The administration of the Zarafshan National Nature Park issued an official response.
In connection with the article entitled "Drought and arbitrariness are posing a threat to the national park," published by E. B. Kholmanov, a researcher at the Zarafshan National Nature Park, on the EKOLOG.UZ information portal and social networks, the park administration states the following.
The issue raised in the article is indeed real and is of vital importance from the perspective of preserving the natural ecosystem of the national nature park.
In recent years, the amount of water in the Segara Canal, which flows along the border of the national nature park, has decreased significantly. According to researchers' observations, the water level began to drop starting in 2022, and in 2023 the constant water flow in the canal stopped.
For many years, this canal served as one of the important water sources for wildlife, including the Bukhara deer, the Zarafshan pheasant, and other local fauna.
The article published by our researcher is based on concerns about ecological changes occurring in the natural environment and on conducted observations. The administration of the national nature park fully understands and shares this concern.
At the same time, determining the exact factors that caused the cessation of the water flow, including the potential impact of economic activity, requires additional and objective study. This situation may have been influenced by changes in the hydrological regime of the Zarafshan River and other factors.
To determine the true causes of the problem, the administration of the national nature park intends to initiate joint studies with the participation of water management specialists, hydrological scientists, and relevant authorized agencies.
Based on the results of the study, relevant proposals will be developed regarding the possibilities of restoring the water supply of the Segara Canal and protecting the natural ecosystem of the national nature park.
The administration of the Zarafshan National Nature Park considers taking necessary measures for the timely identification of ecological problems, the objective study of their causes, and the preservation of our natural heritage to be one of its important tasks.
