

Джарилгацький національний природний парк

+ переклад на вірменську, [[:wikipedia:sah:Дьарылҕач Айылҕа паарката|Jakutian], Italian, Bashkirian, Spanish, Udmurt languages. Translations into other languages are preparing