The Kaplankyr State Nature Reserve is located in the Dashoguz region, in the northwest of Turkmenistan. It was established on August 16, 1979. The current area of the reserve is 275,735 hectares. The Kaplankyr State Nature Reserve is the largest in area among other reserves in the country.

The reserve includes two state nature sanctuaries: Sarygamysh and Shasenem.

The territory of the Kaplankyr State Nature Reserve and its restricted sanctuaries is home to 400 species of wild-growing plants, which are one of the treasures of our nature.

Among the flora, there are 96 species of crucifers, 45 species of cabbage family, 40 species of compositae, 27 species of sedges, 23 species of rushes, 19 species of carnations, 15 species of crucifers, and 16 species of beetles.

There are 53 endemic plant species, including 24 Turan-Caspian, 20 Turanian, 5 Central Asian, 3 Irano-Turanian, and 1 Balkan-Turanian endemic species. The importance of the reserve in the conservation of endemic plants is significant.

The reserve is home to 2 plant species listed in the Red Book of Turkmenistan (2024): Sandamik and Porsi Chomuch. Scientific monitoring is carried out to determine the range and population of these species.

The reserve boasts a unique and valuable fauna. The fields of the reserve and sanctuary host 292 species of vertebrate animals (excluding fish): 2 aquatic species; 25 reptiles, including a lizard listed in CITES, desert toads, and moles, which are included in the Red List of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).

Out of 218 bird species found in the fields of the reserve and sanctuary, 58 are desert and coastal-nesting species, while the rest are migratory and wintering birds. 27 species of birds are listed in the Red Book of Turkmenistan (2024).