Shulgan-Tash Nature Reserve
| Shulgan-Tash Nature Reserve | |
|---|---|
| Russian: Шульган-Таш заповедник (Also: Shulgan-Tash) | |
View of the Belaya River from above the Shulgan-Tash Cave | |
Location of Reserve | |
| Location | Bashkortostan |
| Nearest city | Starosubkhangulovo |
| Coordinates | 53°2′0″N 57°3′0″E / 53.03333°N 57.05000°E |
| Area | 22,531 hectares (55,675 acres; 87 sq mi) |
| Established | 1986 |
| Governing body | Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment (Russia) |
| Website | http://www.shulgan-tash.ru/ |
Shulgan-Tash Nature Reserve (Bashkir: Шүлгәнташ, Russian: Шульган-Таш заповедник) is a Russian zapovednik (strict nature reserve) in the western foothills of the Southern Ural Mountains, in the Burzyansky District of Bashkortostan. The reserve, nestled in dense forest and rugged karst terrain, takes its name from the Shulgan-Tash Cave, famous for its Paleolithic cave paintings. The nearest town is Starosubkhangulovo (about 40 km away).
In 2012, the reserve was added to the UNESCO Biosphere Reserve "Bashkir Ural", in particular for protection of the Burzyuan bee, which has been cultivated since old times by the local Bashkir people. As of 2016, the reserve is home to 13 full-time "bortniks" — traditional beekeepers who practice the ancient art of tree-hollow apiculture, nurturing wild honeybee colonies.