Chany

Lake Chany formed near the end of the last glacial period, around 10,000–13,000 years ago. Its shores were initially steppe; shrub birches appeared there about 5,500 years ago. Alternating wetter and drier periods have repeatedly shifted the water level and changed the lake’s outline. In the late 18th century its area was estimated at 12,000 square kilometres. By the 1840s, the lake had separated into distinct reaches. In 1972, an earthen dam cut off the western Yudinsky Reach, which then covered about 800 square kilometres—more than a third of the lake’s area. The water level in the eastern part rose by half a metre, while the isolated western basin had almost dried up by the end of the 20th century.

Chany is an important gathering place for waterbirds during migration and moulting. Up to 220 bird species have been recorded on the lake during migration and the breeding season; ornithologists estimated that as many as 1.5 million waterbirds used it over a season in the 1970s. Rare birds recorded on the lake include the white-headed duck, red-breasted goose and Dalmatian pelican. Birds recorded nearby include mallard, whooper swan, tufted duck, rock pigeon and Eurasian coot.